What the playoff picture looks like with under a month to go

By MLB.com | 12:06 AM EDT

The 2025 postseason is approaching. As you keep an eye on the standings, here is everything you need to know about how the playoff field is shaping up, as well as info about potential tiebreakers and clinch scenarios for each contender.

IF THE SEASON ENDED TODAY

Here is a look at how the postseason field is shaping up, entering Tuesday. (Teams listed in order of seeding).

AL playoff teams: Tigers (AL Central), Blue Jays (AL East), Astros (AL West), Yankees (Wild Card), Red Sox (Wild Card), Mariners (Wild Card)

NL playoff teams: Brewers (NL Central), Phillies (NL East), Dodgers (NL West), Cubs (Wild Card), Padres (Wild Card), Mets (Wild Card)

For a look at the full bracket, see the top of this page.

Each of the best-of-three Wild Card Series are set to begin on Sept. 30, while each of the best-of-five Division Series are set to begin on Oct. 4.

TIGHTEST RACES

NL West: Dodgers lead Padres by 2.5 games

AL West: Astros lead Mariners by 3 games

AL East: Blue Jays lead Yankees and Red Sox by 2.5 games

AL Wild Card: Mariners lead Rangers by 1.5 games for final berth

NL Wild Card: Mets lead Reds by 4 games for final berth

3 KEY GAMES TODAY

Mets at Tigers, 6:40 p.m. ET | Get tickets

Guardians at Red Sox, 6:45 p.m. ET | Get tickets

Yankees at Astros, 8:10 p.m. ET | Get tickets

TIEBREAKERS

Since 2022, all playoff tiebreakers have been determined mathematically, rather than via tiebreaker games. That means ties for division titles and postseason berths, as well as for seeding, come down first to head-to-head record between those teams during the season, with other tiebreakers available if needed.

Read here for a full explanation.

Below, MLB.com is tracking the progress of relevant tiebreaker scenarios for contenders (defined here as within five games of a playoff spot).

AL: Astros | Blue Jays | Guardians | Mariners | Rangers | Rays | Red Sox | Royals | Tigers | Yankees

NL: Brewers | Cubs | Dodgers | Giants | Mets | Padres | Phillies | Reds

AL EAST

Blue Jays (1st in AL East; 2.5 games ahead of NYY)

Toronto is in great shape if it ends up tied for a division title, having locked up the edge over both Boston and New York.

Yankees (2nd in AL East; 2.5 games behind TOR)

The Yankees hold a couple key Wild Card tiebreakers over the Mariners and Royals, but they'd lose out to either of their top AL East foes. They open their final series against the Astros this season on Tuesday in Houston.

Red Sox (3rd in AL East; 2.5 games behind TOR)

The Red Sox hold the head-to-head tiebreaker over the Yankees, but a tiebreaker with the Mariners for a Wild Card spot would come down to each team's intradivisional record.

AL CENTRAL

Tigers (1st in AL Central; 9 games ahead of KC)

If the Tigers end up tied with the Blue Jays for the AL's top seed, Toronto would hold the tiebreaker after going 4-3 against Detroit this season.

AL WEST

Astros (1st in AL West; 3 games ahead of SEA)

A Sept. 19-21 series against the Mariners at Daikin Park will determine a crucial head-to-head tiebreaker in the AL West.

Mariners (2nd in AL West; 3 games behind HOU)

The Mariners still have a chance to win tiebreakers over the Royals and Astros during back-to-back road series from Sept. 16-21.

Rangers (3rd in AL West; 4.5 games behind HOU)

The Rangers would lose out in a tiebreaker scenario with the team ahead of them in the Wild Card standings (Mariners) and the team behind them in the Wild Card standings (Royals).

AL WILD CARD

Royals (2.5 games behind SEA for 3rd AL Wild Card)

The Royals still have a chance to claim the tiebreaker against the Mariners, who currently hold the final AL Wild Card spot.

Guardians (4 games behind SEA for 3rd AL Wild Card)

The Guardians have chances to clinch tiebreakers against several AL Wild Card contenders during their September slate.

Rays (4.5 games behind SEA for 3rd AL Wild Card)

The Rays would have to leapfrog four clubs to hold a Wild Card position, but much remains to be decided, as they have games remaining against two of them and finished the season series tied with the other two.

NL EAST

Phillies (1st in NL East; 6 games ahead of NYM)

If the Phillies sweep their current series with Milwaukee, the tiebreaker between the clubs would be based on intradivision record. The Phillies' Sept. 15-17 series against the Dodgers in Los Angeles could be crucial for NL postseason seeding.

Mets (2nd in NL East; 6 games behind PHI)

Should the Mets and Phillies end the regular season tied atop the NL East, the Mets hold the head-to-head tiebreaker.

NL CENTRAL

Brewers (1st in NL Central; 5.5 games ahead of CHC)

To secure a tiebreaker against the Phillies, the Brewers would just need one win against Philadelphia in their current series (the Phillies won the series opener on Monday).

NL WEST

Dodgers (1st in NL West, 2.5 games ahead of SD)

By winning nine of the 13 games between the two clubs, the Dodgers have secured a huge NL West tiebreaker over the Padres.

Padres (2nd in NL West; 2.5 games behind LAD)

The Padres' relevant Wild Card tiebreakers are all yet to be determined. Division record would break any tie with the Cubs or Phillies.

NL WILD CARD

Cubs (1st in NL Wild Card, 5 games ahead of NYM for 3rd NL WC)

The Cubs could secure a crucial Wild Card tiebreaker with a sweep of the Mets from Sept. 23-25 at Wrigley Field. If Chicago wins two of three, the tiebreaker will come down to division record.

Reds (4 games behind NYM for 3rd NL Wild Card)

The Reds have chances to snag several key tiebreakers and make up some ground in September, facing the Mets and Padres back to back from Sept. 5-10 before hosting the Cubs for four games from Sept. 18-21.

Giants (5 games behind NYM for 3rd NL Wild Card)

The Giants don't have any more games remaining against the clubs ahead of them in the Wild Card race, and don't own any tiebreakers over any team in that group. The only tiebreaker up for grabs is against the Reds -- that would be determined by intradivision record.

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