Here’s what the playoff bracket looks like with just one week of the regular season left.
American League
Tampa Bay Rays (36-20, .643)
The Rays clinched their second consecutive postseason berth and only their sixth in franchise history. After losing to the Houston Astros in the AL Division Series last season, Tampa Bay will be hoping to go one step better this year.
Chicago White Sox (34-21, .618)
A postseason drought that had stretched for over a decade came to an end last week, as the White Sox clinched a first playoff berth since 2008. Chicago holds a three-game lead over the Minnesota Twins in the AL Central and looks all but guaranteed to win a first divisional title in 12 years.
Oakland Athletics (33-21, .611)
Oakland secured a third straight trip to the postseason last week and on Monday it clinched a first AL West title since 2013. The A’s are still very much in the race to secure one of the top two spots in the AL.
Minnesota Twins (34-22, .607)
Over the weekend the Twins secured a postseason berth for the third time in the last four seasons and will be hoping to end a dismal run of form in the playoffs which has seen them lose 16 consecutive games since taking the opener of the AL Division Series in 2004.
New York Yankees (32-23, .582)
One of the pre-season favorite to win the World Series, the Yankees confirmed their playoff spot over the weekend but have little chance of overtaking the Rays at the top of the AL East.
Houston Astros (28-27, .509)
The Astros hold a 3.5-game lead over the Los Angeles Angels in the race for the second spot in the AL West and need two wins over their last five games to clinch a playoff berth.
Cleveland Indians (31-24, .564)
Cleveland is back in the postseason for the fourth time in five seasons and could still clinch the AL Central title, provided it wins its two upcoming games against the White Sox.
Toronto Blue Jays (28-27, .509)
The Blue Jays are third in the AL East but currently hold the second of two wildcard spots with a 3.5-game margin over the Angels and will punch their ticket to the postseason if they win two of their next five games.
Current playoffs matchups as of September 23 (*Denotes team that has clinched a postseason berth)
No. 1 Tampa Bay Rays* vs. No. 8 Toronto Blue JaysNo. 2 Chicago White Sox* vs. No. 7 Cleveland IndiansNo. 3 Oakland Athletics vs. No. 6 Houston AstrosNo. 4 Minnesota Twins* vs. No. 5 New York Yankees*
National League
Los Angeles Dodgers (39-16, .709)
The pre-season favorites are living up to their name and have clinched the NL West title for the eighth consecutive season, with attention now shifting towards winning a first World Series since 1988 after 13 failed attempts.
Atlanta Braves (33-22, .600)
The Braves clinched a third straight NL East title and will now focus on reaching the NL Championship Series for the first time since 2001, after falling in the NL Division Series eight times in the last 19 years.
Chicago Cubs (32-23, .583)
The Cubs returned to the playoffs after a one-season hiatus and will clinch the NL Central title with four wins in their last five games.
San Diego Padres (34-21, .618)
The Padres secured a first postseason berth since 2006 and currently hold the best record of the five NL teams holding a postseason berth as non-division winners.
Miami Marlins (28-27, .509)
The Marlins need three wins from their final five games to finish qualify for the playoffs as the runners-up in the NL East and currently have a 1.5-game lead over third-placed Philadelphia Phillies.
St. Louis Cardinals (27-25, .519)
The Cardinals currently hold the fifth seed in the NL but a postseason trip is far from guaranteed, with the Cincinnati Reds just one game behind them in the race for second place in the NL Central.
Cincinnati Reds (28-28, .500)
Cincinnati is one game behind the Cardinals in the NL Central and level with the Brewers, whom it will face in a potentially crucial game on Wednesday night.
Milwaukee Brewers (27-27, .500)
Like its NL Central rivals St. Louis and Cincinnati, the Brewers are still in with a shout to make the playoffs. The Brewers play Cincinnati on Wednesday, before beginning a season-ending five-game series against the Cardinals on Thursday, which will in all likelihood decide two of the NL’s remaining postseason berths.
Current playoffs matchups as of September 23 (*Denotes team that has clinched a postseason berth)
No. 1 Los Angeles Dodgers* vs. No. 8 Milwaukee BrewersNo. 2 Atlanta Braves* vs. No. 7 Cincinnati RedsNo. 3 Chicago Cubs* vs. No. 6 Miami MarlinsNo. 4 San Diego Padres* vs. No. 5 St. Louis Cardinals
