As the MLB regular season inches closer to its end, the focus will soon shift towards the MLB playoffs. While some teams have already secured their spots in the battle for the World Series, there are a few others still vying for postseason spots.
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With three games left for each team in the regular season, here’s what the league standings look like.
Multiple teams are competing to make the MLB Playoffs in the American League
Among the two leagues in the MLB, the American League looks the most interesting of the lot. Although the division winners are already clear, the race is on for the wildcard spots, as four teams are in contention.
Out of those four teams, three of them belong to the American League East. They are the New York Yankees, the Boston Red Sox and the Toronto Blue Jays. The Seattle Mariners, who compete in the American League West, are the final team in the mix.
Following their second successive loss to the Tampa Bay Rays, the Yankees slipped to a 91-70 record. In addition, the Red Sox beat the Washington Nationals to tie the Yankees.
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The Blue Jays are now a game behind the Red Sox and the Yankees, with a 90-71 record. The same goes for the Mariners, following their 6-4 victory over the Los Angeles Angels on Saturday.
As winners of their respective divisions, the Tampa Bay Rays (AL East), the Chicago White Sox (AL Central) and the Houston Astros (AL West) have already qualified for the playoffs.
AL East Standings:
| Team | Win | Loss | Games Behind |
| Tampa Bay Rays (Q) | 100 | 61 | – |
| Boston Red Sox | 91 | 70 | 9.0 |
| New York Yankees | 91 | 70 | 9.0 |
| Toronto Blue Jays | 90 | 71 | 10.0 |
| Baltimore Orioles | 52 | 109 | 48.0 |
AL Central Standings:
| Team | Win | Loss | Games Behind |
| Chicago White Sox (Q) | 93 | 68 | – |
| Cleveland Indians | 79 | 82 | 14.0 |
| Detroit Tigers | 76 | 85 | 17.0 |
| Kansas City Royals | 74 | 87 | 19.0 |
| Minnesota Twins | 72 | 89 | 21.0 |
AL West Standings:
| Team | Win | Loss | Games Behind |
| Houston Astros (Q) | 94 | 67 | – |
| Seattle Mariners | 90 | 71 | 4.0 |
| Oakland Athletics | 86 | 75 | 8.0 |
| Los Angeles Angels | 76 | 85 | 18.0 |
| Texas Rangers | 60 | 101 | 34.0 |
Only one battle remains in the National League
That battle is between the San Francisco Giants and the reigning World Series champions, the Los Angeles Dodgers. Although both teams have qualified for the postseason, they are battling for top spot in the National League West. This is because the team which finishes second here will go to the wildcard game, where they will play the St. Louis Cardinals.
The Giants suffered another loss to the San Diego Padres on Saturday, which sees them slip to a 105-56 record. The Dodgers capitalized on the Giants’ slip, beating the Milwaukee Brewers to move to within one game of the Giants. Should the same happen on Sunday, they will play a tie-breaker game to decide the winner of the NL West division.
They will join the Cardinals, the Milwaukee Brewers, and the Atlanta Braves in the NL side of the playoffs.
NL East Standings:
| Team | Win | Loss | Games Behind |
| Atlanta Braves (Q) | 87 | 73 | – |
| Philadelphia Phillies | 82 | 79 | 5.5 |
| New York Mets | 77 | 84 | 10.5 |
| Miami Marlins | 66 | 95 | 21.5 |
| Washington Nationals | 65 | 96 | 22.5 |
NL Central Standings:
| Team | Win | Loss | Games Behind |
| Milwaukee Brewers (Q) | 95 | 66 | – |
| St. Louis Cardinals (Q) | 90 | 71 | 5.0 |
| Cincinnati Reds | 82 | 79 | 13.0 |
| Chicago Cubs | 70 | 91 | 25.0 |
| Pittsburgh Pirates | 61 | 100 | 34.0 |
NL West Standings:
| Team | Win | Loss | Games Behind |
| San Francisco Giants (Q) | 106 | 55 | – |
| Los Angeles Dodgers (Q) | 105 | 56 | 1.0 |
| San Diego Padres | 79 | 82 | 26.0 |
| Colorado Rockies | 74 | 86 | 31.5 |
| Arizona Diamondbacks | 51 | 110 | 55.0 |
One can catch all the action unfold on five different channels. These channels are ESPN, FS1, TBS, Fox and the MLB Network. Apart from these TV options, fans can also watch the MLB Playoffs on YouTube TV and Hulu Plus Live TV with paid subscriptions.
READ MORE: Nolan Arenado Predicted St. Louis Cardinals Wildcard Success Months Before Winning Streak
