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
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Kristen Shilton
The Vancouver Canucks have come to terms with forward Brock Boeser on a new seven-year contract, carrying a $7.25 million AAV.
Canucks GM Patrik Allvin announced the deal on Tuesday during the first hour of NHL free agency. Boeser, 28, was an unrestricted free agent on a previously expiring contract.
Drafted by Vancouver 23rd overall in the 2015 NHL draft, Boeser has collected 204 goals and 434 points in 554 games with the Canucks to date. A top-six scoring threat, Boeser has elite playmaking skills and the potential to produce big numbers offensively. He had his best year offensively in 2023-24, producing 40 goals and 73 points in 81 games.
Boeser didn’t hit those marks again last season — settling for 25 goals and 50 points in 75 games — but was still second amongst teammates in output. He also plays a prominent role on Vancouver’s power play and when he can generate opportunities at 5-on-5, he is a true difference-maker up front for the Canucks.
The extension is a happy ending for Vancouver and Boeser. When the regular season ended, Boeser admitted “it’s tough to say” whether he’d be back with the Canucks. Boeser reportedly turned down a previous five-year extension offer with the club and Allvin subsequently looked into deals for him at the March trade deadline, with no takers. Boeser looked — and sounded — poised to explore his options on the open market.
Ultimately, Boeser decided to stay put by committing the best years of his career to the Canucks.
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Ryan S. Clark
Washington Capitals defenseman Martin Fehervary signed a seven-year extension through the 2032-33 season that is worth $6 million annually, the team announced Tuesday.
Fehervary, who had one year of team control remaining, will enter the final season of a three-year bridge deal that will see him make $2.675 million before his new contract begins at the start of the 2026-27 season.
He finished the season with five goals and a career-high 25 points while logging 19 minutes. Fehervary also played a crucial role in the Capitals’ penalty kill by finishing with 245 short-handed minutes for a penalty kill that was fifth in the NHL with an 82% success rate.
Securing the 25-year-old Fehervary to a long-term deal means the Capitals now have seven players who have more than three years remaining on their current contracts.
It also means the Capitals front office has one less decision to make ahead of what is expected to be an active offseason in 2026 that will see the club have what PuckPedia projects to be $39.25 million in cap space.
That’s also the same offseason in which captain and NHL all-time leading goal scorer Alex Ovechkin‘s contract will come off their books along with that of defenseman John Carlson.
But until then, the Capitals have their entire top-six defensive unit under contract as they seek to improve upon a 2024-25 season that saw them finish atop the Metropolitan Division with 111 points before they lost in the Eastern Conference semifinal to the Carolina Hurricanes in five games.
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