MLB Postseason Preview: Playoff Race, Injury Updates and MVP Favorites

With the 12-team postseason picture largely taking shape, several powerhouse franchises eye 100-win campaigns while dealing with crucial injuries to marquee names.

Playoff Picture and Division Races as the Regular Season Ends

The 12-team postseason structure features automatic division winners and wildcard qualifiers, with the regular season concluding on Sunday, according to The Associated Press. In the American League, competitive divisions have kept races tight, creating a scenario where a team with a sub-.500 record could potentially secure a postseason berth, as reported by The Associated Press. The Cleveland Guardians hold a narrow lead over the Chicago White Sox in the AL Central, while the Texas Rangers sit just ahead of the Houston Astros in the AL West, according to The Associated Press.

Meanwhile, the National League postseason field is considerably more settled. The Chicago Cubs, San Diego Padres, and Philadelphia Filis occupy the primary wildcard tracking positions, maintaining a cushion over the chasing Arizona Diamondbacks, according to The Associated Press. The Toronto Blue Jays enter the final stretch on the edge of the American League wildcard chase, sitting three games outside the final qualifying spot ahead of a matchup against the Baltimore Orioles, as noted by The Associated Press.

Superstar Health Concerns for Dodgers and Yankees

Los Angeles Dodgers star Shohei Ohtani enters the final week managing health concerns that remain a focal point for the franchise, despite the team’s dominant position near the top of the league standings alongside the Milwaukee Brewers and Tampa Bay Rays, according to The Associated Press. In New York, Aaron Judge is sidelined with a right calf strain that keeps him on the injured list through the final day of the regular season, as reported by The Associated Press.

Frontrunners Emerge in Individual Award Races

Individual accolades feature clear frontrunners across both leagues as the schedule winds down, according to The Associated Press. In the National League MVP race, Chicago’s Pete Crow-Armstrong has separated himself from the competition, while Houston’s Yordan Alvarez leads the American League field with a .313 batting average, keeping him in contention for a rare Triple Corona, as detailed by The Associated Press. Alvarez faces competition from Tampa Bay’s Junior Caminero, who holds a narrow lead in home runs, and Baltimore’s Pete Alonso in RBIs, according to The Associated Press.

For the Cy Young Award, Milwaukee pitcher Jacob Misiorowski and New York starter Cam Schlittler stand out as the primary favorites in the National and American Leagues respectively, while Cincinnati’s Sal Stewart and Detroit’s Kevin McGonigle lead the respective Rookie of the Year projections, as reported by The Associated Press.

Postseason Format and Schedule

The MLB postseason format divides 12 qualifiers into six teams per league, with the top three division winners earning the 1 through 3 seeds and wildcard teams taking seeds 4 through 6, according to The Associated Press. The two teams with the best records in each league earn automatic byes to the Division Series, while the remaining eight teams square off in the best-of-three Wildcard Series beginning Tuesday, September 30, as outlined by The Associated Press.

• Wildcard Series: September 29 – October 1 (broadcast on NBC/Peacock)
• Division Series: October 3 – 10 (AL on TBS, NL on FOX/FS1)
• League Championship Series: October 11 – 20 (AL on TBS, NL on FOX/FS1)
• World Series: October 23 – 31 (broadcast on FOX)

Heading into the opening rounds, betting markets list the Dodgers as the favorites at +220, followed by the Brewers (+600), Yankees (+800), and Rays (+800), according to The Associated Press.