It is officially clinching season across MLB as baseball's best teams vie to lock up division titles, and wild-card hopefuls look to earn a place in October. As the race to the finish heats up and magic numbers shrink, we've got you covered on everything you need to know about which teams have already punched their postseason tickets, who could be popping the champagne next and which races could come down to the very end of the regular season.
For more, including current playoff odds, check out our MLB standings page and get ready for October with our MLB playoff schedule.
Playoff matchups if the season ended today
American League
AL wild-card game: Oakland A's at Tampa Bay Rays
ALDS: Wild-card winner vs. New York Yankees; Minnesota Twins vs. Houston Astros
National League
NL wild-card game: Chicago Cubs/Milwaukee Brewers at Washington Nationals
NLDS: Wild-card winner vs. Los Angeles Dodgers; St. Louis Cardinals vs. Atlanta Braves
Who is already in
The Dodgers clinched the season's first postseason spot with a win against the Orioles on Tuesday night in Baltimore, earning their seventh consecutive NL West title.
Those seven straight division wins rank behind only the 1991-2005 Braves and 1998-2006 Yankees for most in the divisional era (since 1969). This time around, the Dodgers tied for the fourth-fewest games needed to clinch a division since 2000 and the earliest they have secured a division crown since their move to L.A.
What's next? The Dodgers have a three-game lead on Atlanta for the NL's top record and remain in a tight race with the Astros and Yankees for the best record in baseball -- and home-field advantage throughout the postseason.
Who could be next
New York Yankees, Houston Astros or Atlanta Braves
The American League's two top teams are next in line to clinch division titles with New York's AL East magic number currently at eight and Houston's also at eight in the AL West. In the NL, the Braves' magic number to win their second straight division crown sits at eight.
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