MLB postseason outlook as regular season concludes
All National League division titles are decided while wild-card races tighten, and the American League sees a close battle for the AL West and Central titles as the regular season ends.
The National League has settled all four division races, but the wild-card race remains active. The San Diego Padres and Chicago Cubs have secured wild-card berths and will compete for positioning, while the Philadelphia Phillies lead the Arizona Diamondbacks by two games for the third NL wild-card spot. In the American League, the wild-card field is set, yet the AL West is tied between the Houston Astros and Texas Rangers, with the Astros holding the tiebreaker. The AL Central features a contest between the Cleveland Guardians and Chicago White Sox for the division crown, though both clubs are assured at least a third wild-card slot.
Analysts project that the New York Yankees and Boston Red Sox could meet again in the AL wild-card series, with the Yankees holding home-field advantage and a rotation that may include Gerrit Cole and Max Fried. The Astros are favored to win the AL West and advance past the White Sox, potentially setting up an ALDS against the Guardians, whose pitching staff includes Foster Griffin, Parker Messick and Gavin Williams. The other ALDS could pit the Yankees against the Tampa Bay Rays, whose rotation features Drew Rasmussen, Nick Martinez and Freddy Peralta, giving the Rays a slight edge.
In the National League, the Padres and Cubs are expected to clash in the wild-card round, with the Padres holding home-field advantage. The Braves are projected to face the Phillies in the other series. Should the Padres advance, they would meet the Milwaukee Brewers, who secured the top seed and recorded their first 100-win season. The Dodgers are anticipated to play the Phillies in the NLDS, and a possible NLCS could feature the Dodgers against the Brewers.