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There are still a couple weeks left to go in the 2022 MLB regular season, but a few teams are already looking toward October.

The Dodgers have officially secured the season’s first playoff berth, and the Houston Astros, New York Mets, Atlanta Braves, New York Yankees and Cleveland Guardians followed next. Meanwhile, clubs such as the Seattle Mariners, Tampa Bay Rays, Philadelphia Phillies and San Diego Padres, are battling it out for the remaining wild-card spots. Beyond division races, there are many storylines to watch as the regular season comes to an end and October begins, such as Seattle’s attempt to break a 21-year playoff drought, Aaron Judge‘s race to 62 home runs and Albert Pujols‘ quest for 700 career home runs.

Where do the current playoff matchups stand? What series should you be paying attention to in the coming week? And what does the playoff schedule look like? We have everything you need to know as the regular season winds down.

Key links: Standings | Wild-card standings | New tiebreaker format


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

American League

Wild-card round: (6) Mariners at (3) Guardians*, (5) Rays at (4) Blue Jays

ALDS: Mariners/Guardians vs. (2) Yankees*, Rays/Blue Jays vs. (1) Astros*

National League

Wild-card round: (6) Phillies at (3) Cardinals, (5) Padres at (4) Braves*

NLDS: Phillies/Cardinals vs. (2) Mets*, Padres/Braves vs. (1) Dodgers*

*Clinched playoff berth


Who is in?

Los Angeles Dodgers

The Dodgers secured the season’s first playoff berth — L.A.’s 10th straight trip to the postseason — and followed that by clinching the NL West with a win in Arizona the next day.

Houston Astros

The Astros became the second team to clinch a postseason berth and followed it up by clinching the AL West title, which is Houston’s fifth division crown in the past six seasons.

New York Mets

The Mets clinched a playoff spot with Max Scherzer’s 200th career win in Milwaukee. While New York is still chasing the bigger goal of an NL East title and the wild-card round bye that comes with it, this is the team’s first playoff appearance since 2016.

Atlanta Braves

While the battle for the NL East will likely come down to the wire, the defending champion Braves clinched a return to the postseason the day after the Mets.

New York Yankees

The Yankees secured their sixth straight playoff berth with a walk-off win over the Red Sox on Thursday night and now turn their attention to wrapping up the AL East, which they can clinch with a win at Toronto tonight.

Cleveland Guardians

The Guardians clinched the AL Central for the first time since 2018 with a 10-4 win over Texas on Sunday afternoon, becoming the sixth team to secure a postseason berth.


Who could be next?

St. Louis is counting down to a likely NL Central title thanks to a comfortable division lead over Milwaukee. The Cardinals can clinch with a win at Milwaukee on Tuesday or Wednesday.


Key upcoming series

Yankees at Blue Jays: Sept. 26-28

The Yankees look to clinch AL East race in a three-game series against a Blue Jays team that is trying to keep the Mariners and Rays at bay to maintain its No. 4 seed.

Cardinals at Brewers: Sept. 27-28

A two-game set between NL Central foes might be less enticing with the Brewers so many games behind, but it is worth watching with the Cardinals on the verge of clinching the division.

Dodgers at Padres: Sept. 27-29

The Dodgers have the franchise single-season wins record within reach, while the Padres are battling the Phillies and the surging Brewers for wild-card positioning.

Rays at Guardians: Sept. 27-29

Cleveland has now clinched the AL Central but will look to keep proving itself against fellow playoff contenders. Meanwhile, Tampa Bay is locked in back-and-forth wild-card race with Seattle and Toronto.


Playoff schedule

Wild Card Series
Best of three, all games at better seed’s stadium

Game 1: Friday, Oct. 7
Game 2: Saturday, Oct. 8
Game 3: Sunday, Oct. 9*

Division Series
Best of five

ALDS
Game 1: Tuesday, Oct. 11
Game 2: Thursday, Oct. 13
Game 3: Saturday Oct. 15
Game 4: Sunday, Oct. 16*
Game 5: Monday, Oct. 17*

NLDS
Game 1: Tuesday, Oct. 11
Game 2: Wednesday, Oct. 12
Game 3: Friday, Oct. 14
Game 4: Saturday, Oct. 15*
Game 5: Sunday, Oct. 16*

League Championship Series
Best of seven

ALCS
Game 1: Wednesday, Oct. 19
Game 2: Thursday, Oct. 20
Game 3: Saturday Oct. 22
Game 4: Sunday, Oct. 23
Game 5: Monday, Oct. 24*
Game 6: Tuesday, Oct. 25*
Game 7: Wednesday Oct. 26*

NLCS
Game 1: Tuesday, Oct. 18
Game 2: Wednesday, Oct. 19
Game 3: Friday, Oct. 21
Game 4: Saturday, Oct. 22
Game 5: Sunday, Oct. 23*
Game 6: Monday, Oct. 24*
Game 7: Tuesday, Oct. 25*

World Series
Best of seven

Game 1: Friday, Oct. 28
Game 2: Saturday, Oct. 29
Game 3: Monday, Oct. 31
Game 4: Tuesday, Nov. 1
Game 5: Wednesday, Nov. 2*
Game 6: Friday, Nov. 4*
Game 7: Saturday, Nov. 5*

* If necessary

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Knights score with 0.4 left to stun Oilers in Game 3

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Knights score with 0.4 left to stun Oilers in Game 3

EDMONTON, Alberta — Reilly Smith scored with 0.4 seconds left on a shot that deflected in off Edmonton forward Leon Draisaitl‘s stick to give the Vegas Golden Knights a stunning 4-3 victory in Game 3 on Saturday night.

Smith’s goal is tied for the latest game winner in regulation in Stanley Cup playoffs history along with Nazem Kadri‘s goal for the Colorado Avalanche in 2020 and Jussi Jokinen’s goal for the Carolina Hurricanes in 2009, according to ESPN Research.

“Honestly, I’ve seen [Vegas forward William Karlsson] use that play a few times where he forechecks and spins it out in front of the net, jumping off the bench,” Smith said when asked about the play. “I think there was around seven seconds. I just tried. And being first on it. … So I thought there was a chance. And once it popped out I saw a lot of guys sell out. So I just hope that I had enough time to kind of pump-fake and find a lane and, you know, worked out.”

The game-winning goal came after Oilers star Connor McDavid tied it with 3:02 to go with a centering pass that went in off defender Brayden McNabb‘s skate.

“We didn’t sort it out very well to let the puck get into the slot. After that, it’s unlucky, it’s unfortunate,” Draisaitl said of the game-winning goal. “It goes off my stick, and I’m just trying to keep it out of the net. It’s just a bad bounce.”

After Corey Perry gave Edmonton an early 2-0 lead, Nicolas Roy and Smith tied it with goals in a 54-second span late in the first period. Karlsson put the Golden Knights in front with 2:55 left in the second, beating goalie Stuart Skinner off a give-and-go play with Noah Hanifin. And Adin Hill made 17 saves for Vegas.

The Golden Knights’ win Saturday cut Edmonton’s lead to 2-1 in the Western Conference semifinal series. Game 4 is Monday night in Edmonton.

“Before the series starts, if you were to tell us that we were gonna be up 2-1 after three, we’d be happy,” Edmonton coach Kris Knoblauch said. “We’d be pleased with that, not only up 2-1, but Game 4 at home.”

Vegas rallied in the first period after Golden Knights forward Mark Stone left because of an upper-body injury.

“Big win for our team,” Smith said. “We need to use the momentum in front of us to push forward, but focus one game at a time. That’s kind of always been the mindset for this group. We have a lot of resiliency. So as long as you focus on that next game and get a little bit better every night.”

Roy, playing a day after being fined but not suspended for cross-checking Trent Frederic in the face in overtime in Game 2, cut it to 2-1 off a rebound with 4:43 left in the first. Smith then slipped a backhander through Skinner’s legs with 3:49 to go in the period.

Skinner stopped 20 shots, taking over in goal for the injured Calvin Pickard. Pickard appeared uncomfortable and was seen shaking out his left leg after Vegas forward Tomas Hertl landed on his left pad in Game 2.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.

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Red Sox put 1B Gonzalez on IL; Devers stays DH

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Red Sox put 1B Gonzalez on IL; Devers stays DH

KANSAS CITY, Mo. — The Boston Red Sox put first baseman Romy Gonzalez on the 10-day injured list with a left-quad contusion, retroactive to May 8. In a corresponding move, the Red Sox recalled second baseman Nick Sogard from Triple-A Worcester with a plan to have him split time with Abraham Toro.

Sogard was in the starting lineup Saturday against Kansas City left-hander Cole Ragans. He went 1-for-4 with a walk and a run scored in Boston’s 10-1 win.

“I think it’s a short-term thing,” Boston manager Alex Cora said of Gonzalez before Saturday’s game. “He wasn’t bouncing back the way we expected early. So it makes sense just to take care of him and he’ll be alright.”

There was plenty of drama following Thursday’s win over the Texas Rangers, when designated hitter Rafael Devers said he wouldn’t play first base. That caused the Red Sox brass to travel to Kansas City for meetings with Devers. Cora was asked if this latest move might lead to Devers starting to take ground balls at first base.

“We’ll keep talking about stuff,” he said, deflecting the question. “We’ll keep looking for our alternatives. We’ll do what we need to do to keep getting better. We’ve got Romy, we’ve got Toro now, and we’ve got Sogi. That’s the route we’re going to have right now.”

Devers had a big night at the plate Saturday, going 4-for-4 with three RBIs.

Gonzalez was hitting .308 in 17 games after replacing Triston Casas, who is out for the year with a ruptured tendon in his left knee. He has an OPS of .785.

Sogard made his season debut Saturday, after hitting .188 in 28 games with Worcester. His OPS is .562. He hit .273 in 31 games with Boston in 2024.

“He’s a good defender,” Cora said. “He’s a good player. We’ll mix and match with him and Toro. Today (Kansas City has) a tough lefty on the mound, so I think it made sense for him to play. The two of them will be splitting first the next week or so.”

Information from The Associated Press was used in this report.

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Rockies GM backs Black before 21-0 loss to Pads

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Rockies GM backs Black before 21-0 loss to Pads

The Colorado Rockies fell to 6-33 after a 21-0 drubbing at the hands of the San Diego Padres on Saturday night in Denver, matching the 1988 Baltimore Orioles for the worst 39-game start in the majors since 1900.

Fernando Tatis Jr. and Xander Bogaerts hit home runs in the fifth inning, part of a five-homer game for San Diego, while Stephen Kolek (2-0) tossed a shutout in his second major league start. It was the biggest shutout win in Padres franchise history and tied for the third-biggest shutout win in MLB since 1901.

The Rockies have lost eight straight games and are headed to their seventh consecutive losing season and a possible third straight 100-loss season with manager Bud Black at the helm.

Despite the struggles, Rockies general manager Bill Schmidt backed Black before Saturday night’s game, telling The Denver Post that he believes the season still can be turned around.

“I think our guys are still playing hard, and that’s what I look at,” Schmidt told the Post. “Guys are working hard every day, they come with energy, for the most part. I don’t think we are [at that point of firing Black]. Guys still believe in what we are doing and where we are headed. We are all frustrated.”

Colorado has lost its past four games by at least eight runs each and is the first team to allow 10 or more runs in four straight games since the 2021 Orioles.

Schmidt said he’s looking for “growth” as the season goes along.

“I feel for the fans, I feel for the people around here,” he said. “I know we are better than we have played, but we are not good right now. We have to battle through it and get to the other side.

“There are still a lot of games left. I think we can turn it around, but it’s going to take a whole group to do it. The guys are working to get better.”

The Associated Press and ESPN Research contributed to this report.

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