MLB playoff picture comes into focus as division, wild card races near home stretch

The dog days of summer are over in Major League Baseball , and the final month of the regular season is almost upon us, which means playoff baseball is right around the corner.

The postseason picture is beginning to become more clear, with only one team in either league (the New York Mets ) within two games of the final wild card spot. But there's plenty of jockeying for position left to be done over the next five weeks.

In the American League, the East and Central divisions are still up for grabs and the New York Yankees , Cleveland Guardians , Baltimore Orioles , Kansas City Royals and Minnesota Twins all have realistic chances of earning home field advantage throughout the playoffs.

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The Los Angeles Dodgers currently have the best record in baseball, but the Philadelphia Phillies and Milwaukee Brewers are lurking close behind in the National League.

Here's how the complete playoff picture heading into MLB games played on Friday, Aug. 23:

MLB playoff picture on Aug. 23

American League

Division leaders

• AL East : New York Yankees (75-53)
• AL Central : Cleveland Guardians (73-54)
• AL West : Houston Astros (69-58)

Wild card teams

• Baltimore Orioles (74-55)
• Kansas City Royals (71-56)
• Minnesota Twins (71-56)

Wild card contenders

• Boston Red Sox (67-59, 3.5 games back)
• Tampa Bay Rays (64-63, 7 games back)
• Seattle Mariners (64-64, 7.5 games back)

National League

Division leaders

• NL West : Los Angeles Dodgers (76-52)
• NL East : Philadelphia Phillies (74-53)
• NL Central : Milwaukee Brewers (73-54)

Wild card teams

• Arizona Diamondbacks (72-56)
• San Diego Padres (72-57)
• Atlanta Braves (68-59)

Wild card contenders

• New York Mets (67-51, 1.5 games back)
• San Francisco Giants (65-64, 4 games back)
• St. Louis Cardinals (63-64, 5 games back)
• Chicago Cubs (63-65, 5.5 games back)
• Cincinnati Reds (62-66, 6.5 games back)

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: MLB playoff picture comes into focus as division, wild card races near home stretch