MLB playoff bracket: How postseason, wild card races are shaping up in final week of season

The 2024 Major League Baseball season is winding down for most teams, but for the ball clubs in the thick of the playoff race, things are just getting started.

The MLB postseason is nearly here, with teams getting down to the last four or five games of the 2024 season. Most playoff spots — indeed, most division crowns — have been determined, but the race for the final wild card places appears set to go down to the wire.

As has been the case for the last three seasons, six teams from both the American League and National League will get into the playoffs. The postseason format starts with wild card series featuring the three wild card playoff teams from each league, along with the lowest-seeded division record. At this stage, the higher seed will host the entirety of what is a best-of-three series.

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The top two teams from each league enter at the division series stage, with a best-of-five format in place. Best-of-seven play begins one round later, with the championship series between the last two teams standing in both leagues. The winners there advance to the World Series, which will also use the traditional best-of-seven structure.

Here's what you need to know about how the 2024 MLB playoffs are shaping up:

MLB playoff bracket

Here is what the MLB playoffs would look like if the season ended on Wednesday, September 25:

Teams that have clinched a bye marked with an asterisk (*).

American League byes:

1. New York Yankees (92-65)
2. Cleveland Guardians (91-67)*

The Yankees have not yet mathematically clinched the AL East, but lead the Baltimore Orioles (87-70) by five games. The Orioles currently hold the head-to-head tiebreaker advantage, but with five games to play for both teams and a five-game gap in the standings, the chances of a reversal here are remote.

American League Wild Card:

• No. 6 Detroit Tigers (83-74) vs. No. 3 Houston Astros (86-72)
• No. 5 Kansas City Royals (83-74) vs. No. 4 Baltimore Orioles (87-70)

National League byes:

1. Los Angeles Dodgers (93-64)
2. Philadelphia Phillies (93-65)

National League Wild Card:

• No. 6 Arizona Diamondbacks (87-71) vs. No. 3 Milwaukee Brewers (90-67)
• No. 5 New York Mets (87-70) vs. No. 4 San Diego Padres (91-66)

MLB playoff seeds

Teams that have clinched a playoff berth marked with an asterisk (*).

American League

1. New York Yankees (92-65)*
2. Cleveland Guardians (91-67)*
3. Houston Astros (86-72)*
4. Baltimore Orioles (87-70)*
5. Kansas City Royals (83-74)
6. Detroit Tigers (83-74)

The American League wild card race is down to five teams for two spots that have yet to be clinched. While Detroit and Kansas City are currently in position to claim the last two playoff berths, the Minnesota Twins (81-76), Seattle Mariners (81-77), and Boston Red Sox (80-78) are mathematically alive.

National League

1. Los Angeles Dodgers (93-64)*
2. Philadelphia Phillies (93-65)*
3. Milwaukee Brewers (90-67)*
4. San Diego Padres (91-66)*
5. New York Mets (87-70)
6. Arizona Diamondbacks (87-71)

The National League wild card picture is down to three teams vying for two spots. The Mets and Diamondbacks are currently in position to advance, but the Atlanta Braves (86-71) are a mere half-game back.

MLB playoff picture: Wild card standings, latest 2024 division standings

2024 MLB postseason schedule

Wild Card Series (Best-of-3):

• October 1: ALWC A & B Game 1, NLWC A & B Game 1
• October 2: ALWC A & B Game 2, NLWC A & B Game 2
• October 3: ALWC A & B Game 3 (if necessary), NLWC A & B Game 3 (if necessary)

Division Series (Best-of-5):

• October 5: ALDS A & B Game 1, NLDS A & B, Game 1
• October 6: NLDS A & B Game 2
• October 7: ALDS A & B Game 2
• October 8: NLDS A & B Game 3
• October 9: ALDS A & B Game 3, NLDS A & B Game 4 (if necessary)
• October 10: ALDS A & B Game 4 (if necessary)
• October 11: NLDS A & B Game 5 (if necessary)
• October 12: ALDS A & B Game 5 (if necessary)

League Championship Series (Best-of-7):

• October 13: NLCS Game 1
• October 14: ALCS Game 1, NLCS Game 2
• October 15: ALCS Game 2
• October 16: NLCS Game 3
• October 17: ALCS Game 3, NLCS Game 4
• October 18: ALCS Game 4, NLCS Game 5 (if necessary)
• October 19: ALCS Game 5 (if necessary)
• October 20: NLCS Game 6 (if necessary)
• October 21: ALCS Game 6 (if necessary), NLCS Game 7 (if necessary)
• October 22: ALCS Game 7 (if necessary)

World Series (Best-of-7):

• October 25: World Series Game 1
• October 26: World Series Game 2
• October 28: World Series Game 3
• October 29: World Series Game 4
• October 30: World Series Game 5 (if necessary)
• November 1: World Series Game 6 (if necessary)
• November 2: World Series Game 7 (if necessary)

How to watch MLB playoffs

The 2024 Major League Baseball playoffs will be spread across multiple broadcasters, depending on round and league.

The entire wild-card round will be broadcast on ABC and ESPN, with ESPN+ the streaming option. For the next two rounds, broadcasting splits by league. Fox will carry the National League Division and Championship Series, while TBS and truTV will carry the American League for both rounds The ALCS and ALDS can be streamed via Sling . The World Series will be broadcast by Fox.

Watch the 2024 MLB playoffs with a Fubo subscription

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This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: MLB playoff bracket: How postseason, wild card races are shaping up in final week of season