MLB Playoffs 2024: Updated AL, NL Standings and Bracket Picture for Current Format

The end of the regular season is just six weeks away and the postseason race is heating up.

While there are a few teams that stand out more than others, the race for the top spot in each league as well as the wild-card races are still wide open.

Over the past week, we've seen the Baltimore Orioles dethroned by the New York Yankees for the top spot in the American League. The Philadelphia Phillies have held strong at the top of the National League, but have just a slight lead over the Los Angeles Dodgers and Milwaukee Brewers.

Here's a look at how the playoffs would shape up if the season ended today.

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Current MLB Playoff Picture

American League

No. 1 Baltimore Orioles (73-52), first-round bye

No. 2 Cleveland Guardians (72-52), first-round bye

No. 3 Houston Astros (67-56) vs. No. 6 Kansas City Royals (69-59)

No. 4 New York Yankees (73-52) vs. No. 5 Minnesota Twins (70-54)

National League

No. 1 Philadelphia Phillies (73-51), first-round bye

No. 2 Los Angeles Dodgers (73-52), first-round bye

No. 3 Milwaukee Brewers (72-52) vs. No. 6 Atlanta Braves (66-58)

No. 4 San Diego Padres (70-55) vs. No. 5 Arizona Diamondbacks (69-56)

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Full MLB Standings

AL East

1. Baltimore Orioles, 73-52 
2. New York Yankees, 73-52
3. Boston Red Sox, 65-58
4. Tampa Bay Rays, 62-61
5. Toronto Blue Jays, 58-66

AL Central

1. Cleveland Guardians, 72-52
2. Minnesota Twins, 70-54
3. Kansas City Royals, 69-55
4. Detroit Tigers, 61-64
5. Chicago White Sox, 30-95

AL West

1. Houston Astros, 67-56
2. Seattle Mariners, 64-61
3. Texas Rangers, 57-68
4. Los Angeles Angels, 53-71
5. Oakland Athletics, 53-71
   

AL Wild Card

1. New York Yankees, 73-52 
2. Minnesota Twins, 70-54
3. Kansas City Royals, 69-55
4. Boston Red Sox, 65-58 (3.5 games back)
5. Seattle Mariners, 64-61 (5.5 games back)
6. Tampa Bay Rays, 62-61 (6.5 games back)

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NL East

1. Philadelphia Phillies, 73-51
2. Atlanta Braves, 66-58
3. New York Mets, 64-60
4. Washington Nationals, 56-69
5. Miami Marlins, 46-78

NL Central

1. Milwaukee Brewers, 72-51
2. St. Louis Cardinals, 61-63
3. Chicago Cubs, 61-64
4. Cincinnati Reds, 60-64
5. Pittsburgh Pirates, 58-65

NL West

1. Los Angeles Dodgers, 73-52
2. San Diego Padres, 70-55
3. Arizona Diamondbacks, 69-56
4. San Francisco Giants, 63-63
5. Colorado Rockies, 46-79

NL Wild Card

1. San Diego Padres, 70-55
2. Arizona Diamondbacks, 69-56
3. Atlanta Braves, 66-58
4. New York Mets, 64-60 (2.0 games back)
5. San Francisco Giants, 63-63 (4.0 games back)
6. St. Louis Cardinals, 61-63 (5.0 games back)

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Each team has around 40 games left to play this season, meaning there is plenty of time for teams sitting outside of the playoff picture to make their way into it.

That's especially true in the National League, where five teams find themselves six or fewer games back from earning a wild-card bid.

The New York Mets are just two games back, but a look ahead at their upcoming schedule shows that they might have a tough time climbing into the wild-card slot in the next few weeks. The Mets will face the Baltimore Orioles, San Diego Padres and Arizona Diamondbacks in their next three series before getting a manageable opponent in the Chicago White Sox.

Things are a bit easier for the San Francisco Giants, who are 4.5 games behind, as they'll take on the White Sox this week before playing the Seattle Mariners on the road. A big showing in those two series could lead to San Francisco sneaking into wild-card position in the next few weeks.

Things aren't as wide open in the American League, as just the Boston Red Sox and Mariners are within 5.5 games or fewer of the wild card, but as we've seen in the past, any team can get hot at any given moment to finish the season strong.

That is any team besides the White Sox, who became the first team to be eliminated from playoff contention over the weekend.

The biggest race to watch at the top of the American League standings is in the East, where the Yankees and Orioles are separated by just half a game. As has been the case for most of the season, expect those two squads to continue swapping places at the top of the standings as they each look to earn a coveted first-round bye.