Ten MLB teams might have punched their tickets to October, but don’t even think about calling the 2026 regular season wrapped yet. This final weekend is gonna be absolutely bonkers, with critical playoff spots and even a first-round bye still up for grabs in the American League. While some squads are chilling, knowing their postseason fate, there’s a whole lot of drama about to unfold before the Wild Card Series kicks off on Tuesday.
Playoff Chaos Is Still Brewing
Alright, so here’s the deal: 10 of the 12 postseason berths are locked down. In the AL, the Tampa Bay Rays secured the East and the top seed, with the New York Yankees grabbing the first wild card and the Boston Red Sox also clinching a wild card spot. The Cleveland Guardians and Chicago White Sox are in, too. Over in the NL, the Atlanta Braves took the East, the Milwaukee Brewers are NL Central champs and top seed, the Chicago Cubs snagged a wild card, and the Los Angeles Dodgers won the West and the second seed. The San Diego Padres also clinched a wild card.
But don’t get it twisted, there’s still one playoff vacancy in each league, and a massive first-round bye still hanging in the balance in the AL. Four teams are still mathematically alive for those remaining spots. The AL West race is a knockdown, drag-out fight between the Astros and Rangers. Down in the NL, the Phillies and Diamondbacks are duking it out for that third and final wild card berth. And get this: the Guardians and White Sox are still battling it out for the AL Central crown. Why’s that so huge? Because the Central champ gets the second and final first-round bye in the American League. Talk about high stakes, right?
Individual Legends Chasing History
Beyond the team races, we’ve got some serious individual fireworks. Cubs center fielder Pete Crow-Armstrong, who’s also an NL MVP frontrunner, absolutely tore it up on Thursday and achieved a phenomenal 40-40 season. That’s just wild!
But the drama doesn’t stop there. Over in the AL, potential MVP frontrunner Yordan Alvarez of the Astros is still, barely, alive in his bid for the Triple Crown. Right now, the dude leads the AL in home runs and batting average. That’s incredible! The only problem? He’s trailing Baltimore’s Pete Alonso by a full eight RBIs. Seriously? That means Alvarez is gonna need something nothing short of a weekend miracle to pull off that incredibly rare feat. Can you even imagine? We’re gonna be glued to every single one of his at-bats.
So, get ready, baseball fans. The postseason kicks off on Tuesday with the Wild Card Series, but first, we’ve got to sort out these final, nail-biting games. Who gets those last spots? Who snags that crucial AL bye? And can Alvarez actually pull off a Triple Crown miracle? This weekend is gonna be absolutely must-watch television. Don’t miss a single pitch!
This article was created with AI assistance and published under Seattle On Tap’s editorial standards. See our Editorial Policy.
Originally reported by CBS Sports.
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