MLB playoffs LIVE standings updates, bracket for AL and NL wild card
Stay up-to-the-minute on MLB's playoff race and latest postseason bracket.
As the 2026 Major League Baseball season comes to a close, the playoff picture remains uncertain in both the American and National Leagues. In the AL Central, the Cleveland Guardians lead the Chicago White Sox by one game. Meanwhile, the Houston Astros and Texas Rangers are tied atop the AL West standings with 79-80 records, with Houston having the tiebreaker in their favor.
In the NL wild card race, the San Diego Padres, Chicago Cubs, and Philadelphia Phillies are on the cusp of securing the final three spots. The Padres are currently leading this division, but the exact order of the trio remains undecided. The MLB playoffs are set to begin on September 29 with a thrilling quadruple-header featuring four wild card series games.
The division series kicks off on October 3. Here's the current status of the postseason bracket and team standings: As of Friday, September 25, the AL playoff bracket is set with the Tampa Bay Rays and Cleveland Guardians earning byes into the playoffs. The top three AL teams, including the New York Yankees and Boston Red Sox, have already clinched their spots.
The AL wild card series will pit the White Sox against the Astros, with the winner facing the Guardians, while the Red Sox take on the Yankees, with the victor facing the Rays. In the NL wild card standings, the top three teams are guaranteed a spot. The San Diego Padres lead the way with a 89-70 record, followed by the Chicago Cubs at 88-71 and the Philadelphia Phillies at 87-72. Arizona Diamondbacks sit just two games back at 85-74.
Written by urgent.news from Yahoo Sports's reporting — not their text. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.
