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As the final month of the 2024 MLB regular season plays out, a few teams are already looking to October.

The Los Angeles Dodgers, Milwaukee Brewers and Philadelphia Phillies have opened comfortable leads in the National League while the New York Yankees, Baltimore Orioles and Cleveland Guardians all seem like locks for postseason spots despite being in races at the top of their own divisions.

Beyond division races, there are many storylines to watch as the regular season comes to an end.

Where do the current playoff matchups stand? What games should you be paying attention to today? Who will be the first team to clinch a postseason berth? And what does the playoff schedule look like? We have everything you need to know as the regular season hits the homestretch.

Key links: Full MLB standings | Wild-card standings | Predictions


Who can clinch a playoff spot next?

The New York Yankees have a magic number of three; they can clinch a postseason spot on Wednesday. The Cleveland Guardians’ magic number is three; they can also clinch a spot on Wednesday.

In the NL, the Philadelphia Phillies’ magic number to clinch the postseason is three; their magic number to clinch the NL East is five. The Milwaukee Brewers’ magic number to clinch the NL central is two. The Dodgers have a magic number of three. The Brewers could clinch their postseason spot on Tuesday; the Phillies and Dodgers can clinch as soon as Wednesday.


What are this October’s MLB playoff matchups as it stands now?

American League

Wild-card round: (6) Twins at (3) Astros, (5) Royals at (4) Orioles

ALDS: Twins/Astros vs. (2) Guardians, Royals/Orioles vs. (1) Yankees

National League

Wild-card round: (6) Mets at (3) Brewers, (5) D-backs at (4) Padres

NLDS: Mets/Brewers vs. (2) Dodgers, D-backs/Padres vs. (1) Phillies

Tiebreakers

If L.A. and Philadelphia tie for best record, the Phillies would get the top seed because of a better head-to-head record against the Dodgers this season.

Head-to-head season series would determine No. 1 AL seed if Cleveland finishes season tied with the AL East champ for league’s best record: Guardians over Orioles; Yankees over Guardians.

If Yankees, Orioles and Guardians all finish with the same record, Baltimore would get the AL’s top seed by virtue of intradivision record among the three teams.

If Baltimore and New York finish in a two-team tie, the Orioles currently hold the AL East tiebreaker because they lead the Yankees, 6-4, in the head-to-head season series (with three games remaining).

If Atlanta and New York tie, the Mets currently hold the final NL playoff spot by virtue of a better intradivision record since the teams are tied at 5-5 in the head-to-head season series (with three games remaining).

Breaking down the AL race

The Yankees and Orioles enter the homestretch battling for both the AL’s No. 1 seed and the AL East crown with the Red Sox still holding onto some hope in the AL wild-card race. After spending much of the season comfortably ahead in the AL Central, the Guardians are trying to outlast the Royals and Twins for the division crown while the Astros attempt to separate themselves from the Mariners in a two-team AL West race.

And what about when these teams get to the postseason? Here’s what their chances are for every round:


Breaking down the NL race

Five teams have separated themselves atop the NL standings with the Atlanta Braves and New York Mets battling for the final playoff spot. The Phillies and Brewers are seemingly cruising to division titles. The Dodgers have opened up a lead in the NL West race, with the D-backs and Padres both also very likely to join L.A. in the postseason field.

And what about when these teams get to the postseason? Here’s what their chances are for every round:


Game of the day

Looking for 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. 1
Game 2: Wednesday, Oct. 2
Game 3: Thursday, Oct. 3*

Division series
Best of five

ALDS
Game 1: Saturday, Oct. 5
Game 2: Monday, Oct. 7
Game 3: Wednesday, Oct. 9
Game 4: Thursday, Oct. 10*
Game 5: Saturday, Oct. 12*

NLDS
Game 1: Saturday, Oct. 5
Game 2: Sunday, Oct. 6
Game 3: Tuesday, Oct. 8
Game 4: Wednesday, Oct. 9*
Game 5: Friday, Oct. 11*

League championship series
Best of seven

ALCS
Game 1: Monday, Oct. 14
Game 2: Tuesday, Oct. 15
Game 3: Thursday, Oct. 17
Game 4: Friday, Oct. 18
Game 5: Saturday, Oct. 19*
Game 6: Monday, Oct. 21*
Game 7: Tuesday, Oct. 22*

NLCS
Game 1: Sunday, Oct. 13
Game 2: Monday, Oct. 14
Game 3: Wednesday, Oct. 16
Game 4: Thursday, Oct. 17
Game 5: Friday, Oct. 18*
Game 6: Sunday, Oct. 20*
Game 7: Monday, Oct. 21*

World Series
Best of seven

Game 1: Friday, Oct. 25
Game 2: Saturday, Oct. 26
Game 3: Monday, Oct. 28
Game 4: Tuesday, Oct. 29
Game 5: Wednesday, Oct. 30*
Game 6: Friday, Nov. 1*
Game 7: Saturday, Nov. 2*

Note: If both LCS end by Oct. 19 — meaning neither series lasts longer than five games — the World Series will begin on Tuesday, Oct. 22

* If necessary

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Rangers rally past Flyers but lose captain Miller

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Rangers rally past Flyers but lose captain Miller

NEW YORK — Mika Zibanejad tied it late in the third period, and the New York Rangers killed off two penalties in overtime on the way to beating the Philadelphia Flyers 5-4 in a shootout on Saturday.

The comeback for just a fifth win in 18 home games this season potentially came at a great cost, with captain J.T. Miller leaving in pain after taking a big hit from Nick Seeler with just over eight minutes left. Miller seemed to be favoring his right arm/shoulder as he skated off and went down the tunnel for medical attention.

Miller was already out when Zibanejad scored on a late power play following Rasmus Ristolainen‘s delay-of-game penalty for putting the puck over the glass. Penalties to Artemi Panarin and Scott Morrow in OT put the Rangers on the kill, but Igor Shesterkin made four of his 28 saves after regulation.

Panarin scored twice and had the shootout winner in his return after sitting out Thursday night at St. Louis because of an illness. The Rangers fell behind, allowing three goals in less than four minutes and another before the second period ended, then Vincent Trocheck got things rolling in the third.

Travis Sanheim had a goal and an assist, and Denver Barkey picked up his first two career points in his NHL debut for Philadelphia. Samuel Ersson allowed four goals on 27 shots, plus two more in the shootout, and he and the Flyers lost for the fifth time in six games.

Aleksei Kolosov was recalled from the minors to back up Ersson because Dan Vladar is banged up, general manager Daniel Briere said. Barkey was filling in for injured winger Christian Dvorak.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.

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Sources: Dillingham signs 5-year deal with ASU

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Sources: Dillingham signs 5-year deal with ASU

Arizona State coach Kenny Dillingham has signed a new five-year contract that will average nearly $7.5 million over the course of the deal, sources told ESPN on Saturday.

The deal prioritized resources for the staff, as the salary pool increases $11 million, which puts it near the top of the Big 12.

The extension takes Dillingham out of the conversation for the Michigan job. He had been in the top group of candidates considered for it.

The deal remains for five years, as longer ones aren’t allowed by Arizona state law, but there are incentives to extend the contract up to 10 years. The deal is pending board approval.

Dillingham signed a new deal a year ago that made him the second-highest-paid coach in the Big 12 in 2025. While there are increases in salary, the heart of this new deal was resources for the program.

“We have the perfect coach for ASU,” a school source said. “We want to give him the tools to do his job the best way possible. That’s giving him resources to put into the staff and program and giving him longevity.”

The deal shows how Arizona State has prioritized football in recent years, as it won the Big 12 last season and reached the College Football Playoff for the first time in school history. It marked the first time the Sun Devils won a conference title outright since 1996.

It is also significant for athletic director Graham Rossini, who made it clear this week that retaining Dillingham was the top priority.

As the Michigan job lingered in the wake of Sherrone Moore’s firing, Dillingham got emotional talking about Arizona State. He is a graduate who long called the school his dream job and said on Dec. 13, “I love this place.”

He added: “That doesn’t change how I feel about here. That doesn’t change that my sister’s my neighbor. That doesn’t change that my parents live three doors down. … [Michigan] is one of the best jobs in America, it’s an unbelievable brand, an iconic brand, so a great opportunity for somebody.”

Arizona State is 22-16 under Dillingham, including a 19-7 record over the past two seasons. The Sun Devils play Duke in the Tony the Tiger Sun Bowl on Dec. 31.

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Sooners’ errors key big blown lead, loss to Bama

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Sooners' errors key big blown lead, loss to Bama

NORMAN, Okla. — Back in the College Football Playoff for the first time since 2019, No. 8 Oklahoma earned an unwanted distinction Friday night. After squandering a 17-point advantage in a 34-24 loss to No. 9 Alabama, the Sooners now own the two largest blown leads in playoff history.

A month after Crimson Tide miscues fueled the defining win of Oklahoma’s 2025 season on Nov. 15, Alabama flipped the script inside Oklahoma Memorial Stadium, feasting on errors by quarterback John Mateer and the Sooners’ special team to bounce the hosts in the CFP first round and secure a Rose Bowl quarterfinal date with No. 1 Indiana on Jan. 1.

Down 17-0 early in the second quarter, the Crimson Tide scored on five of their next seven possessions and rattled off 27 unanswered points to match the largest comeback in CFP history, tying the 17-point deficit Georgia overcame to top Oklahoma in a double-overtime, Rose Bowl thriller on New Year’s Day 2018. According to ESPN Research, teams that have led by 17 or more in a CFP game are 28-2 all time. The two losses belong to the Sooners.

Additionally, Friday’s result marked the program’s second-largest blown lead at home since Oklahoma Memorial Stadium opened in 1923. Winless in five playoff trips since 2015, Oklahoma now holds the most losses of any program in CFP history.

“We had the ability and the opportunities to overcome it all even in just the last several minutes of the game, despite some just incredibly critical mistakes,” Sooners coach Brent Venables said. “But it just wasn’t in the cards for us tonight.”

The Sooners’ adopted team motto this fall was “Hard to Kill.” On the same night rap legend 50 Cent performed inside Oklahoma Memorial Stadium with those words emblazoned on his sweater, the Sooners buried themselves with a parade of errors.

An Oklahoma offense that began the postseason ranked 90th nationally scored on three of its first four possessions. By the time wide receiver Isaiah Sategna III caught a 7-yard touchdown from Mateer to open a 17-0 lead with 10:51 remaining in the second quarter, the Sooners had forced three consecutive three-and-outs and were outgaining Alabama 135-12.

After Alabama responded with a nine-play, 75-yard touchdown drive, the dynamics of the second meeting between the two programs in the past 34 days swung on three plays.

Facing third-and-3 from midfield, Mateer evaded a sack and rolled out of the pocket with open space in front of him. He could have run for a first down. Instead, Mateer fired 40-plus yards downfield to running back Xavier Robinson, who failed to haul in the throw. On the next snap, Oklahoma punter Grayson Miller dropped his punt attempt and turned the ball over on downs, setting the stage for a 35-yard field goal from Alabama’s Conor Talty that cut the lead to 17-10.

“Field position against an Oklahoma team is so critical with their defense, so that was huge,” Alabama coach Kalen DeBoer said. “That was really huge for us.”

On the ensuing series, Alabama ran a disguised defensive look that appeared to confuse Mateer. With a safety dropped into coverage and Oklahoma wide receiver Keontez Lewis streaking downfield, Mateer fired, inexplicably, to no one other than Alabama defensive back Zabien Brown, who intercepted the pass and streaked down the Sooners sideline for a 50-yard pick-six.

Suddenly, the game sat level at 17-17 with 1:18 remaining in the second quarter. Of the 15 teams that have gone behind by at least 17 in the first half of a CFP game, the Crimson Tide became the first not to be trailing, courtesy of Mateer’s fourth interception in his past two games.

“I got tricked, and it’s pretty bad,” Mateer said. “I mean, you watch the tape. It was obvious it wasn’t a Cover 0. I got tricked, and it happens sometimes. But when you get tricked, you’ve got to mitigate the damage, and I didn’t do it.”

DeBoer described Alabama’s first-round win as “the opposite of the first game back at home.” Indeed, the Crimson Tide were statistically dominant in Oklahoma’s 23-21 win in Tuscaloosa last month. But the Sooners left with a signature win by taking advantage of mistakes.

In Friday’s rematch, the roles reversed. Second-half touchdowns from Lotzeir Brooks and Daniel Hill thrust the Crimson Tide to a 34-24 lead with 7:24 remaining. Pushing to close the gap, Oklahoma reached field goal position twice in the final three minutes, setting the stage for Lou Groza Award winner Tate Sandell, who had converted on each of his past 24 field goal attempts.

Battling gusting winds, Sandell pushed the first attempt — a 36-yarder — wide left. Ninety seconds later, he came up short on a 51-yard attempt, his first miss from 50-plus yards this season.

Sandell’s pair of misses were the final markers of a night that simply stopped going Oklahoma’s way following a scorching opening 20 minutes. After stunning wins over Tennessee and Alabama in November, and the similarly astonishing appearance of 50 Cent in Norman on Friday night, the Sooners ran out of magic, ultimately beaten at their own game by Alabama.

“When we needed to, we couldn’t pull one out like we have in several other games this year,” Venables said.

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