As summer was winding down, the race for the Major League Baseball playoffs seemed uneventful, but September had different plans. Both the American League and National League standings have quickly become more competitive, with much of the final week’s action set to happen in Ohio.
The Toronto Blue Jays secured a playoff spot by defeating the Royals 8-5 in Kansas City, making it their first post-season appearance since 2023 with a league-leading record of 90-66. Nine years ago, they last reached a similar stage but were defeated by the Minnesota Twins in the wild-card round.
Now, the Blue Jays aim for their first division title since 2015. If successful and securing a top-two seed in the AL, Toronto will earn a bye through the wild-card round and home-field advantage in the AL Division Series.
As the regular season comes to a close and October baseball approaches, here are some key storylines to watch:
– In the National League, the wild-card race is intense with the New York Mets and Cincinnati Reds tied for the final spot, while the Arizona Diamondbacks are close behind.
– The American League also offers drama, with four teams vying for the last three playoff spots, including the Boston Red Sox, Detroit Tigers, Cleveland Guardians, and Houston Astros.
– Seattle’s Cal Raleigh hit his 58th homer of the season, extending his catcher record, with a chance to reach 60.
The MLB post-season features 12 teams, with division winners securing the top three seeds and wild-card teams filling the remaining spots based on win-loss records. The top two teams in each league advance directly to the Division Series, while the other eight teams compete in the Wild Card Series.
The post-season schedule includes the Wild Card round from Sept. 30 to Oct. 2, Division Series from Oct. 4 to 11, Championship Series from Oct. 12 to 21, and the World Series from Oct. 24 to Nov. 1. In the National League, the Brewers, Phillies, Dodgers, Cubs, and Padres have clinched spots, while in the American League, only the Blue Jays have secured a place, with the Yankees and Mariners likely to follow suit.
According to BetMGM Sportsbook, the Phillies are favored to win the World Series at +425, followed by the Dodgers, Mariners, Brewers, Blue Jays, and Yankees. The Blue Jays, who started the season at +6000 odds, have significantly improved their position.