Cal Raleigh and Aaron Judge going for history as AL playoff picture continues to form
USA TODAY Sports’ Gabe Lacques breaks down the storylines to watch in the AL as the MLB seasons winds down.
Sports Pulse
With about 10 games remaining in the 2025 Major League Baseball season, the pennant races are heating up with several divisions and both wild-card races going down to the wire.
The red-hot Seattle Mariners overtook the Houston Astros atop the American League West, with the two teams squaring off in a season-defining series Daikin Park that begins Friday, Sept. 19.
The Los Angeles Dodgers try to continue fighting off the San Diego Padres for the NL West lead, while a six-game winning streak for the Toronto Blue Jays may have put the AL East to bed. In the NL wild-card standings, the New York Mets’ eight-game skid opened the door for the Arizona Diamondbacks and San Francisco Giants to get back into contention.
Here’s the latest look at the 2025 MLB playoff picture:
Entering play Wednesday, Sept. 17
MLB playoff bracket if season ended today
American League
- Byes: Blue Jays, Tigers
- AL wild card series
- Astros at Yankees
- Red Sox at Mariners
National League
- Byes: Brewers, Phillies
- NL wild card series
- Mets at Dodgers
- Padres at Cubs
AL wild card standings
Top three reach playoffs
- New York Yankees (84-67): +2.5 games
- Houston Astros (83-69): +0.5 games
- Boston Red Sox (82-69)
- Cleveland Guardians (79-71): 2.5 games back
- Texas Rangers (79-73): 3.5 GB
- Kansas City Royals (75-76): 7 GB
NL wild card standings
Top three reach playoffs
- Chicago Cubs (87-64): +9 games
- San Diego Padres (82-69): +4 games
- New York Mets (78–73)
- Arizona Diamondbacks (77-75): 1.5 GB
- Cincinnati Reds (75-76): 3 GB
- San Francisco Giants (75-76): 3 GB
- St. Louis Cardinals (74-78): 4.5 GB
AL East
- Toronto Blue Jays (89-62)
- New York Yankees (84-67): 5 games back
- Boston Red Sox (82-69): 7 GB
AL Central
- Detroit Tigers (85-66)
- Cleveland Guardians (79-71): 5.5 GB
- Kansas City Royals (75-76): 10 GB
AL West
- Seattle Mariners (83-68)
- Houston Astros (83-69): 0.5 GB
- Texas Rangers (79-73): 4.5 GB
NL East
- Philadelphia Phillies (91-61) – clinched NL East title on Sept. 15
NL Central
- Milwaukee Brewers (92-59) – clinched playoff berth
- Chicago Cubs (87-64): 5 GB
NL West
- Los Angeles Dodgers (84-67)
- San Diego Padres (82-69): 2 GB
