MLB 2023 postseason tracker: Follow along with division chases and wild-card races as we count down to October

As the month of September rolls along, we’re counting correct down to the cease of the MLB celebrated season and following the total races to attain the 2023 postseason.

Under are the groups that have clinched their designate to October or are interior 10 wins (or opponent losses) of doing so, with extra to be added within the times and weeks to attain, apart from what the postseason would gape esteem if the season ended this present day.

(All numbers novel by play Monday.)

ATLANTA BRAVES

What’s subsequent: The Braves turned the first team to clinch a space within the 2023 postseason with a accumulate over the Pirates on Sept. 10, after which they claimed their sixth consecutive division title with a accumulate over the Phillies on Wednesday. Owners of baseball’s supreme portray, the Braves will subsequent gape to genuine the NL’s high seed, guaranteeing a bye to the NLDS and residential-discipline back all by the postseason. With the formulation the Braves were playing this year, it’s a genuine wager that the NL playoffs will inch by Atlanta.

How they obtained right here: To insist it bluntly, the Braves were some distance and away the supreme team in MLB this season. With a roughly 30% likelihood of worthwhile the World Sequence, per FanGraphs, and a accumulate-the entirety fundamental particular person in Ronald Acuña Jr., the Braves have pitched and hit and slugged and defended their formulation past even the perfect expectations for this year.

Wins wanted to clinch:

• Postseason space: Clinched

• NL East title: Clinched

Why you might possibly soundless root for them: They’re changing into baseball’s contemporary closing boss.

LOS ANGELES DODGERS

What’s subsequent: In a season whereby many expected the Dodgers to rob a step support after a steady offseason, they’ve as an different persevered to accumulate what they accumulate: Cruise past their NL West foes and into the postseason list. With a further-innings accumulate Saturday in opposition to the Mariners, the Dodgers clinched a designate to the playoffs and their tenth division title within the past 11 years.

How they obtained right here: This Dodgers’ season has been something but gentle, but once extra, their depth has carried them by. Accidents abound in the starting up rotation, leaving questions about who will pitch for L.A. within the postseason. These questions were handiest extra sophisticated by Julio Urias’ novel arrest for criminal domestic violence and the knowledge that Walker Buehler obtained’t return this season.

Wins wanted to clinch:

• Postseason space: Clinched

• NL West title: Clinched

Why you might possibly soundless root for them: They manufacture nasty gamers factual.

BALTIMORE ORIOLES

What’s subsequent: The Orioles — who were atop arguably baseball’s strongest division since July — are searching for their first AL East title since 2014 and the designate to net hosting the ALDS that contains it. If Baltimore can preserve off Tampa Bay, the Orioles will seemingly be the tip seed within the AL postseason list.

How they obtained right here: One among the most satisfying surprises of the 2023 season, the younger, stress-free, confident Orioles have surged to the tip of the American League on the energy of a younger core blossoming into stars simultaneously. The Orioles haven’t been swept in a chain since Can even merely 2022, a span that encompasses catcher Adley Rutschman’s complete mountainous-league occupation.

Wins wanted to clinch:

• Postseason space: Clinched

• AL East title: 9

Why you might possibly soundless root for them: They don’t know lose.

TAMPA BAY RAYS

What’s subsequent: After a spoil up on this weekend’s sequence in Baltimore, the Rays soundless hasten the Orioles for the lead within the AL East. They’d love to rob the division crown and snag a bye into the ALDS, but although that doesn’t happen, Tampa Bay is solidly in tell to rob the AL’s high wild card.

How they obtained right here: The Rays began 2023 as sizzling as any team in novel reminiscence, jumping to an early lead in their division with a 13-0 launch. Accidents (in particular to the rotation), attrition and Toddle Franco’s honest jam have since taken a toll, but Tampa Bay has remained no doubt one of the most AL’s high groups, conveniently above the fray within the wild-card list.

Wins wanted to clinch:

• Postseason space: Clinched

Why you might possibly soundless root for them: They’ve never obtained a World Sequence.

MINNESOTA TWINS

What’s subsequent: It’s division-title-or-bust for the Twins, as some team has to accumulate the moribund AL Central. Minnesota within the intervening time holds a 7-sport lead on Cleveland, making for a contented scramble into the postseason, where the Twins will host a wild-card sequence — and at the least obtained’t ought to face the Yankees this year.

How they obtained right here: The Twins have led their division for most of the season on the energy of a bolstered pitching rotation led by Sonny Gray and Pablo López. On the offensive facet, alternatively, there’s remarkable left to be desired, as Carlos Correa hasn’t stumbled on his slump, and Byron Buxton is injured once again.

Wins wanted to clinch:

• Postseason space/AL Central title: 5

Why you might possibly soundless root for them: They’re the underdoggiest underdogs.

MILWAUKEE BREWERS

What’s subsequent: Cruising incessantly in opposition to the postseason, the Brewers ought to fend off the animated Cubs and Reds to genuine the NL Central title and wild-card net hosting tasks. Milwaukee within the intervening time sits 6 games sooner than Chicago within the standings, and the 2 groups will play a three-sport sequence to shut out the celebrated season.

How they obtained right here: The Brewers have persevered to accumulate what they accumulate supreme this season, with dominant pitching from both the rotation and the bullpen backed up by juuuust adequate offense. The three-headed monster of Corbin Burnes, Brandon Woodruff and Freddy Peralta — with a Devin Williams chaser — has led the formulation in a division bustle that has been Milwaukee’s to lose for a whereas now.

Wins wanted to clinch:

• Postseason space: 7

• NL Central title: 7

Why you might possibly soundless root for them: Maybe attributable to you are a Mets fan.

HOUSTON ASTROS

What’s subsequent: The Astros have chased down both the Texas Rangers and the Seattle Mariners to retake their celebrated tell atop the AL West and are having a scrutinize the bye to the ALDS that contains the league’s No. 2 seed. This division goes by Houston except proven in some other case, but the competition will seemingly move correct down to the wire, with the three groups duking it out except the final celebrated-season sequence.

How they obtained right here: The Astros began slowly this year and were out of the playoff list for remarkable of the first half of, but after reacquiring Justin Verlander and getting some key gamers support from injury this summer season, baseball’s well-liked villains have appeared esteem their celebrated selves and aren’t a team any person desires to face in October.

Wins wanted to clinch:

• Postseason space: 7

• AL West title: 11

Why you might possibly soundless root for them: They are able to’t give up MLB’s worst catcher.

PHILADELPHIA PHILLIES

What’s subsequent: With the NL East prolonged since spoken for, the Phillies were conveniently leading the NL wild-card standings for remarkable of the season. No longer to horror; they made a inch the total formulation to the World Sequence from wild-card tell closing postseason and are primed to accumulate the identical this October.

How they obtained right here: Buoyed as celebrated by a sturdy solid of hitters, the Phillies are following the familiar system of prolific home-inch power and handiest adequate pitching. Their bullpen will seemingly be the request attain playoff time, but after a unhurried launch, Trea Turner has gotten scorching sizzling at merely the honest time.

Wins wanted to clinch:

• Postseason space: 8

Why you might possibly soundless root for them: They’ve a lot of fundamental particular person power.

TEXAS RANGERS

What’s subsequent: The Rangers are hoping to get the Astros and fend off the Mariners to accumulate their first AL West title since 2016. With divisional battles except the very cease of the celebrated season, this one will move correct down to the wire. Barring a observe from the Blue Jays, the comfort prizes for 2nd and third within the AL West will seemingly be tickets to the wild-card round.

How they obtained right here: After a rapid and pricey rebuild, the Rangers came out of the gate sizzling this season and led the division in remarkable of the early going, thanks largely to an offense that appeared unstoppable. Then came a gradual-summer season swoon that allowed the Astros and Mariners to rise up within the standings. Now it appears to be like to be esteem these three groups will warfare it out except the very cease of the celebrated season.

Wins wanted to clinch:

• Postseason space: 9

Why you might possibly soundless root for them: They handiest know accumulate mountainous.

TORONTO BLUE JAYS

What’s subsequent: The Blue Jays have minute likelihood of catching the Orioles for the division title or the Rays for the tip AL wild-card space, so it’ll be a road wild-card designate or searching at the playoffs from home for Toronto.

How they obtained right here: Toronto began the season with hopes of contending for a division title, but whereas the season hasn’t totally long past off the rails, this team never essentially gave the influence to be within the division list. With the Rays and Orioles making the AL East a two-horse bustle, the Blue Jays are as an different struggling with remarkable of the AL West for entry into the wild-card discipline.

Wins wanted to clinch:

• Postseason space: 9

PLAYOFF BRACKET IF THE SEASON ENDED TODAY

AL wild-card round:

• No. 6 Rangers/Mariners at No. 3 Twins

• No. 5 Blue Jays at No. 4 Rays

NL wild-card round:

• No. 6 Reds/Cubs at No. 3 Brewers

• No. 5 Diamondbacks at No. 4 Phillies

ALDS:

• Rangers/M’s/Twins at No. 2 Astros

• Jays/Rays at No. 1 Orioles

NLDS:

• Reds/Cubs/Brewers at No. 2 Dodgers

• D-backs/Phillies at No. 1 Braves