During the final stretch of the MLB regular season, some teams are already thinking about October while others are locked in tight pennant races.
The Tampa Bay Rays, Milwaukee Brewers, Los Angeles Dodgers and New York Yankees all have clinched postseason spots. On Thursday, the Dodgers clinched the NL West title, joining the Brewers as division winners.
The Atlanta Braves also have a comfortable division lead in the National League, while the Boston Red Sox are well on their way to playoff appearances in the American League.
Beyond those top teams, there are many storylines to watch down the stretch: Where do current playoff matchups stand? Which games should you be watching each day leading up to October? Who will clinch next? And what does the playoff schedule look like?
Here's everything you need to know for the homestretch.
Key links: Standings | Wild-card standings | Strength of schedule
Jump to: Bracket | Next to clinch | AL odds | NL odds | Key games
What are the current MLB playoff matchups?
American League
Wild-card round: (6) Guardians at (3) Astros, (5) Red Sox at (4) Yankees
ALDS: Guardians/Astros vs. (2) White Sox, Red Sox/Yankees vs. (1) Rays
National League
Wild-card round: (6) Padres at (3) Braves, (5) Phillies at (4) Cubs
NLDS: Padres/Braves vs. (2) Dodgers, Phillies/Cubs vs. (1) Brewers
Who can clinch a playoff spot next?
The Braves could clinch a spot this week. The Cubs, Phillies, and Red Sox all have at least a 99% chance of making the playoffs.
Breaking down the AL race
The Rays and Yankees are battling for the AL East crown with the Red Sox also very likely to be playing in October. The Chicago White Sox and Cleveland Guardians are in a tight race for the AL Central title, and the Houston Astros and Texas Rangers are part of a muddled AL West and wild-card picture.
And what about when these teams get to the postseason? Here's what their chances are for every round:
Breaking down the NL race
The Brewers and Dodgers have both clinched their divisions, while the Braves also have a comfortable division lead, so any NL intrigue will likely come in the wild-card races. The Cubs and Philadelphia Phillies have separated themselves there, with the San Diego Padres and Arizona Diamondbacks battling for the other spot.
And what about when these teams get to the playoffs? Here's what their chances are for every round:
Games to watch
Looking for something to watch today? Here are the playoff implications of every MLB matchup
Playoff schedule
Here's the 2026 MLB postseason schedule, from the wild-card round through the World Series.
Wild-card series
Best of three
Tuesday, Sept. 29
ALWC A, Game 1
ALWC B, Game 1
NLWC A, Game 1
NLWC B, Game 1
Wednesday, Sept. 30
ALWC A, Game 2
ALWC B, Game 2
NLWC A, Game 2
NLWC B, Game 2
Thursday, Oct. 1
ALWC A, Game 3 *
ALWC B, Game 3 *
NLWC A, Game 3 *
NLWC B, Game 3 *
* If necessary
Division series
âÂÂBest of five
Saturday, Oct. 3
ALDS A, Game 1
ALDS B, Game 1
NLDS A, Game 1
NLDS B, Game 1
Sunday, Oct. 4
NLDS A, Game 2
NLDS B, Game 2
Monday, Oct. 5
ALDS A, Game 2
ALDS B, Game 2
Tuesday, Oct. 6
NLDS A, Game 3
NLDS B, Game 3
Wednesday, Oct. 7
ALDS A, Game 3
ALDS B, Game 3
NLDS A, Game 4*
NLDS B, Game 4*
Thursday, Oct. 8
ALDS A, Game 4*
ALDS B, Game 4*
Friday, Oct. 9
NLDS A, Game 5*
NLDS B, Game 5*
Saturday, Oct. 10
ALDS A, Game 5*
ALDS B, Game 5*
* If necessary
League championship series
Best of seven
Sunday, Oct. 11
NLCS Game 1
Monday, Oct. 12
ALCS Game 1
NLCS Game 2
Tuesday, Oct. 13
ALCS Game 2
Wednesday, Oct. 14
NLCS Game 3
Thursday, Oct. 15
ALCS Game 3
NLCS Game 4
Friday, Oct. 16
ALCS Game 4
NLCS Game 5*
Saturday, Oct. 17
ALCS Game 5*
Sunday, Oct. 18
NLCS Game 6*
Monday, Oct. 19
ALCS Game 6*
NLCS Game 7*
Tuesday, Oct. 20
ALCS Game 7*
* If necessary
World Series
Best of seven
Game 1: Friday, Oct. 23
Game 2: Saturday, Oct. 24
Game 3: Monday, Oct. 26
Game 4: Tuesday, Oct. 27
Game 5: Wednesday, Oct. 28*
Game 6: Friday, Oct. 30*
Game 7: Saturday, Oct. 31*
* If necessary