The MLB postseason is a mere weeks away, which means it is magic number season. Sure, while teams like the Milwaukee Brewers and Tampa Bay Rays have already clinched their spot in the playoffs, the same cannot be said for regular contenders like the Braves and Dodgers, or any of the MLB Wild Card teams. Also, there's something to be said for clinching your division! Anyway, it ought to be a busy couple of the weeks.
While not every team can clinch a postseason spot in style like the Tampa Bay Rays, as 40-home run slugger Junior Caminero hit a walk-off blast to cement their playoff fate. Yet, every postseason clincher results in a subsequent celebration. It's the culmination of every season's primary goal. All the magic number does is tell fans how close their favorite team is to achieving that goal.
The easiest way to keep tabs on how close teams are to clinching is by looking at magic numbers. The formula to calculate a magic number is as follows, per MLB.com:
- Games remaining +1 - (Losses by second place team - losses by first place team)
American League standings and playoff picture
As of Sept. 14, 2026, the Rays are the only AL team to clinch a playoff berth, but that could all change soon thanks to the Red Sox and Yankees, both of whom are closing in on a spot of their own. The White Sox and Guardians are battling for the AL Central, and start the week in a three-game set of their own. Meanwhile, the AL West remains a dumpster fire, right up there with the third AL Wild Card spot.
The jokes write themselves about the state of the American League this season, which of course means an AL team will win the World Series. I don't make the rules.
Team | Record | Games Back |
|---|---|---|
Tampa Bay Rays | 90-59 | -- |
Chicago White Sox | 76-73 | 14.0 |
Houston Astros | 75-75 | 15.5 |
New York Yankees | 86-63 (WC) | 4.0 |
Boston Red Sox | 82-68 (WC) | 8.5 |
Cleveland Guardians | 76-74 (WC) | 14.5 |
Toronto Blue Jays | 75-75 (OUT) | 15.5 |
If the regular season ended today, here's a look at what the AL Wild Card round matchups would look like.
- Bye: (1) Tampa Bay Rays
- Bye: (2) Chicago White Sox
- (3) Houston Astros vs. (6) Cleveland Guardians
- (4) New York Yankees vs. (5) Boston Red Sox
National League standings and playoff picture
The Brewers and Dodgers have separated themselves from the rest of the National League, and that includes the Braves. Atlanta is almost a surefire bet to play in the NL Wild Card round, where they could match up against the Padres, Cubs or even Phillies. Atlanta has played the Phillies in three of the last five postseasons. Familiarity might be on their side.
The NL Wild Card race is easily the most intriguing battle remaining. The Cubs and Phillies have the same record, but Chicago owns the tiebreaker and would thus host the NL Wild Card series. The red-hot Padres have finally created some separation between themselves and the Diamondbacks, but a three-game series against Arizona to end the season looms large.
Team | Record | Games Back |
|---|---|---|
Milwaukee Brewers | 93-57 | -- |
Los Angeles Dodgers | 90-59 | 2.5 |
Atlanta Braves | 88-62 | 5.0 |
Chicago Cubs | 83-67 | 10.0 |
Philadelphia Phillies | 83-67 | 10.0 |
San Diego Padres | 81-68 | 11.5 |
Arizona Diamondbacks | 79-71 | 14.0 |
If the regular season ended today, here’s a look at what the NL Wild Card round matchups would look like.
- Bye: (1) Milwaukee Brewers
- Bye: (2) Los Angeles Dodgers
- (3) Atlanta Braves vs. (6) San Diego Padres
- (4) Chicago Cubs vs. (5) Philadelphia Phillies
MLB magic numbers: Which AL teams are closest to clinching a playoff spot?
The AL East is in a league of its own within the American League, if that makes any sense. The Rays, Yankees and Red Sox are far and away the best teams record-wise in the AL, while the Blue Jays have an outside chance to become the fourth AL East team to make the postseason thanks to the third AL Wild Card spot. That's utter dominance. The AL Central and AL West could be won by teams under .500, meanwhile.
Team | Record | Magic number | Elimination number |
|---|---|---|---|
Tampa Bay Rays | 90-59 | CLINCHED | -- |
Chicago White Sox | 76-73 | 12 | -- |
Houston Astros | 75-75 | 12 | -- |
New York Yankees | 86-63 | 2 | -- |
Boston Red Sox | 82-68 | 6 | -- |
Cleveland Guardians | 76-74 | 12 | 14 |
Toronto Blue Jays | 75-75 | -- | 12 |
Texas Rangers | 74-76 | -- | 12 |
Baltimore Orioles | 72-78 | -- | 9 |
Minnesota Twins | 70-79 | -- | 8 |
Detroit Tigers | 70-79 | -- | 8 |
Seattle Mariners | 70-80 | -- | 8 |
Kansas City Royals | 66-84 | -- | 3 |
Athletics | 61-89 | -- | ELIMINATED |
Los Angeles Angels | 56-93 | -- | ELIMINATED |
MLB magic numbers: Which NL teams are closest to clinching a playoff spot?
The Brewers are the only team that has clinched in the National League as of this writing. However, the Dodgers and Braves are closing in on the postseason, as well. The Dodgers are in Cincinnati for a series against the lowly Reds to start the week, which should aid their case. The Braves have a far tougher path, considering they need to face the Cubs, a fellow NL Playoff contender, at Wrigley.
Team | Record | Magic number | Elimination number |
|---|---|---|---|
Milwaukee Brewers | 93-57 | CLINCHED | -- |
Los Angeles Dodgers | 90-59 | 2 | -- |
Atlanta Braves | 88-62 | 4 | -- |
Chicago Cubs | 83-67 | 9 | -- |
Philadelphia Phillies | 83-67 | 9 | -- |
San Diego Padres | 81-68 | 11 | 16 |
Arizona Diamondbacks | 79-71 | 13 | 11 |
Pittsburgh Pirates | 75-75 | -- | 7 |
Miami Marlins | 74-76 | -- | 6 |
St. Louis Cardinals | 74-76 | -- | 6 |
Cincinnati Reds | 70-79 | -- | 3 |
Washington Nationals | 70-81 | -- | ELIMINATED |
New York Mets | 69-80 | -- | 2 |
San Francisco Giants | 62-88 | -- | ELIMINATED |
Colorado Rockies | 55-94 | -- | ELIMINATED |
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