MLB playoff picture 2026: Wild card standings, AL and NL division standings

Steve Gardner and Jesse Yomtov, USA TODAYMon, August 31, 2026 at 12:04 PM UTC

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The calendar is just about ready to flip to September, which means the stretch run in Major League Baseball has arrived.

Except for the American League West, the division races all seem to have strong favorites. But the real intrigue surrounds the three wild-card spots in each league. It will be hard to knock off the New York Yankees and Boston Red Sox in the AL, but seven teams still have at least a puncher's chance to round out the field.

Over in the National League, the Chicago Cubs and Philadelphia Phillies appear comfortably ahead of their pursuers. But the final spot seems to change hands on an almost-daily basis.

Here's a look at the latest in the MLB playoff race:

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: Monday, Aug. 31, 6 a.m. ET

AL wild card standings

Top three teams qualify for wild-card series

New York Yankees (78-59) +9 games

Boston Red Sox (74-63) +5 games

Cleveland Guardians (69-68)

Baltimore Orioles (68-69) – 1 GB

Toronto Blue Jays (68-70) – 1.5 GB

Texas Rangers (67-70) – 2 GB

Minnesota Twins (65-72) – 4 GB

Seattle Mariners (64-73) – 5 GB

Detroit Tigers (63-73) – 5.5 GB

NL wild card standings

Top three teams qualify

Chicago Cubs (77-60) +4.5 games

Philadelphia Phillies (77-60) +4.5 games

Arizona Diamondbacks (73-65)

San Diego Padres (72-65) – 0.5 GB

Miami Marlins (69-68) – 3.5 GB

St. Louis Cardinals (68-70) – 5 GB

Pittsburgh Pirates (67-71) – 6 GB

AL East -

Tampa Bay Rays (82-54)

New York Yankees (78-59) – 4.5 GB

Boston Red Sox (74-63) – 8.5 GB

AL Central -

Chicago White Sox (72-64)

Cleveland Guardians (69-68) – 3.5 GB

Minnesota Twins (65-72) – 7.5 GB

AL West -

Houston Astros (69-68)

Texas Rangers (67-70) – 2 GB

Seattle Mariners (64-73) – 5 GB

NL East -

Atlanta Braves (82-55)

Philadelphia Phillies (77-60) – 5 GB

Miami Marlins (69-68) – 13 GB

NL Central -

Milwaukee Brewers (85-52)

Chicago Cubs (77-60) – 8 GB

St. Louis Cardinals (68-70) – 17.5 GB

NL West -

Los Angeles Dodgers (82-55)

Arizona Diamondbacks (73-65) – 9.5 GB

San Diego Padres (72-65) – 10 GB

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: MLB playoff picture 2026: Wild card standings, AL and NL division standings

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