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.
Have The Cincinnati Reds Run Out Of Gas This Season?
National League
| No. 1 – Atlanta Braves | First-Round Bye |
| No. 2 – Los Angeles Dodgers | First-Round Bye |
| No. 3 – Milwaukee Brewers | No. 6 – Cincinnati Reds |
| No. 4 – San Francisco Giants | No. 5 – Philadelphia Phillies |
It was another chaotic week in the MLB, albeit with limited impact on the National League standings. The Atlanta Braves continue to soar above the rest, compiling the best record in the majors and putting them on track for the second-most wins in franchise history. Granted, they haven’t appeared as unbeatable as they once did, dropping seven of their past ten outings. That’s a similar trajectory that we’ve seen from the second-place Los Angeles Dodgers. Losers of three of their last four, the Dodgers’ grip on the NL West title and a first-round bye is weakening. They are now 3.0 games up on the San Francisco Giants and 4.0 ahead of the Arizona Diamondbacks for the top spot.
The Giants remain firmly entrenched in the wild card race. However, the distance between them and teams outside the playoffs is shrinking. San Fran has a tenuous grasp on a postseason berth, sitting 1.0 games up on the D-Backs and Miami Marlins, both of which are on the outside looking in. One win is all that separates them from the Philadelphia Phillies, who they would face in the opening round if the playoffs started today.
Likewise, the Cincinnati Reds are tied with the Phillies in the standings but are occupying the sixth seed on the strength of a tiebreaker. That puts them on a collision course with their division rivals and NL Central leaders, the Milwaukee Brewers. The Brew Crew has had the Reds number all season, going 7-2 against their division foes. This grudge match would be appointment viewing in October to see if Cincinnati could finally solve the Brewers’ pitching.
American League
| No. 1 – Baltimore Orioles | First-Round Bye |
| No. 2 – Texas Rangers | First-Round Bye |
| No. 3 – Minnesota Twins | No. 6 – Toronto Blue Jays |
| No. 4 – Tampa Bay Rays | No. 5 – Houston Astros |
The Baltimore Orioles continue to fly above the rest in the American League. The O’s have built themselves a 1.5 division lead, and with three fewer losses than the Tampa Bay Rays, they control their own destiny to end the campaign. The Texas Rangers faltering against the Houston Astros this week also gives the Orioles a comfortable 2.5-game lead for the first seed and home-field advantage throughout the AL side of the bracket. Baltimore is ahead of the curve relative to player development, and it will be interesting to see if they can fend off challenges within the division and league.
The AL Central has looked inferior to the other playoff teams throughout the season. Still, the Minnesota Twins have improved their standing after the All-Star break. Minny has won nine of 13 to move 2.0 games clear of the Cleveland Guardians for the division lead. That’s akin to what we’ve seen from the Toronto Blue Jays, taking seven of 12 since the Mid-Summer Classic. Most impressively, the Jays took two of three against the Dodgers, scoring 21 runs over the series. If they maintain that production over the latter part of the season, Toronto will be an unstoppable force in the playoffs.
Lastly, two teams who deserve each other could meet in the wild-card round. The Rays’ bats have cooled off significantly, relegating them to a potential first-round matchup with the defending World Series champions. Although they’ve improved moderately of late, the Astros haven’t regained their offensive footing, which made them the force they were last year. But with both teams flashing championship potential, this could be one of the most entertaining series of the postseason.
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