RESOLVING THE LEDGER
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The calendar is just about ready to flip to September, which means the stretch run in Major League Baseball has arrived.
Except for the American League West, the division races all seem to have strong favorites. But the real intrigue surrounds the three wild-card spots in each league. It will be hard to knock off the New York Yankees and Boston Red Sox in the AL, but seven teams still have at least a puncher's chance to round out the field.
Over in the National League, the Chicago Cubs and Philadelphia Phillies appear comfortably ahead of their pursuers. But the final spot seems to change hands on an almost-daily basis.
Here's a look at the latest in the MLB playoff race:
Updated: Monday, Aug. 31, 6 a.m. ET
AL wild card standings
Top three teams qualify for wild-card series
New York Yankees (78-59) +9 games
Boston Red Sox (74-63) +5 games
Cleveland Guardians (69-68)
Baltimore Orioles (68-69) – 1 GB
Toronto Blue Jays (68-70) – 1.5 GB
Texas Rangers (67-70) – 2 GB
Minnesota Twins (65-72) – 4 GB
Seattle Mariners (64-73) – 5 GB
Detroit Tigers (63-73) – 5.5 GB
NL wild card standings
Top three teams qualify
Chicago Cubs (77-60) +4.5 games
Philadelphia Phillies (77-60) +4.5 games
Arizona Diamondbacks (73-65)
San Diego Padres (72-65) – 0.5 GB
Miami Marlins (69-68) – 3.5 GB
St. Louis Cardinals (68-70) – 5 GB
Pittsburgh Pirates (67-71) – 6 GB
AL East
Tampa Bay Rays (82-54)
New York Yankees (78-59) – 4.5 GB
Boston Red Sox (74-63) – 8.5 GB
AL Central
Chicago White Sox (72-64)
Cleveland Guardians (69-68) – 3.5 GB
Minnesota Twins (65-72) – 7.5 GB
AL West
Houston Astros (69-68)
Texas Rangers (67-70) – 2 GB
Seattle Mariners (64-73) – 5 GB
NL East
Atlanta Braves (82-55)
Philadelphia Phillies (77-60) – 5 GB
Miami Marlins (69-68) – 13 GB
NL Central
Milwaukee Brewers (85-52)
Chicago Cubs (77-60) – 8 GB
St. Louis Cardinals (68-70) – 17.5 GB
NL West
Los Angeles Dodgers (82-55)
Arizona Diamondbacks (73-65) – 9.5 GB
San Diego Padres (72-65) – 10 GB
This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: MLB playoff picture 2026: Wild card standings, AL and NL division standings
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