MLB Playoff Picture 2024: Most Pivotal Series Remaining to Decide Final Bracket

A handful of vital series will shape the wild-card races in both the American League and National League during the final week of the regular season.

The New York Mets and Atlanta Braves meet for a three-game set that begins on Tuesday that could finalize the NL wild-card teams, or keep the race open until the weekend.

The San Diego Padres and Arizona Diamondbacks are the other two teams still alive in the NL wild-card hunt. They play each other this weekend in a matchup that should have implications on the order of the wild-card standings.

There is only one matchup between American League wild-card hopefuls this week. That takes place in Minnesota this weekend.

The Minnesota Twins may need every win they can get, including three over the Baltimore Orioles, to leapfrog two teams with easier schedules.

New York Mets at Atlanta

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CINCINNATI, OHIO - SEPTEMBER 19: Matt Olson #28 of the Atlanta Braves hits a home run against the Cincinnati Reds at Great American Ball Park on September 19, 2024 in Cincinnati, Ohio. (Photo by Justin Casterline/Getty Images)

Tuesday, September 24-Thursday, September 26

The New York Mets enter Atlanta with a two-game advantage over the Braves in the NL wild-card race.

The Mets can put away the Braves while also clinching a playoff berth from Tuesday-Thursday.

New York comes into the series with wins in six of its last seven games, including three wins over the weekend against the Philadelphia Phillies.

Atlanta won four of its last five in series against the Cincinnati Reds and Miami Marlins.

Atlanta has its three best pitchers lined up for the series. Spencer Schwellenbach faces Luis Severino on Tuesday, Chris Sale opposes David Peterson on Wednesday and Max Fried goes head-to-head with Sean Manaea on Thursday.

The Braves will not clinch a playoff berth with a series sweep, but they would at least be in a better position going into their weekend set at home with the Kansas City Royals.

The season series is currently split at 5-5 and this week's series is expected to be close as well.

Both teams will also be rooting for the Arizona Diamondbacks to keep losing so that there is some insurance in the wild-card race in case things don't go their way this week.

San Diego at Arizona

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SAN DIEGO, CALIFORNIA - SEPTEMBER 22: Fernando Tatis Jr. #23 of the San Diego Padres celebrates after hitting a home run in the eighth inning against the Chicago White Sox at Petco Park on September 22, 2024 in San Diego, California. (Photo by Matt Thomas/San Diego Padres/Getty Images)

Friday, September 27-Sunday, September 29

San Diego is 3.5 games clear of everyone in the NL wild-card race, but that number could shrink because it plays the Los Angeles Dodgers from Tuesday-Thursday.

The Padres' weekend series in Arizona should mean more because the seeding within the wild-card standings will be determined.

The Dodgers still have to clinch the NL West, so the Padres will not catch a break in that series.

Arizona hosts San Francisco the next two nights, so it should put some pressure on the Padres for the top wild-card spot.

The DBacks and Padres should be playing for the No. 4 seed, which comes with home-field advantage in the opening round of the postseason.

The winner of the No. 4-versus-No. 5 series also has to play the No. 1 overall seed in the NL, but getting to that point thanks to home field means more at the moment.

Arizona and San Diego have not played since July 7, and like the Braves and Mets, the season series is split down the middle at 5-5.

Baltimore at Minnesota

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BALTIMORE, MD - SEPTEMBER 22: Jordan Westburg #11 of the Baltimore Orioles hits a one RBI double in the fifth inning during the game between the Detroit Tigers and the Baltimore Orioles at Oriole Park at Camden Yards on Sunday, September 22, 2024 in Baltimore, Maryland. (Photo by Rob Tringali/MLB Photos via Getty Images)

Friday, September 27-Sunday, September 29

The Baltimore Orioles comfortably reside atop the American League wild-card race entering Tuesday.

However, the O's could lose some ground on the rest of the pack because they play the New York Yankees this week.

Baltimore's playoff berth is not under threat, but its seeding in the wild-card round could be on the line in Minnesota this weekend.

The Twins might need to win all three games of the series to get into the postseason depending on the results of the Detroit Tigers and Kansas City Royals.

Minnesota sits one game behind its two AL Central rivals going into Tuesday. All three teams have easy midweek matchups. Detroit hosts Tampa Bay, Kansas City visits Washington and the Twins host Miami.

It may be hard to gain ground during the week, so the Twins may be forced to do so against the Orioles, which in turn might affect the order of the wild-card teams depending on how the O's perform in New York.