With just one day left in the MLB regular season, the 2024 playoff race is coming down to the wire. Several division titles and seeding spots are set, but a few are still up for grabs—everything depends on the last games and a handful of tiebreakers.
For fans, this weekend is a wild ride. Months of baseball all boil down to these last moments, deciding who gets a shot in October. Let’s take a look at the standings, what’s locked in, and what’s still on the line before the postseason starts.
National League: Brewers, Phillies, Dodgers Secure Top Seeds
The National League playoff picture is almost finished. The Milwaukee Brewers locked up the No. 1 seed and get home-field advantage for as long as they last.
The Philadelphia Phillies are locked into the No. 2 seed. The Los Angeles Dodgers, after a steady season, have the No. 3 seed.
Wild Card Drama in the NL
The Chicago Cubs snagged the top wild card and will host the San Diego Padres, who landed the No. 5 seed. The last NL playoff spot is still up in the air, with the Cincinnati Reds and New York Mets tied as the season winds down.
Cincinnati holds the tiebreaker, so they’ll advance with either a win or a Mets loss. That’s a lot of pressure for one day.
Current NL outlook:
- Brewers: No. 1 seed, home-field advantage
- Phillies: No. 2 seed
- Dodgers: No. 3 seed
- Cubs: Top wild card, host Padres
- Padres: No. 5 seed
- Reds/Mets: Battle for final NL wild card
American League: East and Central Divisions Up for Grabs
The American League is just as chaotic, with a bunch of scenarios still possible. In the AL East, the Toronto Blue Jays and New York Yankees are tied for the division lead.
Toronto owns the tiebreaker, so if they win their final game, they’ll grab the AL East crown and the No. 1 seed. The Yankees would slide into the top wild card spot if that happens.
Seattle Breaks a 23-Year Drought
The Seattle Mariners have finally clinched the AL West and the No. 2 seed. This is their first division title since 2001, and it sets them up nicely for the playoffs with home-field in the Division Series.
AL Central Battle: Cleveland vs. Detroit
The Cleveland Guardians and Detroit Tigers are tied atop the AL Central, but Cleveland has the tiebreaker. A Guardians win or Tigers loss hands Cleveland the division.
Detroit nearly fell out of the race with a rough September, but they’re still hanging on.
- Blue Jays/Yankees: AL East title undecided
- Mariners: AL West champions, No. 2 seed
- Guardians/Tigers: AL Central title at stake
- Red Sox: No. 5 seed, second AL wild card
Teams Riding Momentum
Cleveland’s late-season run is just wild. The Guardians erased a 15.5-game deficit to get here, thanks to clutch hitting and some seriously good pitching down the stretch.
Detroit will try to shake off their September stumble and find their form in time for October.
Key Tiebreakers That Could Decide the Postseason
There’s no more Game 163 in MLB, so head-to-head records now settle ties. Here are the big tiebreakers in play:
- Blue Jays over Yankees
- Guardians over Tigers
- Red Sox over Guardians
- Reds over Mets
Looking Ahead to October
The stakes couldn’t be higher heading into the season’s final day. One game will decide division crowns, wild card berths, and the path to the World Series.
For teams like the Brewers and Mariners, the reward is rest and preparation for their first playoff opponent. Others — like the Reds and Mets — face a simple reality: win or go home.
Baseball fans can expect electric atmospheres and a lot of scoreboard-watching. Heart-stopping moments will be everywhere.
In less than 24 hours, the bracket gets finalized. October’s drama is about to begin.
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Would you like me to include the **visual bracket projection** in the blog post so readers can see the potential matchups at a glance? That could really help with SEO and make things clearer.
Here is the source article for this story: MLB playoffs 2025 tracker: Tigers clinch playoff spot, Brewers get No. 1 overall seed, Yankees-Jays stay tied into final day — standings, tiebreakers, clinch scenarios with 2 games to go
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