The 2025 MLB playoff picture is coming into focus with less than three weeks left in the regular season as division races tighten and World Series odds shift.
With less than three weeks remaining in the 2025 Major League Baseball regular season, the playoff race is heating up on both sides of the bracket. The Milwaukee Brewers have already punched their ticket to October, becoming the first team to clinch a postseason berth, while the Philadelphia Phillies are close behind.
In the National League, the Los Angeles Dodgers hold the division lead in the West but face pressure from the San Diego Padres. The Padres, Chicago Cubs and New York Mets currently occupy the NL wild card spots, though the San Francisco Giants and Cincinnati Reds are charging hard in September to challenge New York for the final slot.
The American League race is even tighter. The Seattle Mariners and Houston Astros are locked in a dead heat for the AL West crown, while the Boston Red Sox and New York Yankees sit atop the wild card race. The Detroit Tigers control the AL Central and the Toronto Blue Jays lead the AL East, but playoff positioning remains fluid as teams jockey for October.
As a reminder, MLB now awards 12 postseason spots — six division winners and three wild card teams in each league. The top two division champions in both leagues, based on record, earn first-round byes and skip the Wild Card Series. The 2025 postseason officially begins Tuesday, Sept. 30.
If the season ended today, the playoff matchups would be set as follows:
AL byes: Blue Jays (No. 1) and Tigers (No. 2)
AL Wild Card Series: Mariners (No. 3) vs. Astros (No. 6), Yankees (No. 4) vs. Red Sox (No. 5)
NL byes: Brewers (No. 1) and Phillies (No. 2)
NL Wild Card Series: Dodgers (No. 3) vs. Mets (No. 6), Cubs (No. 4) vs. Padres (No. 5)
The standings reveal just how competitive the field has become. In the AL East, the Blue Jays (86–62) are three games ahead of the Yankees (83–65), while the Red Sox (81–68) sit five and a half back. In the AL West, both the Mariners and Astros share identical 81–68 records, with the Texas Rangers just two games behind. Meanwhile, the Tigers (84–65) control the AL Central.
On the NL side, the Brewers (91–58) have clinched and remain firmly in charge of the Central, with the Cubs (84–64) holding a wild card position. The Phillies (89–60) lead the NL East, while the Dodgers (83–65) sit atop the West with the Padres (81–68) within striking distance. The Giants (75–73) and Reds (74–74) remain in contention for the final wild card spot.
SportsLine projections highlight the shifting probabilities. The Blue Jays and Tigers currently hold the AL’s bye positions, while the Brewers and Phillies lead in the NL. Wild card races remain volatile, with the Astros, Rangers, Guardians, and Giants all battling to stay alive.
As for the championship picture, Caesars has updated World Series odds as of Sept. 14. The Dodgers are the current favorites at +400, followed by the Phillies at +550 and the Brewers at +700. The Tigers (+750), Yankees (+850), and Blue Jays (+850) are close behind, with the Mariners (+1100), Padres (+1200), Cubs (+1400), Astros (+1600), Red Sox (+1600), and Mets (+2500) all in the mix.
The stage is set for a dramatic finish to the regular season. With playoff berths on the line and World Series odds shifting daily, September baseball promises to deliver plenty of fireworks.
