WHERE WE ARE RIGHT NOW
A closer look at the divisions, Wild Cards and tiebreakers
The Dodgers won their fourth straight game with an offensive
outburst in St. Louis to beat the Cardinals, and with the Rockies getting shut
out for the second straight night in San Francisco, Los Angeles has moved back
into first place in the National League West. In the NL Central, the Cubs
padded their division lead over the Brewers, extending it to 2 1/2 games with a
victory over the Reds and Milwaukee's loss to the Pirates.
The NL Wild Card standings have shifted, with the Rockies
now occupying the second Wild Card spot and the Cardinals a half-game behind
them.
On the American League side of the ledger, the Indians
celebrated their third straight AL Central title. Meanwhile, the A's lost
ground in the AL West by losing to the Rays, while the Astros beat the D-backs
to extend their division lead to 3 1/2 games.
Here is a division-by-division breakdown of the playoff
picture, recapping Saturday's action and taking a look at where each contender
stands heading into Sunday. Within each division, clubs are listed in order of
current standing.
• Explaining
tiebreaker scenarios for '18 postseason
AMERICAN LEAGUE
EAST
RED SOX (102-47,
.685)
STATUS: Clinched postseason berth. Lead NYY by
10 1/2 games for division title and HOU by 8 1/2 games for best record in MLB.
YESTERDAY'S RESULT: Beat NYM, 5-3.
KEY TIEBREAKER: Boston currently sits in front
of AL West-leading Houston, but in the event the Astros catch the Sox, the
season series would determine home field in a potential postseason matchup. By
winning two of three against the Red Sox in Boston last weekend, the Astros won
the season series, 4-3.
TODAY'S SCHEDULE: vs. NYM (1:05 p.m. ET)
KEY SERIES REMAINING: Tuesday-Thursday at NYY,
Sept. 21-23 at CLE, Sept. 28-30 vs. NYY
YANKEES (91-57,
.615)
STATUS: Trail BOS by 10 1/2 games in AL East;
lead OAK by 1 1/2 game for first AL Wild Card.
YESTERDAY'S RESULT: Lost to TOR, 8-7.
KEY TIEBREAKER: If the Yankees and A's tie for
the two AL Wild Card spots, home field in the Wild Card Game would go to the
winner of the season series, but with each club having won three games, the
tiebreaker would go to the club with the better intradivision record. The
Yankees (35-27 vs. AL East) hold a lead over the A's (33-34 vs. AL West) in
that regard.
TODAY'S SCHEDULE: vs. TOR (1:05 p.m. ET)
KEY SERIES REMAINING: Tuesday-Thursday vs. BOS,
Sept. 28-30 at BOS
AL CENTRAL
INDIANS (83-65,
.561)
STATUS: Won AL Central; trail HOU by 10 games
for No. 2 seed in AL.
YESTERDAY'S RESULT: Beat DET, 15-0.
KEY TIEBREAKER: If Cleveland were to pull even
with Houston, it still would not host Game 1 of the ALDS, since the Astros took
the season series, 4-3.
TODAY'S SCHEDULE: vs. DET (1:10 p.m. ET)
KEY SERIES REMAINING: Sept. 21-23 vs. BOS
AL WEST
ASTROS (93-55,
.628)
STATUS: Lead OAK by 3 1/2 games; lead CLE by 10
games for home field in ALDS; trail BOS by 8 1/2 games for the AL's best
record.
YESTERDAY'S RESULT: Beat ARI, 10-4.
KEY TIEBREAKER: If Cleveland pulls even with
Houston, the Astros still would host Game 1 of the ALDS, since they took the
season series, 4-3. In the event of a tie with Oakland atop the AL West, the
Astros would host a one-game tiebreaker by virtue of taking the season series,
12-7.
TODAY'S SCHEDULE: vs. ARI (2:10 p.m. ET)
KEY SERIES REMAINING: Sunday vs. ARI
ATHLETICS (90-59,
.604)
STATUS: Trail HOU by 3 1/2 games in AL West and
NYY by 1 1/2 game for first AL Wild Card; lead SEA by 7 1/2 games for second AL
Wild Card.
YESTERDAY'S RESULT: Lost to TB, 7-5. Recap >
KEY TIEBREAKER: If the A's and Yankees tie for
the two AL Wild Card spots, home field in the Wild Card Game would go to the
winner of the season series, but with both teams having won three games, the
tiebreaker would go to the club with the better intradivision record. The
Yankees (35-27 vs. AL East) hold a lead over the A's (33-34 vs. AL West) in
that regard. If the A's tie the Astros for the AL West crown, Houston would
host a one-game tiebreaker by virtue of taking the season series, 12-7.
TODAY'S SCHEDULE: at TB (1:10 p.m. ET)
KEY SERIES REMAINING: Sept. 24-26 at SEA
NATIONAL LEAGUE
EAST
BRAVES (83-65,
.561)
STATUS: Lead PHI by 6 1/2 games in NL East;
trail CHC by 4 games for No. 1 seed in NL; lead LAD by 1 1/2 games for No. 2
seed in NL.
YESTERDAY'S RESULT: Lost to WSH, 7-1.
KEY TIEBREAKER: A tie for the division crown
would necessitate a tiebreaker game, and the Braves currently have the edge on
the Phillies for home field in such a game. Atlanta leads the season series,
7-5, but the clubs have seven games remaining against each other. In the event
of a tie for the best record in the NL, the higher seed would be determined by
intradivision record, since the Braves and Cubs each won three games apiece in
the season series. Atlanta (43-22) currently leads Chicago (37-31) in that
department.
TODAY'S SCHEDULE: vs. WSH (1:35 p.m. ET)
KEY SERIES REMAINING: Monday-Wednesday vs. STL,
Sept. 20-23 vs. PHI, Sept. 28-30 at PHI
PHILLIES (76-71,
.517)
STATUS: Trail ATL by 6 1/2 games in NL East; 4
1/2 games out of the second NL Wild Card berth behind COL.
YESTERDAY'S RESULT: Beat MIA, 5-4.
KEY TIEBREAKER: A tie for the division crown
would necessitate a tiebreaker game, and the Braves currently have the edge on
the Phillies for home field in such a game. Philadelphia trails the season
series, 7-5, but the clubs have seven games remaining against each other.
TODAY'S SCHEDULE: vs. MIA (1:35 p.m. ET)
KEY SERIES REMAINING: Sept. 20-23 at ATL, Sept.
24-27 at COL, Sept. 28-30 vs. ATL
NL CENTRAL
CUBS (87-61, .588)
STATUS: Lead MIL by 2 1/2 games and STL by 6 1/2
games in NL Central; lead ATL by 4 games for No. 1 seed in NL.
YESTERDAY'S RESULT: Beat CIN, 1-0.
KEY TIEBREAKER: In the event of a tiebreaker
game for the division title, the Cubs would have home-field advantage over the
Brewers, by virtue of their 11-8 record vs. Milwaukee in the season series. In
the event of a tie for the best record in the NL, the higher seed would be
determined by intradivision record, since the Cubs and Braves each won three
games apiece in the season series. Atlanta (43-22) currently leads Chicago
(37-31) in that department.
TODAY'S SCHEDULE: vs. CIN (2:20 p.m. ET)
KEY SERIES REMAINING: Monday-Wednesday at ARI,
Sept. 28-30 vs. STL
BREWERS (85-64,
.570)
STATUS: Trail CHC by 2 1/2 games in NL Central;
lead STL by 4 games and COL by 3 1/2 games for first NL Wild Card.
YESTERDAY'S result: Lost to PIT, 3-1.
KEY TIEBREAKER: The Brewers' final three-game
series against the Cardinals on Sept. 24-26 will determine the winner of the
season series -- currently tied at 8-8 -- and who would have home-field
advantage in the Wild Card Game if the two clubs finished tied for both Wild
Card spots.
TODAY'S SCHEDULE: vs. PIT (2:10 p.m. ET)
KEY SERIES REMAINING: Sept. 24-26 at STL
CARDINALS (81-68,
.544)
STATUS: Trail CHC by 6 1/2 games in NL Central;
trail MIL by 4 games for top NL Wild Card; trail COL by half-game for second NL
Wild Card spot.
YESTERDAY'S RESULT: Lost to LAD, 17-4.
KEY TIEBREAKER: The Cardinals' final three-game
series against the Brewers on Sept. 24-26 will determine the winner of the
season series -- currently tied at 8-8 -- and thereby who would have home-field
advantage in the NL Wild Card Game if the two clubs finished tied for both Wild
Card spots. Should St. Louis finish tied with Los Angeles instead, the clubs
are tied at three games apiece in that season series with one game left to play
(Sunday's series finale at Busch Stadium).
TODAY'S SCHEDULE: vs. LAD (8:05 p.m. ET)
KEY SERIES REMAINING: Sunday vs. LAD, Sept.
17-19 at ATL, Sept. 24-26 vs. MIL, Sept. 28-30 at CHC
NL WEST
DODGERS (82-67,
.550)
STATUS: Lead COL by a half-game and ARI by 4 in
NL West. Trail ATL by 1 1/2 games for No. 2 seed in NL.
YESTERDAY'S RESULT: Beat STL, 17-4.
KEY TIEBREAKER: Should there be a tiebreaker
game for the division title or the final NL Wild Card berth, Los Angeles is
currently in position to host the Rockies (9-7 lead in season series) or play
at Arizona (9-7 deficit), with more games left against both clubs. The Dodgers
would need to win their remaining game against the Cardinals on Sunday to avoid
playing at St. Louis in a tiebreaker game. In the event of a tie with the
Braves for the second-best record in the NL, the Dodgers would be awarded the
second seed by virtue of their 5-2 season series victory over Atlanta.
TODAY'S SCHEDULE: at STL (8:05 p.m. ET)
KEY SERIES REMAINING: Sunday at STL,
Monday-Wednesday vs. COL, Sept. 24-26 at ARI
ROCKIES (81-67,
.547)
STATUS: Trail LAD by a half-game and lead ARI by
3 1/2 games in NL West; lead STL by half-game for second NL Wild Card.
YESTERDAY'S RESULT: Lost to SF, 3-0.
KEY TIEBREAKER: In the event of a tie for first
place in the division, there would be a tiebreaker game to determine the NL
West champion. As things stand now, the Rockies would be on the road for such a
game against the Dodgers due to the results of their season series against Los
Angeles (7-9), and Colorado's season series with the D-backs is currently even
at 8-8. However, the Rockies still have time to move ahead in both.
TODAY'S SCHEDULE: at SF (4:05 p.m. ET)
KEY SERIES REMAINING: Monday-Wednesday at LAD,
Sept. 21-23 at ARI
D-BACKS (78-71,
.523)
STATUS: Trail LAD by 4 games in NL West and COL
by 3 1/2 games in NL West and for second NL Wild Card.
YESTERDAY'S RESULT: Lost to HOU, 10-4.
KEY TIEBREAKER: If the D-backs finish tied for
the division title or final NL Wild Card berth, season series would determine
home-field advantage in an extra game for the right to advance to the NL Wild
Card Game. Arizona leads its season series against Los Angeles (9-7) and is
tied with Colorado (8-8) and St. Louis (3-3). The D-backs and Rockies meet for
a final regular season series from Sept. 21-23 at Chase Field. Home field
between Arizona and St. Louis would come down to intradivision record, with the
Cardinals (40-30) currently leading the D-backs (36-31) in that race.
TODAY'S SCHEDULE: at HOU (2:10 p.m. ET)
KEY SERIES REMAINING: Sept. 21-23 vs. COL, Sept.
24-26 vs. LAD
POSTSEASON PICTURE
If the playoffs began today, here's how they would look:
• POSTSEASON
SCHEDULE
NL WILD CARD GAME (TUES., OCT. 2)
Rockies at Brewers
AL WILD CARD GAME (WED., OCT. 3)
Athletics at Yankees
NL DIVISION SERIES (BEGINS THURS., OCT. 4)
NL Wild Card Game winner at Cubs
Dodgers at Braves
AL DIVISION SERIES (BEGINS FRI., OCT. 5)
AL Wild Card Game winner at Red Sox
Indians at Astros
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