Here are MLB magic numbers, remaining schedules and tiebreakers for contenders through Friday, Sept. 26, along with playoff matchups if Wild Card Series began Saturday, Sept. 27.
Brayan Bello and outfielder Ceddanne Rafaela and the Red Sox celebrate returning to the playoffs for the first time since 2021.With 160 games down and two to go in MLB’s 26-week season, two division titles and two wild card spots still are on the line.
The Red Sox clinched a wild card spot with a walk-off win over the Tigers. With the Mariners losing, the AL East winner is guaranteed of being the top seed in the American League playoffs.Nothing changed in the two American League divisions that went into the weekend with two clubs tied for first place.both won, so they’re still sharing the lead in the AL East and the AL Central remained tied with the Guardians and Tigers both losing.Two very tight wild-card races have the Reds tied with the Mets but ahead via tiebreaker in the NL and the Tigers leading the Astros by one game in the AL.In Boston, the Red Sox returned to the playoffs for the first time since 2021 when Ceddanne Rafaela hit a ninth-inning triple off the center-field wall for a 4-3 win over the Tigers, who have lost 12 of 14 but still can make the playoffs with one win or one Astros loss. In Anaheim, Calif., Mike Trout broke a seventh-inning tie with his second homer of the game and the Angels held on for a 4-3 win over Astros, who are on the brink of missing the playoffs for the first time since 2016. The Astros need two wins plus two losses by either the Tigers or Guardians to claim the last AL wild-card spot. In Cleveland, the Guardians lost to the Rangers 7-3, but maintained control in the AL Central thanks to the Tigers’ losing, too. Rangers rookie Jack Leiter capped a standout rookie season by holding the Guardians to two runs over seven innings with 10 strikeouts. In Miami, the Mets’ 6-2 loss to the Marlins forces them to gain a game on the Reds in the final two games or miss the playoffs. Marlins two-time All-Star Sandy Alcantara held the Mets to two runs over seven-plus innings. In Milwaukee, Miguel Andujar broke a sixth-inning tie with an RBI single to center in a 3-1 Reds win over the Brewers that has them holding a playoff spot. The Reds can clinch a first playoff berth since 2020 with two wins, two Mets losses or one win plus one Mets loss. The Brewers need one win or one Phillies loss to clinch home-field advantage throughout the playoffs In Chicago, Seiya Suzuki hit a grand slam in a 12-1 Cubs romp over the Cardinals that left them one win or one Padres loss away from clinching the first NL Wild Card, which brings home-field advantage for all games in a best-of-three Wild Card Series. The Cubs will play the Padres. In Toronto, Nathan Lukes hit a two-run home run for the Blue Jays, who beat the Rays 4-2 to stay tied with the Yankees for first in the AL East. The Blue Jays hold the tiebreaker, so two more wins would make them division champs for the first time since 2014. In New York, Giancarlo Stanton blasted a pair of two-run homers and Aaron Judge belted his 53rd in an 8-4 Yankees win over the Orioles that kept them tied with the Blue Jays. The Yankees need to pick up a game in the final two days to win the division or they will begin the playoffs hosting the Red Sox in a Wild Card Series. In Los Angeles, Kike Hernandez wiped out a Mariners 1-0 lead with a two-run, fourth-inning homer and the Dodgers held on for a 3-2 win. The Mariners’ first loss in eight games locked them into the third seed for the AL playoffs. They’ll be home for a Wild Card Series against the sixth seed, which will be the In Philadelphia, Aaron Nola held the Twins to one run and two hits over eight innings in a 3-1 Phillies win that kept them alive for the best record in the league. The Phillies already are assured of a first-round bye, but they can get the first seed with two wins and two Brewers losses. In San Diego, Fernando Tatis Jr. returned to the Padres lineup after missing three games with an illness and hit a grand slam in a five-inning fifth inning in a 7-4 win over the Diamondbacks, whose playoffs hopes were ended. Arizona trails the Reds and Mets by two games for the last NL wild card, but was eliminated because it lost the tiebreaker to Cincinnati. Here’s a look at magic numbers plus the remaining schedules and tiebreakers for the contenders through Friday, Sept. 26 along with playoff matchups if the postseason began on Saturday, Sept. 27:Tied with Blue Jays for first in AL East. Blue Jays hold tiebreaker. First in AL wild-card standings. Lead Astros by 7 games for third wild card.Third in AL East. Trail first-place Blue Jays by 4 games. Second in AL wild-card standings. Lead Astros 3 games for 3rd AL wild card.Red Sox tied season series with Mariners 3-3; Red Sox won season series with Astros 4-2; Red Sox won season series with Guardians 4-2; Red Sox trail season series with Tigers 3-1.Guardians won season series with Tigers 8-5; Guardians won season series with Astros 4-2; Guardians lost season series with Red Sox 4-2.Tied with Guardians for first in AL Central. Guardians hold tiebreaker. Third in AL wild-card standings. Lead Astros by 1 game for third AL wild card.Tigers lost season series with Guardians 8-5; Tigers won season series with Astros 4-2; Tigers lead season series with Red Sox 3-1.Saturday, Sept. 27: Dodgers, 9:40 p.m., ESTSecond in AL West. Trail first-place Mariners by 5 games. Fourth in AL wild-card standings. Trail Tigers by 1 game for third AL wild card.Astros lost season series with Red Sox 4-2; Astros lost season series with Guardians 4-2; Astros lost season series with Tigers 4-2.Saturday, Sept. 27: Twins, 7:05 p.m., ESTSecond in NL East. Trail first-place Phillies by 13 games. Tied with Reds for third in NL wild-card standings. Reds hold tiebreaker.Saturday, Sept. 27: Reds, 7:10 p.m., ESTSecond in NL Central. Trail first-place Brewers by 6 games. First in NL wild-card standings. Lead Reds and Mets by 8 games for third NL wild card.Third in NL Central. Trail first-place Brewers by 14 games. Tied for Mets for third in NL wild-card standings. Reds hold tiebreaker.Saturday, Sept. 27: at Mariners, 9:40 p.m., ESTSecond in NL West. Trail first-place Dodgers by 3 games. Second in NL wild-card standings. Lead Reds and Mets by 6 games for third NL wild card.If you purchase a product or register for an account through a link on our site, we may receive compensation.and agree that your clicks, interactions, and personal information may be collected, recorded, and/or stored by us and social media and other third-party partners in accordance with our
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