The MLB season is a marathon. Teams compete over a 162-game schedule, needing to rank among the top six squads in their respective leagues to make the playoffs. Wins are just as valuable in April, May, and June as they are in the latter part of the season, and franchises can’t afford to lose ground to the teams ahead of them.
Here’s what the playoff brackets would look like if the postseason started today.
National League
| No. 1 – Los Angeles Dodgers | First-Round Bye |
| No. 2 – Atlanta Braves | First-Round Bye |
| No. 3 – Milwaukee Brewers | No. 6 – Miami Marlins |
| No. 4 – Arizona Diamondbacks | No. 5 – Pittsburgh Pirates |
Not surprisingly, the Los Angeles Dodgers and Atlanta Braves continue to be the class of the National League. The Dodgers used an 8-2 run to usurp the Braves for the top seed, sitting just 0.5 games up on their counterparts. Atlanta has fallen on hard times, dropping five of their last seven, but still has a comfortable 5.0 game lead in the NL East.
To everyone’s dismay, the Miami Marlins are the only other NL East squad in the playoffs. The Fish are 6-4 over their last ten, including winners of three straight to climb above .500 and into the final wild-card berth. They will face sincere challenges from the New York Mets and Philadelphia Phillies and pressure from other contenders outside the division. For now, they would match up against the Milwaukee Brewers in the opening round of the playoffs. Milwaukee pitchers had an uncharacteristic week, getting lit up to the tune of a 5.71 ERA, the fourth-worst in the majors.
Still, the Brewers have a modest advantage over the Pittsburgh Pirates, who finally pumped the breaks on an extended losing streak. The Pirates have responded nicely with wins in two of their past three but will need to improve their current standing if they hope to cling to a playoff spot. Coincidentally, they kick off a weekend series against the Arizona Diamondbacks, which happens to be the team they would match up with if the postseason started today. Pittsburgh is 1.5 games back of the D-Backs and could surpass them in the standings with a series sweep.
American League
| No. 1 – Tampa Bay Rays | First-Round Bye |
| No. 2 – Texas Rangers | First-Round Bye |
| No. 3 – Minnesota Twins | No. 6 – Houston Astros |
| No. 4 – Baltimore Orioles | No. 5 – Toronto Blue Jays |
Two months into the season, Tampa Bay Rays remain the best team in baseball. Granted, they’ve appeared less imposing over the past few weeks, going 6-6 since May 5. Still, they have a lethal combination of hitting and pitching, making them a tough out in the postseason. The Rays will continue to be pushed by the rest of the teams in the AL East, all of whom are at least four games above .500. Approaching the third month of the season, Tampa is joined by the Texas Rangers as the other team with a first-round bye.
The Minnesota Twins remain the pacesetters in the AL Central, occupying the third seed in the playoff picture. At their current record, the Twins would be tied for last in the AL East, but as it stands now, that’s good enough for a 3.5-game cushion in their division. Further, it assures the Twins of a Wild Card Round meeting with the sixth-place Houston Astros. The defending World Series Champions have won four straight and seven of their last eight to move into the AL bracket.
Lastly, the Baltimore Orioles and Toronto Blue Jays are clutching to the two remaining wild card spots. The O’s have been one of the most surprising teams in the majors, going 28-15 through the first couple of months. That record would be good enough to lead five of the six divisions, but unfortunately, they’re left chasing the Rays. Similarly, the Blue Jays have closed the gap on the frontrunners, winning seven of their past 11. It’s not enough to catch the teams ahead of them in their division, but it’s a good omen for what to expect as the playoff races pick up steam through the summer months.
