2024 MLB postseason: Magic number for New York Yankees to make playoffs

With the MLB postseason just around the corner, the teams that will compete for the World Series this year are starting to come into view. However, many teams have not secured their spot just yet. That includes the New York Yankees .

Despite having the best record in the American League, the Yankees could still fall out of the postseason. With 13 games left to play in the regular season, it is unlikely, but still mathematically possible.

Their path to an AL East title is longer and more difficult as well, but still very much a possibility as we approach the season's end.

is the Yankees' magic number for the postseason and division as of Sept. 17.

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What is the Yankees' magic number to make the 2024 MLB postseason?

• Yankees to reach MLB postseason: 3
• Yankees to win AL East: 10 (could be 9 if NYY sweeps BAL in final series)

Given that the Yankees are currently three games ahead of the Baltimore Orioles in the AL East with 12 games to go for both teams, the Yankees would need at least nine wins/Orioles' losses in order to finish the regular season with the same record as Baltimore. However, in that scenario, it is very likely that Baltimore would hold the tiebreaker.

The Orioles and Yankees have one final three-game series between them, scheduled for Sept. 24-26. Should the Orioles win just one of those games, they would hold the tiebreaker over the Yankees, meaning the Orioles would be crowned AL East champions if both teams ended the regular season with matching records. Therefore, the surefire magic number for the Yankees to win the AL East is ten.

Latest MLB standings

American League:

AL East:

1. New York Yankees : 87-63
2. Baltimore Orioles: 84-66
3. Boston Red Sox: 75-75
4. Tampa Bay Rays: 73-77
5. Toronto Blue Jays: 72-78

AL Central:

1. Cleveland Guardians: 87-64
2. Kansas City Royals: 82-69
3. Minnesota Twins: 79-71
4. Detroit Tigers: 78-73
5. Chicago White Sox: 36-115

AL West:

1. Houston Astros: 81-69
2. Seattle Mariners: 77-73
3. Texas Rangers: 71-79
4. Oakland Athletics: 65-86
5. Los Angeles Angels: 60-90

National League:

NL East:

1. Philadelphia Phillies: 90-60
2. New York Mets: 82-68
3. Atlanta Braves: 81-69
4. Washington Nationals: 68-82
5. Miami Marlins: 55-95

NL Central:

1. Milwaukee Brewers: 87-63
2. Chicago Cubs: 77-73
3. St. Louis Cardinals: 75-75
4. Cincinnati Reds: 73-78
5. Pittsburgh Pirates: 71-79

NL West:

1. Los Angeles Dodgers: 86-61
2. San Diego Padres: 86-65
3. Arizona Diamondbacks: 83-67
4. San Francisco Giants: 73-78
5. Colorado Rockies: 58-93

When does the MLB postseason start?

Although the MLB regular season finishes on Sunday, September 29. There will be one day between the end of the regular season and the start of the postseason. The postseason will begin with the Wild Card Series on Tuesday, October 1.

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This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: 2024 MLB postseason: Magic number for New York Yankees to make playoffs