Here are MLB magic numbers, remaining schedules and tiebreakers for contenders through Tuesday, Sept. 16, along with playoff matchups if Wild Card Series began Wednesday, Sept. 17.
The Cubs' magic number for clinching a first playoff berth in five seasons is down to one after Tuesday night's 4-1 win in Pittsburgh over Paul Skenes and the Pirates.After Tuesday night turned into Wednesday morning in the East, the Chicago Cubs clinched their first playoff berth since 2020 when the San Francisco Giants lost their game in Phoenix.
Sparked by Michael Busch leading off the game with a homer off NL Cy Young favorite Paul Skenes, the Cubs reduced their magic number to one with a 4-1 win in Pittsburgh. The Cubs, who hold the first NL wild-card spot, then got some help when the Reds were blanked in St. Louis and the Giants were walked off by the Diamondbacks. Before losing, the Reds and Giants could have potentially matched the Cubs in wins and beat them out for a wild card on the first tiebreaker, most head-to-head wins. The Cubs have the tiebreaker with the Diamondbacks, who still could catch them by both winning out and Chicago losing its remaining games.beat up on the Dodgers bullpen to rally for a 9-6 win one night after clinching the NL East title. The Phils trailed 4-0 before scoring six in the sixth, then pulled ahead for good in the ninth when Rafael Marchan hit a three-run, tiebreaking homer. Ohtani allowed just one baserunner, a first-inning walk to Bryce Harper, before being pulled after 58 pitches.built a 7-0 lead after two innings facing Padres right-hander Michael King and prevailed 8-3. New York maintained its 1 ½-game NL wild-card lead over the Diamondbacks. San Diego stayed two games behind the NL West-leading Dodgers.maintained their two-game lead for the first AL wild card by holding on for a 10-9 victory over the Twins after leading 9-2 through four innings. In Tampa, Nathan Lukes and Joey Loperfido homered for the Blue Jays in a 6-5 win over the Blue Jays that maintained their five-game AL East lead over the Yankees. In Kansas City, Cal Raleigh hit his 55th and 56th homers to match Ken Griffey Jr,’s franchise record and the AL West-leading Mariners beat the Royals 12-5 for their 10th win in a row. Seattle stayed one game ahead of the Astros. In Houston, the Astros beat the Rangers 6-5 to pass the Red Sox for the second AL wild card in addition to keeping pace in their division race with first-place Seattle. Before the game, the Astros provided a bad injury update on star slugger Yordan Alvarez’ left-ankle sprain, which occured Monday night, Alvarez has a “pretty significant” injury and will be sidelined “awhile,” according to Astros manager Joe Espada. In Boston, Brett Harris had a tie-breaking single in a two-run sixth inning for the Athletics, who edged the Red Sox 2-1 to stretch their winning streak to a season-high six games. In Phoenix, Jordan Lawlar’s bases-loaded, nobody-out comebacker turned into a walk-off single for the Diamondbacks, who beat the Giants 6-4. Arizona stayed 1 1/2 games behind the Mets while San Francisco dropped to three games off the pace. In St. Louis, Michael McGreevy pitched seven shutout innings and Thomas Saggese hit a two-run homer for the Cardinals, who blanked the Reds 3-0. The Cardinals stayed 4 ½ games behind the Mets for the third NL wild card while the Reds dropped to three back. In Detroit, the Guardians scored four 10th-inning runs and then held on for a 7-5 win over the Tigers, whose AL Central lead over second-place Cleveland was cut to 5.5 games. Cleveland also gained ground in its wild-card chase by getting to 2 ½ games behind Boston. In Milwaukee, Freddy Peralta became the majors’ second 17-game winner with six-inning, two-run, 10-strikeout start for the NL Central-leading Brewers, who crushed the Angels 9-2 to maintain their five-game lead over the second-place Cubs. Here’s a look at magic numbers plus the remaining schedules and tiebreakers for the contenders through Tuesday, Sept. 16, along with playoff matchups if the postseason began on Wednesday, Sept. 17:Blue Jays won season series with Yankees 8-5; Blue Jays lead season series with Red Sox 7-3; Blue Jays won season series with Mariners 4-2; Blue Jays won season series with Rangers 4-2; Blue Jays trail season series with Astros 3-1. Blue Jays won season series with Tigers 4-3.Second in AL East. Trail first-place Blue Jays by 5 games. First in AL wild-card standings. Lead Guardians by 4.5 games for third wild card.Yankees lost season series with Blue Jays 8-5; Yankees lost season series with Red Sox 9-4; Yankees tied season series with Astros 3-3; Yankees won season series with Mariners 5-1; Yankees lost season series with Tigers 4-2.Third in AL East. Trail first-place Blue Jays by 7 games. Third in wild-card standings. Lead Guardians by 2.5 games for third AL wild card.Red Sox won season series with Yankees 9-4; Blue Jays lead season series with Red Sox 7-3; Red Sox tied season series with Mariners 3-3; Red Sox lost season series with Rangers 4-3; Red Sox won season series with Astros 4-2.Tigers season series with Guardians tied 4-4. Tigers lost season series with Blue Jays 4-3. Tigers won season series with Yankees 4-2.Second in AL Central. Trail first-place Tigers by 5.5 games. Fourth in AL wild-card standings. Trail Red Sox by 2.5 games for third AL wild card.Guardians season series with Tigers tied 4-4; Guardians lost season series with Mariners 4-2; Guardians trail season series with Rangers 3-0.Second in AL West. Trail first-place Mariners by one-half game. Second in AL wild-card standings. Lead Guardians by 3 games for third AL wild card.Third in AL West. Trail first-place Mariners by 4.5 games. Fifth in AL wild-card standings. Trail Red Sox by 3.5 games for third AL wild card.Second in NL East. Trail first-place Phillies by 12.5 games. Third in NL wild-card standings. Lead Diamondbacks by 1.5 games for third NL wild card.Mets trail season series with Padres 3-1; Mets won season series with Giants 4-2; Mets lost season series with Reds 4-2; Mets lead season series with Cubs 2-1; Mets tied season series with Diamondbacks 3-3.Second in NL Central. Trail first-place Brewers by 5 games. First in NL wild-card standings. Lead Diamondbacks by 10.5 games for third NL wild card.Cubs won season series with Brewers 7-6; Cubs tied season series with Padres 3-3; Cubs trail season series with Mets 2-1; Cubs won series with Diamondbacks 4-3; Cubs lost series with Giants 5-1.Third in NL Central. Trail first-place Brewers by 17 games. Tied with Giants for fifth in NL wild-card standings. Trail Mets by 2 games for third NL wild card.Reds won season series with Mets 4-2; Reds won season series with Padres 4-2; Reds tied season series with Giants 3-3; Reds won season series with Diamondbacks 4-2.Fourth in NL Central. Trail first-place Brewers by 18.5 games. Seventh in NL wild-card standings. Trail Mets by 4.5 games for third NL wild card.Cardinals lost season series with Mets 5-2; Cardinals lost season series with Padres 4-3; Cardinals season series with Giants tied 1-1.Dodgers won season series with Padres 9-4; Dodgers trail season series with Phillies 4-1; Dodgers lost season series with Brewers 6-0.Second in NL West. Trail first-place Dodgers by 2 games. Second in NL wild-card standings. Lead Diamondbacks by 5.5 games for third NL wild card.Padres lost season series with Dodgers 9-4; Padres won season series with Giants 10-3; Padres season series with Diamondbacks tied 5-5; Padres lead season series with Mets 3-1; Padres lost season series with Reds 4-2; Padres tied season series with Phillies 3-3.Third in NL West. Trail first-place Dodgers by 7.5 games. Fourth in NL wild-card standings. Trail Mets by 1.5 games for third NL wild card.Diamondbacks tied season series with Mets 3-3; Diamondbacks lead season series with Giants 7-5; Diamondbacks lost season series with Reds 4-2.Fourth in NL West. Trail first-place Dodgers by 9 games. Fifth in NL wild-card standings. Trail Mets by 3 games for third NL wild card.Giants lost season series with Padres 10-3; Giants trail season series with Diamondbacks 6-5; Giants tied season series with Reds 3-3. Giants trail season series with Cardinals 2-1. 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