A look at where the baseball playoff races stand entering play Friday:
American League teams that clinched first-round playoff byes:
No. 1 New York Yankees (93-66, AL East champion)
No. 2 Cleveland Guardians (92-67, AL Central champion)
American League wild-card matchups, at the moment:
No. 6 Detroit Tigers (85-74, third AL wild card) at No. 3 Houston Astros (86-73, AL West champ)
No. 5 Kansas City Royals (85-74, second AL wild card) at No. 4 Baltimore Orioles (88-71, first AL wild card)
National League teams that clinched first-round playoff byes:
No. 1 Los Angeles Dodgers (95-64, NL West champion)
No. 2 Philadelphia Phillies (94-65, NL East champion)
National League wild-card matchups, at the moment:
No. 6 Arizona Diamondbacks (88-71, third NL wild card) at No. 3 Milwaukee Brewers (91-68, NL Central champion)
No. 5 New York Mets (87-70, second NL wild card) at No. 4 San Diego Padres (91-68, first NL wild card)
DIVISION-BY-DIVISION BREAKDOWN
AL EAST
New York Yankees (93-66). Clinched the division title and a wild-card-round bye with a 10-1 win over the visiting Orioles on Thursday. One game ahead of the Guardians for the AL’s best record entering a three-game series against the visiting Pittsburgh Pirates that starts Friday.
Baltimore Orioles (88-71). Clinched a wild-card spot. Three games up on the Royals and Tigers with a magic number of one to seal the top wild card. Open a three-game series against the Twins on Friday in Minneapolis.
AL CENTRAL
Cleveland Guardians (92-67). Clinched division title. Trail the Yankees by one game for the best record in the AL. Open a three-game series against the visiting Astros on Friday.
Kansas City Royals (85-74). Tied with the Tigers for the second and third wild-card spots (Kansas City owns the tiebreaker) after beating the host Washington Nationals 7-4 on Thursday. Both Kansas City and Detroit are three games ahead of the Twins, and both own the tiebreaker over Minnesota. Open a three-game series at Atlanta on Friday.
Detroit Tigers (85-74). Tied with the Royals for the second and third wild-card spots (Kansas City owns the tiebreaker) after beating the visiting Tampa Bay Rays 4-3 on Thursday. Both Kansas City and Detroit are three games ahead of the Twins, and both own the tiebreaker over Minnesota. Open a three-game series against the visiting Chicago White Sox on Friday.
Minnesota Twins (82-77). Three games behind the Royals and Tigers, who hold the final two AL playoff spots, after losing to the visiting Miami Marlins 8-6 in 13 innings on Thursday. Can only make the postseason by sweeping a three-game series against the visiting Orioles, beginning Friday, and having either Kansas City or Detroit lose the final three games.
AL WEST
Houston Astros (86-73). Clinched division title and locked into the No. 3 seed in the AL playoffs. Close the regular season with three games at Cleveland, beginning Friday.
NL EAST
Philadelphia Phillies (94-65). Clinched the division title and a first-round bye. Trail the Dodgers one game for the NL’s best record entering a three-game series at Washington that begins Friday.
New York Mets (87-70). Tied with the Diamondbacks for the second and third wild cards, with both teams one game up on the Braves. Start a three-game series at Milwaukee on Friday before heading to Atlanta for a makeup doubleheader on Monday.
Atlanta Braves (86-71). One game behind the Mets and Diamondbacks, who hold the second and third wild-card positions. Open a three-game home series against Kansas City on Friday ahead of a makeup doubleheader vs. the Mets on Monday.
NL CENTRAL
Milwaukee Brewers (91-68). Clinched division title and locked into the No. 3 NL seed. Close the regular season with a three-game home series against the Mets beginning on Friday.
NL WEST
Los Angeles Dodgers (95-64). Clinched the division by defeating the visiting Padres 7-2 on Thursday. Lead the Phillies by one game for the best record in the majors entering a three-game set against the Colorado Rockies beginning Friday in Denver.
San Diego Padres (91-68). Clinched a wild-card berth but eliminated from contention for the division title after losing 7-2 to the host Dodgers on Thursday. Lead the Mets and Diamondbacks by three games for the top wild card entering a three-game series at Arizona in Phoenix.
Arizona Diamondbacks (88-71). In a virtual tie with the Mets for the second and third wild cards, with the Braves one game behind. Both New York and Atlanta hold tiebreaker advantages over Arizona. Finish the regular season with three games against the visiting Padres, starting Friday.
–Field Level Media