Who has clinched an MLB playoff spot? Teams in the 2026 postseason field
Who has clinched an MLB playoff spot? Teams in the 2026 postseason field
Casey L. Moore and Kristie Ackert, USA TODAYFri, September 18, 2026 at 1:55 PM UTC
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The Major League Baseball postseason is starting to come into focus, with two additional spots locked up Sunday, Sept. 20. Following their win over the Houston Astros, the Atlanta Braves wrapped up the National League East. The Boston Red Sox lost to the Tampa Bay Rays Sunday, but still had something to celebrate. Houston's loss put Boston into the playoffs.
Several MLB teams have already clinched postseason berths, but many of baseball's biggest races remain unsettled. The American League Central and AL West are still up for grabs, the final AL wild-card spot remains hotly contested and jockeying for National League wild-card positioning could continue until the season's final days.
Here's every team that has clinched a playoff berth so far, along with the clubs that could be next and what the postseason bracket would look like if the season ended right now.
MORE: Dodgers have won the NL West again. Now what? 4 biggest questions entering playoffs
Which MLB teams have clinched playoff berths?
American League
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Tampa Bay Rays (at least a wild card)
New York Yankees (at least a wild card)
Boston Red Sox (at least a wild card)
National League
Milwaukee Brewers (NL Central)
Los Angeles Dodgers (NL West)
Atlanta Braves (NL East)
Which MLB teams have clinched divisions? -
Milwaukee Brewers: NL Central
Los Angeles Dodgers: NL West
Atlanta Braves NL East
Who could clinch next?
These are the teams closest to clinching divisions/playoff spots:
Chicago Cubs — 1 to clinch playoff berth
Milwaukee Brewers — 1 to clinch NL first-round bye (4 to clinch NL's home-field advantage)
New York Yankees — 2 to clinch at least No. 1 wild card
San Diego Padres — 2 to clinch playoff berth
Los Angeles Dodgers — 3 to clinch NL first-round bye
Philadelphia Phillies — 3 to clinch playoff berth
Tampa Bay Rays — 1 to clinch AL East, AL first-round bye and AL's home-field advantage
Cleveland Guardians — 4 to clinch playoff berth (6 to clinch AL Central and AL first-round bye)
Chicago White Sox — 5 to clinch playoff berth
Texas Rangers — 6 to clinch AL West
Projected MLB postseason bracket
This would be the playoff field if the season ended after games on Saturday, Sept. 19:
American League
Tampa Bay Rays (East)
Cleveland Guardians (Central)
Texas Rangers (West)
New York Yankees (Wild card No. 1)
Boston Red Sox (Wild card No. 2)
Chicago White Sox (Wild card No. 3)
National League
Milwaukee Brewers (Central)
Los Angeles Dodgers (West)
Atlanta Braves (East)
Chicago Cubs (Wild card No. 1)
San Diego Padres (Wild card No. 2)
Philadelphia Phillies (Wild card No. 3)
This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Who has clinched an MLB playoff spot? Teams in the 2026 postseason field
Source: “AOL Sports”
