MLB playoff picture: Magic numbers for Diamondbacks, other 2024 MLB postseason contenders

(This story was updated after Thursday's MLB games.)

The 2024 MLB playoff picture is starting to fall into place, but some teams are still jockeying for playoff position and others are still trying to just get a position in the 2024 postseason.

Take a look at the 2024 MLB playoff standings as well as each MLB playoff contending team's magic number for the 2024 postseason.

What is a magic number in baseball?

It's the number of wins needed by that team combined with the number of losses by its closest competitor to clinch a goal, such as making the 2024 postseason, or earning the No. 1 seed in the playoffs. When a team wins, the magic number goes down by one, as it also does when the team's closest competitor loses.

Six teams will make the postseason in both the National League and American League, with the top two seeds getting a bye into the divisional round and the other four playing in the wild-card round. The No. 3 seed faces the No. 6 seed in the first round of the postseason, with the No. 4 seed taking on the No. 5.

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2024 MLB playoff picture: National League

National League playoff seeds:

1. Los Angeles Dodgers (95-64) - clinched division
2. Philadelphia Phillies (94-65) - clinched division
3. Milwaukee Brewers (91-68) - clinched division
4. San Diego Padres (91-68) - clinched playoff berth
5. New York Mets (87-70)
6. Arizona Diamondbacks (88-71)

Still in contention:

• Atlanta Braves (86-71) - 1 game back

National League wild-card series if the postseason began today:

• Brewers vs Diamondbacks
• Padres vs Mets

National League magic numbers after Thursday's games:

• Diamondbacks: 3 (to clinch playoff berth)
• Mets: 4 (to clinch playoff berth)
• Braves: 5 (to clinch playoff berth)

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2024 MLB playoff picture: American League

American League playoff seeds:

• New York Yankees (93-66) - clinched division
• Cleveland Guardians (92-67) - clinched division
• Houston Astros (86-73) - clinched division
• Baltimore Orioles (88-71) - clinched playoff berth
• Detroit Tigers (85-74)
• Kansas City Royals (85-74)

Still in contention:

• Minnesota Twins (82-77) - 3 games back

American League wild-card series if the postseason began today

• Astros vs Tigers
• Orioles vs Royals

American League magic numbers after Thursday's games:

• Royals: 2 (to clinch playoff berth)
• Tigers: 2 (to clinch playoff berth)

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Reach Jeremy Cluff at jeremy.cluff@arizonarepublic.com . Follow him on X, formerly Twitter @Jeremy_Cluff.

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This article originally appeared on Arizona Republic: MLB playoff picture: Magic numbers for Diamondbacks, other 2024 MLB postseason contenders