This season of Major League Baseball has not disappointed: The Milwaukee Brewers started the first quarter of the season with a winning percentage below .500 but now hold a first-round bye in the National League playoffs, the New York Mets and Detroit Tigers once held the best records in baseball but ended this season with disappointing slumps. Seattle Mariners catcher and designated hitter Cal Raleigh comes off a record-breaking season and is making a run at the New York Yankees’ Aaron Judge for American League MVP. With the regular season now closed, attention turns to the postseason and how this chapter of the big leagues will end.
In the American League playoffs, the Toronto Blue Jays hold the top seed, which they took from the New York Yankees to reclaim their AL East title on the final day of the regular season. The Seattle Mariners and the Cleveland Guardians — the leaders of the AL West and Central divisions, respectively — hold the following seeds. The Yankees hold the first Wild Card spot, followed by the Boston Red Sox and the Detroit Tigers.
The Guardians will host their division rivals, the Tigers, in a three-game series. The winner will face the Mariners in Seattle. Meanwhile, the Yankees will host the Red Sox in the Bronx, where the victor will travel north to play the Blue Jays.
The Guardians’ surge has been remarkable: On July 8, they trailed Detroit’s record by 15.5 games, yet stormed back to clinch the division. The Tigers, who earlier this season boasted a record of 20 games over .500, now occupy the lowest postseason slot. The team will now get their rematch as they compete with the hungry Guardians — who have only appeared in ten postseason games this century, coming up empty each time, and who haven’t won a World Series pennant since 1948.
The Yankees-Red Sox rivalry needs no introduction and another October clash only adds fuel to the fire. Yankees superstar Aaron Judge turned in another MVP-caliber season, posting a .331 batting average with a 1.145 OPS, 53 home runs and a batting title to top it off. The Yankees have had ups and downs this season, with two sub .500 months, but they have since turned the season around thanks to Judge and the collective efforts of the team. The Red Sox also struggled at points, but shortstop Trevor Story and right fielder Wilyer Abreu each hit more than 20 home runs, while starting pitcher Garrett Crochet provided consistency. Boston went 9–4 against New York in the regular season, but October is when it counts most.
In the National League, the Brewers finished with the best record, claiming both the NL Central title and the top overall seed. The Philadelphia Phillies and Los Angeles Dodgers hold the second and third spots, winners of the East and West divisions, respectively. The Chicago Cubs secured the first Wild Card, followed by the San Diego Padres and Cincinnati Reds. The Brewers and Phillies earned first-round byes. The Wild Card round will see the Dodgers host the Reds, with the winner advancing to face the Phillies, while the Cubs host the Padres, with the winner taking on Milwaukee in the Divisional Round.
The Mets and Reds battled down the stretch for the last Wild Card spot. The Reds emerged victorious, while the Mets collapsed, despite being 21 games above .500 in June and holding the league’s best record multiple times. The Red’s run included a crucial series win over the top-seeded Brewers. Elly De La Cruz contributed 86 RBIs, helping push the Reds into the postseason. If the Reds advance, they will face the reigning World Champion Dodgers, led by Shohei Ohtani. Ohtani hit 55 home runs with 102 RBIs, while also posting a 2.87 ERA and 62 strikeouts in 47 innings. A Reds upset over Los Angeles could shake up the entire bracket.
The Padres and Cubs will clash in Chicago for a chance at the divisional round. Both teams feature stars — Pete Crow-Armstrong, Fernando Tatis Jr. and Dansby Swanson — but also rely on depth players who often get overlooked. The Cubs ranked fifth in runs scored across MLB, while the Padres’ bullpen remains one of the league’s strongest. This matchup in the Windy City promises fireworks.
Postseason play begins on Tuesday, Sept. 30, with all eight Wild Card teams opening their series. With powerhouse lineups, underdog stories and fierce rivalries, October baseball is set to deliver once again.
