2024 MLB playoff picture: Bracket, baseball standings, magic numbers, tiebreakers, postseason projections

Just three days remain in Major League Baseball’s 2024 regular season, and the MLB playoff picture is coming into a clear focus as the top team in all six divisions has been determined and only two NL wild-card spots are still up for grabs. The New York Yankees, Los Angeles Dodgers, Philadelphia Phillies, Cleveland Guardians, Kansas City Royals, Detroit Tigers, Milwaukee Brewers, Baltimore Orioles, Houston Astros and San Diego Padres have all secured a postseason spot, with seeding in the National League still to be determined.

By way of reminder, MLB now grants 12 playoff berths — a total of six to the division winners and then three wild-card berths in each league. The top two division winners in each league as measured by overall record are rewarded with first-round byes, which means they won’t have to play in the best-of-three Wild Card Series that functions as that first round.

The Dodgers, Yankees, Brewers, Guardians, Phillies, and Astros have clinched their divisions, and the AL wild card has also been finalized. The final two NL wild-card spots will be sorted out this weekend and Monday, as the Braves and Mets have a doubleheader scheduled.

There has been plenty of wild-card drama. In the American League, the Tigers, who have not played postseason baseball since 2014, clinched a playoff spot on Friday as the Royals followed suit. In the National League, the Braves, Mets and Diamondbacks are locked in a tight battle for the No. 5 and No. 6 seeds behind the Padres. 

Now let’s get you caught up on where all these races stand right now as the final days of the regular season loom. All division and postseason projections referenced in the standings come from SportsLine.

2024 MLB playoff picture

If the season ended today…
American League
Byes: No. 1 Yankees, No. 2 Guardians
Wild Card Series: No. 3 Astros vs. No. 6 Royals, No. 4 Orioles vs. No. 5 Tigers

National League
Byes: No. 1 Dodgers, No. 2 Phillies
Wild Card Series: No. 3 Brewers vs. No. 6 Mets, No. 4 Padres vs. No. 5 Braves

Who’s clinched?

• The Yankees clinched the AL East, a first-round bye and home-field advantage in the ALDS
• The Dodgers clinched the NL West, a first-round bye and home-field advantage in the NLDS
• The Guardians clinched the AL Central, a first-round bye and home-field advantage in the ALDS
• The Phillies clinched the NL East, a first-round bye and home-field advantage in the NLDS
• The Brewers clinched the NL Central
• The Astros clinched the AL West
• The Tigers have clinched an AL playoff spot
• The Royals have clinched an AL playoff spot
• The Orioles have clinched an AL playoff spot
• The Padres have clinched an NL playoff spot

MLB magic numbers

(Entering Saturday, Sept. 28)

• NL playoff spots: Braves — 3, Mets — 4

Notable tiebreakers

(Note: Two-team MLB tiebreakers are determined by head-to-head record. If teams have the same head-to-head record, intradivision record is used.)

• The Yankees have clinched the tiebreaker against the Guardians
• The Twins have clinched the tiebreaker against the Tigers, Royals and Mariners
• The Royals have clinched the tiebreaker against the Mariners and Tigers
• The Tigers have clinched the tiebreaker against the Mariners
• The Phillies have clinched the tiebreaker against the Dodgers and the Brewers
• The Mets have clinched the tiebreaker against the D-backs and the Padres
• The Padres have clinched the tiebreaker against the Dodgers and Brewers
• The D-backs currently hold the tiebreaker against the Padres
• The Braves currently hold the tiebreaker against the Mets
• The Braves have clinched the tiebreaker against the D-backs

American League standings

National League standings

Clinched division – x
Clinched wild-card – y
Clinched playoff berth – z
Eliminated – e

MLB wild-card standings

2024 World Series odds

• Dodgers: +340
• Phillies: +400
• Yankees: +450
• Astros: +700
• Padres: +850
• Guardians: +1100
• Orioles: +1200
• Braves: +2000
• Brewers: +2200
• Mets: +2500
• Diamondbacks: +2500
• Tigers: +3000
• Royals: +3000
• Twins: +5000