MLB Playoff Picture 2024: Dodgers Clinch Postseason; Updated Bracket, Standings

For the 12th consecutive season, the Los Angeles Dodgers will play in the MLB postseason.

They clinched a playoff berth after Thursday's win over the Miami Marlins, securing a blowout victory by the final score of 20-4.

Los Angeles' streak of 12 straight playoff appearances is the third-longest in MLB history. Only the Atlanta Braves (14 straight from 1991 to 2005) and New York Yankees (13 straight from 1995 to 2007) had longer streaks.

Here are the updated playoff standings and potential matchups through Thursday's games.

Projected National League Playoff Matchups

• First-round bye: No. 1 Philadelphia Phillies, No. 2 Los Angeles Dodgers
• Wild Card Series: No. 3 Milwaukee Brewers vs. No. 6 New York Mets, No. 4 San Diego Padres vs. No. 5 Arizona Diamondbacks
  

Projected American League Playoff Matchups

• First-round bye: No. 1 New York Yankees, No. 2 Cleveland Guardians
• Wild Card Series: No. 3 Houston Astros vs. No. 6 Minnesota Twins, No. 4 Baltimore Orioles vs. No. 5 Kansas City Royals
  

Current Standings

NL East

1. Philadelphia Phillies (91-61)
2. New York Mets (84-68, 7 GB)
3. Atlanta Braves (83-70)
4. Washington Nationals (68-84, 23 GB)
5. Miami Marlins (56-96, 35 GB)

NL Central

1. Milwaukee Brewers (88-64)** 
2. Chicago Cubs (77-75, 11 GB)
3. St. Louis Cardinals (77-75, 11 GB)
4. Cincinnati Reds, (74-80, 15 GB)
5. Pittsburgh Pirates (71-81, 17 GB)

NL West

1. Los Angeles Dodgers (90-62)*
2. San Diego Padres (87-66, 3.5 GB)
3. Arizona Diamondbacks (84-68, 6 GB)
4. San Francisco Giants (74-79, 16.5 GB)
5. Colorado Rockies (59-94, 31.5 GB)

NL Wild Card

1. San Diego Padres (87-66, +2.5 Games)
2. Arizona Diamondbacks (84-68)
3. New York Mets (84-68)
4. Atlanta Braves (83-70, 1.5 GB)
5. Chicago Cubs (77-75, 7 GB)
6. St. Louis Cardinals (77-75, 7 GB)

AL East

1. New York Yankees (89-64)*
2. Baltimore Orioles (85-68, 4 GB)
3. Boston Red Sox (76-76, 12.5 GB)
4. Tampa Bay Rays (74-78, 14.5 GB)
5. Toronto Blue Jays (73-80, 16 GB)

AL Central

1. Cleveland Guardians (89-65)*
2. Kansas City Royals (82-71, 6.5 GB)
3. Detroit Tigers (80-73, 8.5 GB)
4. Minnesota Twins (80-73, 8.5 GB)
5. Chicago White Sox (36-117 52.5 GB)

AL West

1. Houston Astros (82-70)
2. Seattle Mariners (78-75, 4.5 GB)
3. Texas Rangers (73-80, 9.5 GB)
4. Oakland Athletics (67-86, 15.5 GB)
5. Los Angeles Angels (62-90, 20 GB)

AL Wild Card

1. Baltimore Orioles (85-68, +5 Games)
2. Kansas City Royals (82-71, +2 Games)
3. Detroit Tigers (80-73)
4. Minnesota Twins (80-73)
5. Seattle Mariners (78-75, 2 GB)
6. Boston Red Sox (76-76, 3.5 GB)
7. Tampa Bay Rays (74-78, 5.5 GB)

*Denotes clinched playoff spot

**Denotes clinched division

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As impressive as the Dodgers' streak of success is, the biggest story from this year is that Shohei Ohtani will finally be in the playoffs in his seventh MLB season.

The Dodgers' front office made two big splashes last offseason to improve their chances of getting back to the World Series. They signed Ohtani and Yoshinobu Yamamoto to deals worth a combined $1.25 billion.

Those moves have paid off spectacularly, as Ohtani is challenging for his third MVP award in the past four seasons. Yamamoto missed three months due to a shoulder injury, but he returned to the rotation on Sept. 10. The 26-year-old has a 2.63 ERA and 95 strikeouts in 82 innings.

Even though there will again be questions about the Dodgers' rotation for the postseason because of injuries to Tyler Glasnow, Clayton Kershaw and Gavin Stone, the lineup looks formidable with Ohtani, Mookie Betts and Freddie Freeman at the top of the order.

If Yamamoto and Jack Flaherty can hold their own, L.A. may not need that much depth in the rotation to make a deep playoff run. The rest of the NL playoff picture looks interesting heading into the final stretch of the regular season.

The only division races that have lacked any real drama throughout the season are the NL East and NL Central. The Milwaukee Brewers have led the latter by at least five games for all but three days since May 30.

Philadelphia took sole possession of first place in the East on May 3 and has led by at least five games since May 19.

Even though the very top of the NL East has been owned by the Phillies, the ongoing race between the New York Mets and Atlanta Braves for the final playoff spot has added a lot of drama to the final few weeks of the regular season.

Atlanta has managed to remain in playoff contention despite not having reigning NL MVP Ronald Acuña Jr. since May 26 due to a torn ACL and Spencer Strider for only two starts before he underwent Tommy John surgery.

After a dreadful 9-19 record in May, the Mets have gone 60-35 since June 1. They are looking to make it back to the playoffs for just the second time since 2017.

The Dodgers have controlled the NL West for most of the season, but second-half surges by the San Diego Padres and Arizona Diamondbacks made things interesting before L.A. was able to build up a cushion.

All three NL West clubs seem likely to make the postseason, with the Diamondbacks looking even more formidable than the club that made it to the World Series in 2023.

The Dodgers have lost in the NLDS in each of the past two years and haven't made it to the World Series since winning the Fall Classic in 2020. They will be hoping for better success this time around after those disappointments.