Are Yankees the best bet to make it to World Series from American League?
Gabe Lacques breaks down the Yankees’ World Series chances and whether New York is the best bet to emerge from a competitive American League.
Sports Seriously
The Major League Baseball postseason is starting to come into focus, with two additional spots locked up Sunday, Sept. 20. Following their win over the Houston Astros, the Atlanta Braves wrapped up the National League East. The Boston Red Sox lost to the Tampa Bay Rays Sunday, but still had something to celebrate. Houston’s loss put Boston into the playoffs.
Several MLB teams have already clinched postseason berths, but many of baseball’s biggest races remain unsettled. The American League Central and AL West are still up for grabs, the final AL wild-card spot remains hotly contested and jockeying for National League wild-card positioning could continue until the season’s final days.
Here’s every team that has clinched a playoff berth so far, along with the clubs that could be next and what the postseason bracket would look like if the season ended right now.
American League
National League
- Milwaukee Brewers: NL Central
- Los Angeles Dodgers: NL West
- Atlanta Braves NL East
These are the teams closest to clinching divisions/playoff spots:
- Chicago Cubs — 1 to clinch playoff berth
- Milwaukee Brewers — 1 to clinch NL first-round bye (4 to clinch NL’s home-field advantage)
- New York Yankees — 2 to clinch at least No. 1 wild card
- San Diego Padres — 2 to clinch playoff berth
- Los Angeles Dodgers — 3 to clinch NL first-round bye
- Philadelphia Phillies — 3 to clinch playoff berth
- Tampa Bay Rays — 1 to clinch AL East, AL first-round bye and AL’s home-field advantage
- Cleveland Guardians — 4 to clinch playoff berth (6 to clinch AL Central and AL first-round bye)
- Chicago White Sox — 5 to clinch playoff berth
- Texas Rangers — 6 to clinch AL West
This would be the playoff field if the season ended after games on Saturday, Sept. 19:
American League
- Tampa Bay Rays (East)
- Cleveland Guardians (Central)
- Texas Rangers (West)
- New York Yankees (Wild card No. 1)
- Boston Red Sox (Wild card No. 2)
- Chicago White Sox (Wild card No. 3)
National League
- Milwaukee Brewers (Central)
- Los Angeles Dodgers (West)
- Atlanta Braves (East)
- Chicago Cubs (Wild card No. 1)
- San Diego Padres (Wild card No. 2)
- Philadelphia Phillies (Wild card No. 3)