{
  "id": 4641453,
  "title": "MLB playoff picture 2026: Wild card standings, AL and NL division standings",
  "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/08/31/mlb-playoff-picture-2026-wild-card-standings-al-and-nl-division",
  "topic": "culture",
  "section": "Culture",
  "published": "2026-08-31T12:04:45.000Z",
  "source": {
    "name": "Yahoo Sports",
    "slug": "yahoo-sports",
    "url": "https://sports.yahoo.com/articles/mlb-playoff-picture-2026-wild-120445172.html"
  },
  "original_language": "en",
  "account": "As the calendar edges closer to the end of the baseball season, the intense stretch run is underway in Major League Baseball. The division races, with the exception of the American League West, have solid front-runners. However, the three wild-card spots in each league have become the focal point of intrigue. While the New York Yankees and Boston Red Sox seem poised to secure their AL spots, seven teams possess a glimmer of hope for clinching the remaining wild-card berths. Meanwhile, in the National League, the Chicago Cubs and Philadelphia Phillies appear to be comfortably ahead, but the final wild-card position remains fluid, often shifting hands almost daily.\n\nFor the American League, the top three teams automatically qualify for the wild-card series: the New York Yankees (78-59) leading by nine games, followed closely by the Boston Red Sox (74-63) with a five-game advantage. The Cleveland Guardians (69-68) and Baltimore Orioles (68-69) trail by one and one-half games, respectively. In the mix, the Toronto Blue Jays (68-70) and Texas Rangers (67-70) sit two and four games behind, while the Minnesota Twins (65-72) and Seattle Mariners (64-73) find themselves five and five-and-a-half games behind, respectively.\n\nOn the National League side, the Chicago Cubs (77-60) and Philadelphia Phillies (77-60) lead the pack with a four-and-a-half game edge over Arizona Diamondbacks (73-65). The San Diego Padres (72-65) trail by half a game, while the Miami Marlins (69-68) and St. Louis Cardinals (68-70) lag by three-and-a-half and five games, respectively. In the NL East, the Atlanta Braves (82-55) and Philadelphia Phillies (77-60) sit five games apart, with the Miami Marlins (69-68) close behind by 13 games. In the NL Central, the Milwaukee Brewers (85-52) and Chicago Cubs (77-60) maintain an eight-game gap, while the St. Louis Cardinals (68-70) trail by 17-and-a-half games. Finally, in the NL West, the Los Angeles Dodgers (82-55) and Arizona Diamondbacks (73-65) have a nine-and-a-half game lead over the San Diego Padres (72-65).",
  "summary": "MLB's playoff chase enters its final month with teams jockeying for postseason position. See how the teams stack up.",
  "key_points": [
    "New York Yankees and Boston Red Sox favored for AL wild cards",
    "Chicago Cubs and Philadelphia Phillies lead NL wild card race",
    "Wild card spots fluid, shifting daily"
  ],
  "editors_take": null,
  "illustration": null,
  "coverage": {
    "outlets": 1,
    "also_reported_by": []
  },
  "ai_generated": true,
  "disclaimer": "Summaries, key points and the editor’s take are written by software from other outlets’ reporting and may contain errors — always check the linked original."
}