2026 MLB playoff picture: standings, bracket, breathless missions, postseason projections ahead of Game 162

Happy Game 162. The last day of the 2026 MLB regular season is here and the two major league championships — the AL West and the National League wild cards — are still undecided.

The Astros can clinch the AL West with a win. On the other hand, the Rangers must win and the Astros must win to win the division title. Whichever team doesn’t win the division will be sent home, out of the playoff field. Regardless of who wins, the AL West team with a winless (or even losing) record will be defeated for the first time in the 162-game MLB season.

The NL wild card series, meanwhile, similarly comes down to the final day as the Phillies desperately cling to what seemed like a safe postseason position less than a week ago. But the losing streak, plus the recent Diamondbacks flurry, put their playoff dreams on hold and now they’re playing for their lives on Sunday.

Elsewhere, the AL East Rays after a strong fight from the Yankees, who are in the No. 4 were included, as the wild cards were included and they faced their division rivals, the Red Sox, in the Wild Card Series. The Rangers won the AL Central on Saturday as the second division winner. That leaves the White Sox as the No. 6 seed and the third wild card team.

In the National League, the Braves, Brewers and Dodgers have all clinched playoff berths in the division winners, and the Padres and Cubs are locked in as wild-card teams.

Now, I’ll take you to the bracket, the station, the clown scenes and more. All division and postseason projections are reported in posts from SportsLine.

2026 MLB playoff picture, bracket

If time runs out today…

American League
Byes: No. 1 Radios, No
Wild Card Series: No. 3 Astros vs. No. 6 White Sox, No. 4 Yankees vs. No. 5 Red Sox

National League
Byes: No. 1 Brewers, No
Wild Card Series: No. 3 Braves vs. No. 6 Phillies, No. 4 Padres vs. No. 5 Cubs

Who did it?

• The Brewers clinched the NL Central and the Wild Card Series bye.
• The Rays The AL East has clinched a bye and the Wild Card Series.
• The Dodgers clinched the NL West and a bye to the Wild Card Series.
• The Braves clinched the NL East.
• The Guards Bye bye to the Al Central and the Wild Card Series.
• The Yankees Red Sox and White Sox have clinched AL wild-card berths.
• The Puppies and parents clinched the NL wild-card berths.

Sunday’s cliching scenarios

• We live a few yards from the hospital.
• The Diamondbacks clinched a wild card berth with a win and a Phillies loss.
• The Astros take the AL West with a loss OR a Rangers win.
• The Rangers took the AL West with a loss and a loss to the Astros.

American League of Legends

National League Championship

Division – x *
Cincted wild-card – y *
clinched playoff berth – z
Eliminated – from *

MLB wild-card betting

2016 world series odds

Via Caesarum to 27* Sept

• Dodgers: +225
• Brewers: +450
• Radius: +700
• Yankees: +750
• Guards: +1000
• Braves: +500
• Red Sox: + MD
• Puppies: +600
• Parents: +1800
• Astros: +2000
• Phillies: +2500
• White Sox: +3000
• Rangers: +5000
• Diamondbacks: +0000