MLB playoff picture: Wild card standings, AL and NL postseason bracket

Major League Baseball's 2026 regular season has two weekends to go, with contenders still jockeying for position and some postseason spots still very much up for grabs.

The Cleveland Guardians managed to run down the Chicago White Sox in the American League Central and it looks like the race will go down to the final days of the season. Just two years after setting an MLB record with 121 losses, Chicago has the chance to get back to the postseason for the first time in five seasons.

The big race to watch in the National League is the wild card, with the Chicago Cubs, Philadelphia Phillies and San Diego Padres all in contention to secure the top wild card spot – and host the best-of-three wild card series.

The NL Central (Milwaukee Brewers) and

NL West (Los Angeles Dodgers) titles have already been clinched, leaving four of baseball's six divisions still not secured. The AL West race also features the Houston Astros and Texas Rangers within one game – and the team who comes in second likely missing out on the playoffs.

Here's the latest look at the MLB postseason picture:

Standings updated entering play Friday, Sept. 18

MLB playoff bracket 2026

#-division champion; *clinched at least a wild card spot

American League

• Byes: Tampa Bay Rays* (1), Chicago White Sox (2)
• Wild card series:
  • Guardians (6) at Astros (3) – Winner vs. White Sox
  • Red Sox (5) at Yankees* (4) – Winner vs. Rays

National League

• Byes: Milwaukee Brewers# (1), Los Angeles Dodgers# (2)
• Wild card series:
  • Padres (6) at Braves (3) – Winner vs. Dodgers
  • Phillies (5) at Cubs (4) – Winner vs. Brewers

AL wild card standings

Top three teams qualify

1. *New York Yankees (88-64) +10.5 games
2. Boston Red Sox (83-70) +5 games
3. Cleveland Guardians (78-75)
4. Texas Rangers (76-77) – 2 GB
5. Toronto Blue Jays (76-77) – 2 GB
6. Baltimore Orioles (75-78) – 3 GB
7. Detroit Tigers (72-81) – 6 GB
8. Seattle Mariners (71-82) – 7 GB
9. Minnesota Twins (71-82) – 7 GB

NL wild card standings

Top three teams qualify

1. Chicago Cubs (85-68) +1 game
2. Philadelphia Phillies (85-68) +1 game
3. San Diego Padres (84-69)
4. Arizona Diamondbacks (80-73) – 4 GB
5. Miami Marlins (76-77) – 8 GB
6. Pittsburgh Pirates (76-77) – 8 GB
7. St. Louis Cardinals (75-78) – 9 GB

AL East

1. *Tampa Bay Rays (93-59)
2. *New York Yankees (88-64) – 5 GB
3. Boston Red Sox (83-70) – 10.5 GB

AL Central

1. Chicago White Sox (78-75)
2. Cleveland Guardians (78-75)
3. Detroit Tigers (72-81) – 6 GB
4. Minnesota Twins (71-82) – 7 GB

AL West

1. Houston Astros (77-76)
2. Texas Rangers (76-77) – 1 GB
3. Seattle Mariners (71-82) – 6 GB

NL East

1. Atlanta Braves (89-64)
2. Philadelphia Phillies (85-68) – 4 GB

NL Central

1. Milwaukee Brewers (95-58) − winners of NL Central

NL West

1. Los Angeles Dodgers (93-60) – winners of NL West

*clinched at least a wild card spot

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