2024 MLB playoff picture: Bracket, baseball standings, magic numbers, tiebreakers, postseason projections

With just five days left in the 2024 Major League Baseball regular season, the playoff picture is becoming clearer. Eight teams have already clinched berths, leaving only four spots up for grabs. The New York Yankees, Los Angeles Dodgers, Philadelphia Phillies, Cleveland Guardians, Milwaukee Brewers, Baltimore Orioles, Houston Astros, and San Diego Padres have secured postseason spots, with seeding still to be determined.

MLB now grants 12 playoff berths, with six going to division winners and three wild-card berths in each league. The top two division winners in each league earn first-round byes, skipping the best-of-three Wild Card Series.

The Brewers, Guardians, Phillies, and Astros are the first teams to clinch their divisions. The Yankees are close to winning the AL East, while the Dodgers and Padres are battling for the NL West.

There is still plenty of wild-card drama, especially in the American League where the Detroit Tigers have surged ahead of the Minnesota Twins. The Tigers are looking to end their postseason drought dating back to 2014, tying with the Los Angeles Angels for the longest drought in MLB. In the National League, the New York Mets and Arizona Diamondbacks are vying for the No. 5 seed behind the Padres, with the Atlanta Braves close behind.

Here’s a look at the current playoff races as the regular season winds down. All projections are from SportsLine.

2024 MLB Playoff Picture

If the season ended today…

American League

Byes: No. 1 Yankees, No. 2 Guardians

Wild Card Series: No. 3 Astros vs. No. 6 Tigers, No. 4 Orioles vs. No. 5 Royals

National League

Byes: No. 1 Dodgers, No. 2 Phillies

Wild Card Series: No. 3 Brewers vs. No. 6 D-backs, No. 4 Padres vs. No. 5 Mets

Who’s Clinched?

• The Phillies clinched the NL East
• The Brewers clinched the NL Central
• The Guardians clinched the AL Central
• The Astros clinched the AL West
• The Yankees and Orioles have clinched AL playoff spots
• The Dodgers and Padres have clinched NL playoff spots

MLB Magic Numbers

• AL East: Yankees – 1
• AL Playoff Spots: Royals – 4, Tigers – 4
• NL West: Dodgers – 4
• NL Playoff Spots: Diamondbacks – 4, Mets – 4, Braves – 5

Notable Tiebreakers

• The Yankees have clinched the tiebreaker against the Guardians
• The Twins have clinched the tiebreaker against the Tigers, Royals, and Mariners
• The Royals have clinched the tiebreaker against the Mariners and Tigers
• The Tigers have clinched the tiebreaker against the Mariners
• The Phillies have clinched the tiebreaker against the Dodgers and the Brewers
• The Mets have clinched the tiebreaker against the D-backs and the Padres
• The Padres have clinched the tiebreaker against the Dodgers and Brewers
• The D-backs currently hold the tiebreaker against the Padres
• The Braves currently hold the tiebreaker against the Mets
• The Braves have clinched the tiebreaker against the D-backs

American League Standings

National League Standings

Clinched division – x
Clinched wild-card – y
Clinched playoff berth – z
Eliminated – e

MLB Wild-Card Standings

2024 World Series Odds

• Dodgers: +340
• Phillies: +425
• Yankees: +450
• Astros: +700
• Guardians: +900
• Padres: +900
• Orioles: +1100
• Brewers: +1800
• Mets: +2500
• Diamondbacks: +2500
• Braves: +2800
• Royals: +3000
• Tigers: +3300
• Twins: +5000