MLB Playoff Picture 2023: Updated AL, NL Wild Card Standings After Yankees Eliminated

The end of the MLB regular season is upon us, and with just one week remaining before the postseason gets under way, there are still a few divisional and wild-card races that are coming down to the wire to determine the 2023 playoff picture.

Several teams have already punched their ticket to the playoffs with the Minnesota Twins and the Milwaukee Brewers joining the Atlanta Braves, Baltimore Orioles, Los Angeles Dodgers and Tampa Bay Rays.

One team that won't be participating in the postseason after Sunday is the New York Yankees, who were eliminated from contention for the first time since the 2016 season.

Meanwhile, in the AL East and AL West are still two of the most hotly contested races in baseball and will surely have a bit more twists and turns before the end of game 162.

Here's a look at the current playoff picture as of Sept. 17 as well as the full division standings and a preview of some races to look out for the rest of the way.

Current Playoff Picture

American League

No. 1 seed Baltimore Orioles (97-59), first-round bye

No. 2 seed Texas Rangers (87-68), first-round bye

No. 3 seed Minnesota Twins (83-73) vs. No. 6 seed Houston Astros (85-71)

No. 4 seed Tampa Bay Rays (95-62) vs. No. 5 seed Toronto Blue Jays (87-69)

National League

No. 1 seed Atlanta Braves (99-56), first-round bye

No. 2 seed Los Angeles Dodgers (95-59), first-round bye

No. 3 seed Milwaukee Brewers (88-68) vs. No. 6 seed Chicago Cubs (82-74)

No. 4 seed Philadelphia Phillies (86-69) vs. No. 5 seed Arizona Diamondbacks (82-73)

Full Standings 

AL East

1. Baltimore Orioles*: 97-59

2. Tampa Bay Rays*: 95-62; 2.5 GB

3. Toronto Blue Jays: 87-69; 10.0 GB

4. New York Yankees: 78-77; 18.5 GB

5. Boston Red Sox: 76-80; 21.0 GB

AL Central

1. Minnesota Twins**: 83-73

2. Cleveland Guardians: 74-83; 9.5 GB

3. Detroit Tigers: 73-83; 10.0 GB

4. Chicago White Sox: 60-96; 23.0 GB

5. Kansas City Royals: 54-102; 29.0 GB

AL West

1. Texas Rangers: 87-68

2. Houston Astros: 85-71; 2.5 GB

3. Seattle Mariners: 84-71; 3.0 GB

4. Los Angeles Angels: 70-86; 17.5 GB

5. Oakland Athletics: 48-108; 39.5 GB

AL Wild Card

1. Tampa Bay Rays

2. Toronto Blue Jays

3. Houston Astros

4. Seattle Mariners; 0.5 GB

NL East

1. Atlanta Braves**: 99-56

2. Philadelphia Phillies: 86-69; 13.0 GB

3. Miami Marlins: 81-75; 18.5 GB

4. New York Mets: 71-84; 28.0 GB

5. Washington Nationals: 68-87; 30.5 GB

NL Central

1. Milwaukee Brewers*: 88-68

2. Chicago Cubs: 82-74; 6.0 GB

3. Cincinnati Reds: 80-77; 8.5 GB

4. Pittsburgh Pirates: 74-82; 14.0 GB

5. St. Louis Cardinals: 68-87; 19.5 GB

NL West

1. Los Angeles Dodgers**: 95-59

2. Arizona Diamondbacks: 82-73; 13.5 GB

3. San Francisco Giants: 77-78; 18.5 GB

4. San Diego Padres: 76-79; 19.5 GB

5. Colorado Rockies: 56-99; 39.5 GB

NL Wild Card

1. Philadelphia Phillies

2. Arizona Diamondbacks

3. Chicago Cubs

4. Miami Marlins; 1.0 GB

5. Cincinnati Reds: 2.5 GB

*Indicates playoff berth clinched

**Indicates division clinched

Full Standings at MLB.com

As previously stated, the AL East and AL West are the two divisions everyone will be watching closest this week.

And rightfully so.

In the East, the Orioles overcame a historic start by Tampa Bay, and the Baby O's have completely come of age. Led by a core of Adley Rutschman, Gunnar Henderson and Cedric Mullins, they have taken over first place for the majority of the second half of the season.

They currently hold a 2.5-game lead over the Rays, who have been right on their heels since the Orioles got into first place. But nothing has shaken Baltimore thus far.

The Orioles may have a slightly easier road the rest of the way as they have series remaining against the Washington Nationals and Boston Red Sox, both of whom are not in the playoff picture.

As for the Rays, they have the Red Sox and Toronto Blue Jays for their final two series.

In the West, it's been the most holy contested division race in MLB with the Houston Astros, Seattle Mariners and Texas Rangers all battling for supremacy. All three teams have held sole possession of first place at some point.

Most recently, the Rangers took back the top spot in the division from the Astros—the reigning World Series champs.

Texas was the dominant team in the West through the early portion of the season and has fought its way back to the top, though it has just a 2.5-game lead over the Astros and a three-game advantage on the Mariners.

That division race is also key to the AL wild-card race with the Mariners just 0.5 games out of the final slot, currently held by Houston.

The Mariners have remaining series against the Astros and Rangers, respectively, which will be absolutely decisive for the playoff picture.

Meanwhile, the NL Wild Card is the main race to watch on that side of the bracket, particularly the battle for the final slot.

The Chicago Cubs are barely holding on to the third wild card and the Miami Marlins are tight on their heels, winning their last two games and trailing Chicago by just one game.