MLBs abbreviated 60-game routine season ends on Sunday, Sept. 27, and several spots in the expanded 16-team postseason field remain up for grabs. Things in the National League are a little more wide open than they remain in the American League, but there are plenty of engaging races in each league.
With that in mind, we here at CBS Sports will keep you apprised of the postseason picture every day from now through the end of the routine season. Heres where things stand right now.
If the season ended today
National LeagueNo. 1 Dodgers vs. No. 8 RockiesNo. 2 Braves vs. No. 7 MarlinsNo. 3 Cubs vs. No. 6 CardinalsNo. 4 Padres vs. No. 5 Phillies
The top three seeds are the division winners and the next 3 seeds are the second-place teams. The very first round (Wild Card Round) is a best-of-three series with all 3 games at the higher seeds ballpark.
Aside from securing home-field benefit in the Wild Card Round, there is no genuine advantage to winning the division this season. Theres no one-and-done Wild Card Game to prevent, and even home-field advantage is less of an advantage due to the fact that fans will not be permitted into ballparks during the postseason. Batting last is a real benefit, but thats about it for home-field benefit.
The season does not end today, the good news is, but if it did, the postseason brackets would appear like this:
American LeagueNo. 1 Rays vs. No. 8 Blue JaysNo. 2 Athletics vs. No. 7 TwinsNo. 3 White Sox vs. No. 6 YankeesNo. 4 Cleveland vs. No. 5 Astros
It is essential to keep in mind MLB will not play any tiebreaker video games this season to enable an expedited postseason schedule. All ties with be solved mathematically, even if two groups end up with similar records for the No. 8 seed. Heres how MLB will break ties this year:
Head-to-head record (if applicable).
Intradivision record.
Tape in last 20 department games (plus one until the tie is broken).
MLB is apparently checking out a bubble circumstance for all or part of the postseason, potentially in Southern California and/or Texas. MLBPA player rep Zack Britton recently informed reporters, including Erik Boland of Newsday, that MLB has actually not yet presented the union with any strategies for a neutral site postseason.
Still in the hunt
At this point the Orioles and Tigers are the only American League groups outside the top 8 with a practical possibility to receive the postseason. They are both 3 games behind Toronto for the No. 8 seed at the minute. The Mariners (4 GB) are the only other American League team within 5 video games of a postseason spot.
In the National League four groups are within 2 video games of the No. 8 seed (however no others are within 4 video games), and the No. 8 seed appears to alter daily. It was the Brewers going into Saturdays action. By the end of the night, it was the Rockies. The final few National League postseason spots figure to be the most interesting races the rest of the method.
MLB standings
Below are the MLB standings heading into Sunday. Department title and postseason portions are from SportsLine.
American League
National League
Sundays noteworthy video games
Diamondbacks at Giants, 4:05 p.m. ET
Cardinals at Cubs, 7:00 p.m. ET
Rockies at Dodgers, 10:10 p.m. ET
Due to the fact that more than half the league will qualify for the playoffs this season, there are more video games relevant to the postseason races on the schedule than usual this time of year. This day-to-day list will inevitably shrink as groups clinch postseason spots or are eliminated.
Brewers at Cleveland, 1:00 p.m. ET
Yankees at Orioles, 1:05 p.m. ET
Phillies at Mets, 1:10 p.m. ET
Marlins at Rays, 1:10 p.m. ET
Blue Jays at Red Sox, 1:35 p.m. ET
Reds at Pirates, 1:35 p.m. ET
White Sox at Royals, 2:05 p.m. ET
Tigers at Twins, 2:10 p.m. ET
In the National League 4 teams are within 2 games of the No. 8 seed (but no others are within 4 games), and the No. 8 seed seems to alter on an everyday basis. The final couple of National League postseason spots figure to be the most interesting races the rest of the way.
Due to the fact that more than half the league will qualify for the playoffs this season, there are more games relevant to the postseason races on the schedule than usual this time of year.
At this point the Orioles and Tigers are the only American League teams outside the leading 8 with a practical possibility to qualify for the postseason. The Mariners (4 GB) are the only other American League team within 5 games of a postseason spot.
