NL Playoff Standings 2019: Latest Wild Card Info, Team Records and More

By the time Wednesday ends, the National League playoff field could be set. 

Milwaukee's magic number to clinch the second wild-card position is down to one. The Brewers will get into the postseason with a victory over Cincinnati or with losses by the Chicago Cubs and New York Mets. 

Washington secured its postseason position Tuesday through a victory over Philadelphia and a Cubs loss to Pittsburgh. 

If the Brewers clinch, they will head into the final weekend of the regular season fighting for hosting rights with Washington for Tuesday's NL wild-card game.

NL Wild-Card Standings

1. Washington (88-69) 

2. Milwaukee (87-70) 

3. Chicago Cubs (82-75) 

4. New York Mets (82-75) 

Washington became the ninth team in MLB history to qualify for the postseason after possessing a record of 12 games under .500, per MLB.com's Jamal Collier. 

The nature in which the Nationals secured the postseason spot made the celebration sweeter Tuesday, as Trea Turner pointed out to Collier. 

"I think everybody in this clubhouse envisioned this exact thing right here," Turner said. "We talked about it when we were 19-31, we talked about how we were going to laugh at everybody else outside of this clubhouse for everything that they said about us. And we are here now."

Now, the Nationals have to lock up their spot at home Tuesday. They face Philadelphia twice before welcoming Cleveland to Nationals Park for three matchups. 

The Nationals have outscored their divisional foe 19-8 in the first three contests of a five-game set. 

Friday's matchup with the Indians will be their first of the season. Washington's starters for that series have not been announced, but there is a chance Patrick Corbin or Max Scherzer throw. 

Corbin started Monday and Scherzer threw Tuesday, but manager Dave Martinez has to keep the playoff rotation in mind when using his top-two starters. 

If the home wild-card contest is secured by Sunday, he could opt to rest Scherzer for Tuesday. If not, Anibal Sanchez and Stephen Strasburg, who are scheduled to start Wednesday and Thursday, might end up as the best candidates on normal rest. 

The Brewers could experience the same elation as Washington by defeating the Reds for the 10th time in 2019. 

The clinching process came into closer focus after Tuesday's triumph at Great American Ball Park, per MLB.com's Adam McCalvy.

"Oh, is it one day away? OK, OK. All right," outfielder Lorenzo Cain said. "You pay attention, but at the same time, you handle your business. That's the biggest thing. We've been handling our business. We've been doing our part. We have a chance to come here, show up and find a way to get a win." 

Jordan Lyles, who struck out nine over 4.2 innings in his last start, opens Wednesday for Craig Counsell's side. Since joining the Brewers in a July trade with Pittsburgh, the 28-year-old has given up two earned runs or fewer in all but one appearance.

Morry Gash/Associated Press

After they finish in Cincinnati Thursday, the Brewers head to Coors Field for three matchups with Colorado, who they split a series with from April 29-May 2. 

Milwaukee has the better weekend matchup, so it could force its way above Washington by the end of their respective regular-season finales. 

The Brewers have an outside shot of winning the NL Central, but they sit three games behind St. Louis with five to play. 

The likeliest scenario features a meeting with the Nationals, who they went 4-2 against in May and August. 

Follow Joe on Twitter, @JTansey90

Statistics obtained from Baseball Reference