MLB postseason tracker: Playoff races heating up, who can clinch next and games to watch
There’s only a week left in the 2023 MLB regular season, and a few teams are already looking toward October.
Earlier this month, the Atlanta Braves became the first team to clinch a postseason berth, following it up by securing the NL East title. The Los Angeles Dodgers joined them by clinching the NL West. Soon after, the Baltimore Orioles and Tampa Bay Rays, still battling it out for the AL East title, both secured their spots in October. Meanwhile, clubs such as the Seattle Mariners, Philadelphia Phillies and Chicago Cubs, are battling it out for the remaining wild-card spots.
Even beyond division races, there are many storylines to watch as the regular season comes to an end and October begins.
Where do the current playoff matches stand? What games should you be paying attention to today? And what does the playoff schedule look like? We have everything you need to know as the regular season winds down.
Key links: Full MLB standings | Wild-card standings | NL madness?
Who is in?
Atlanta Braves
With a win over Pittsburgh on Sept. 10, the Braves became the first team to punch a ticket to this year’s playoffs — their sixth straight postseason berth. Atlanta followed it up by clinching the NL East crown with a victory in Philadelphia on Wednesday.
Los Angeles Dodgers
The Dodgers secured their 10th NL West crown in the past 11 seasons with a victory over the Mariners last week, making L.A. the second team to punch its ticket to this postseason.
Baltimore Orioles
The Orioles secured a playoff berth with a walk-off win in the 11th inning against the Rays. After splitting a series win against the Guardians, they’re in the driver’s seat for an AL East title.
Tampa Bay Rays
Unless the Rays can catch the Orioles for the East crown, they will host the wild card series as the No. 4 seed.
Milwaukee Brewers
The Brewers clinched a playoff spot with a blowout win over the Marlins and is now counting down to securing the NL Central crown as well.
Minnesota Twins
The Minnesota Twins clinched the AL Central title with a win over the Angels on Friday night.
Who’s next?
Philadelphia Phillies
While the other remaining wild-card battles are likely to come down to the season’s final days, the Phillies have emerged with a firm grasp on the NL’s first spot, which puts them in position to open the postseason at home.
What are this October’s MLB playoff matchups as it stands now?
American League
Wild-card round: (6) Astros at (3) Twins*, (5) Blue Jays at (4) Rays*
ALDS: Twins/Astros vs. (2) Rangers, Rays/Blue Jays vs. (1) Orioles*
National League
Wild-card round: (6) Cubs at (3) Brewers*, (5) D-backs at (4) Phillies
NLDS: Brewers/Cubs vs. (2) Dodgers*, Phillies/D-backs vs. (1) Braves*
* — clinched playoff spot
Breaking down the AL race
Despite spending much of the season atop the AL East, the Rays find themselves the top wild-card team in the American League after the Orioles took sole possession of first place in the division in late July. The Toronto Blue Jays, meanwhile, are locked in a close battle for the final wild-card spots.
The Texas Rangers, like the Rays, led the division for more than 100 days this season but now finds themselves in a tight battle for the AL West title. The Mariners and Houston Astros are right behind them, fighting the Blue Jays for those wild card spots. The Minnesota Twins will be the AL Central’s sole representative in October.
And what about when these teams get to the playoffs? Here’s what their chances are for every round:
Breaking down the NL race
The divisional races in the National League aren’t quite as close as the ones in the AL, with the NL East and West locked up already. The Milwaukee Brewers have long held first place in the NL Central, too.
Now, the wild-card race is where it gets exciting. While the Phillies have a strong hold on the first wild-card spot, four teams — the Chicago Cubs, Arizona Diamondbacks, Cincinnati Reds and Miami Marlins — are within a few games of each other for the final spots. Miami and Cincinnati are the big surprises, as neither team was thought to be a playoff contender entering the season.
And what about when these teams get to the playoffs? Here’s what their chances are for every round:
Game of the day
Need something to watch today? Here’s the baseball game with the biggest playoff implications:
Playoff schedule
Wild-card series
Best of three, all games at better seed’s stadium
Game 1: Tuesday, Oct. 3
Game 2: Wednesday, Oct. 4
Game 3: Thursday, Oct. 5*
Division series
Best of five
ALDS
Game 1: Saturday, Oct. 7
Game 2: Sunday, Oct. 8
Game 3: Tuesday Oct. 10
Game 4: Wednesday, Oct. 11*
Game 5: Friday, Oct. 13*
NLDS
Game 1: Saturday, Oct. 7
Game 2: Monday, Oct. 9
Game 3: Wednesday, Oct. 11
Game 4: Thursday, Oct. 12*
Game 5: Saturday, Oct. 14*
League championship series
Best of seven
ALCS
Game 1: Sunday, Oct. 15
Game 2: Monday, Oct. 16
Game 3: Wednesday, Oct. 18
Game 4: Thursday, Oct. 19
Game 5: Friday, Oct. 20*
Game 6: Sunday, Oct. 22*
Game 7: Monday, Oct. 23*
NLCS
Game 1: Monday, Oct. 16
Game 2: Tuesday, Oct. 17
Game 3: Thursday, Oct. 19
Game 4: Friday, Oct. 20
Game 5: Saturday, Oct. 21*
Game 6: Monday, Oct. 23*
Game 7: Tuesday, Oct. 24*
World Series
Best of seven
Game 1: Friday, Oct. 27
Game 2: Saturday, Oct. 28
Game 3: Monday, Oct. 30
Game 4: Tuesday, Oct. 31
Game 5: Wednesday, Nov. 1*
Game 6: Friday, Nov. 3*
Game 7: Saturday, Nov. 4*
* If necessary
LOS ANGELES — Orion Kerkering made a wild throw past home instead of tossing to first after mishandling Andy Pages‘ bases-loaded comebacker with two outs in the 11th inning, and the Los Angeles Dodgers beat the Philadelphia Phillies 2-1 Thursday to win their NL Division Series 3-1.
Kerkering hung his head and put hands on knees after his throw sailed past catcher J.T. Realmuto as pinch-runner Hyeseong Kim crossed the plate, advancing the Dodgers to the NL Championship Series against the Chicago Cubs or Milwaukee.
Realmuto had pointed to first when the broken-bat, two-hopper hit off Kerkering’s glove and rolled just in front of the mound.
Kerkering picked up the ball and in one motion made a sidearm throw, 46 feet from the plate. The ball sailed up the third-base line, past Realmuto’s outstretched mitt, and fans in the crowd of 50,563 at Dodger Stadium erupted after spending the final three innings on their feet.
“It’s brutal,” Dodgers manager Dave Roberts said. “It’s one of those things that it’s a PFP, a pitcher’s fielding practice. He’s done it a thousand times. And right there he was so focused, I’m sure, on just getting the hitter and just sort of forgot the outs and the situation.”
Phillies manager Rob Thomson wrapped an arm around Kerkering when the distraught reliever reached the dugout.
“He just got caught up in the moment a little bit,” Thomson said. “I feel for him because he’s putting it all on his shoulders.”
This was the second postseason series to end on a walk-off error, according to the Elias Sports Bureau. A wild relay throw by Texas second baseman Rougned Odor on a potential double-play grounder allowed Josh Donaldson to score and give Toronto a 7-6, 10-inning win and a three-game sweep of their 2016 AL Division Series.
Los Angeles ended a postseason series with a walk-off win for the third time after Bill Russell’s single against the Phillies in Game 4 of the 1978 NLCS and Chris Taylor‘s homer in the 2021 NL wild card game.
Nick Castellanos‘ RBI double in the seventh off Emmet Sheehan had put the Phillies ahead but Jhoan Duran walked Mookie Betts with the bases loaded in the bottom half, forcing in the tying run.
Tommy Edman singled off Jesús Luzardo with one out in the 11th and took third on Max Muncy‘s two-out single that eluded diving shortstop Trea Turner.
Kerkering walked Enrique Hernández, loading the bases. Pages, in a 1-for-23 postseason slide, hit what appeared to be a routine grounder, the type every pitcher practices gloving from spring training on.
Philadelphia, wearing its powder blue throwback uniforms on the road for the second straight day, was knocked out in the Division Series for the third straight season while the defending World Series champion Dodgers reached the LCS for the eighth time in 13 years.
Dodgers rookie Roki Sasaki, averaging 99.5 mph his his fastball, threw three innings of hitless relief, combining with Tyler Glasnow, Sheehan and winner Alex Vesia on a four-hitter.
Glasnow allowed two hits and three walks in six innings with eight of the 12 strikeouts by Dodgers pitchers.
Oklahoma quarterback John Mateer was upgraded to probable Thursday on the SEC availability report, a signal he’s set to attempt to play against Texas on Saturday, just 17 days after surgery on a broken bone in his throwing hand.
Mateer’s push to return Saturday has continued this week, with sources telling ESPN that he has practiced and progressed enough to be in position to attempt to play. Sources told ESPN earlier Thursday that Mateer was on track to attempt to play Saturday.
The ambiguity over Mateer’s ability to play is expected to extend until kickoff, as sources told ESPN that Mateer’s pain level and ability to grip the ball will be watched closely.
A return to the field against Texas would be in line with the most aggressive timelines of a potential comeback.
Oklahoma coach Brent Venables said Monday that he assumed Mateer wouldn’t be available. OU listed Mateer as questionable on the first SEC availability report Wednesday, and Venables has remained evasive on Mateer’s availability.
Mateer emerged as a Heisman favorite in the first month of the season. He injured the hand in the first quarter of a 24-17 win over Auburn on Sept. 20. He played the rest of the game and threw for 271 yards.
He has missed just one game since surgery Sept. 24, as OU had a bye and blew out Kent State 44-0. Michael Hawkins Jr. started in the Kent game and threw three touchdown passes.
-
Sports3 years ago‘Storybook stuff’: Inside the night Bryce Harper sent the Phillies to the World Series
-
Sports2 years agoStory injured on diving stop, exits Red Sox game
-
Sports2 years agoGame 1 of WS least-watched in recorded history
-
Sports3 years agoButton battles heat exhaustion in NASCAR debut
-
Sports3 years agoMLB Rank 2023: Ranking baseball’s top 100 players
-
Sports4 years ago
Team Europe easily wins 4th straight Laver Cup
-
Environment2 years agoJapan and South Korea have a lot at stake in a free and open South China Sea
-
Environment1 year agoHere are the best electric bikes you can buy at every price level in October 2024