September has officially arrived, meaning we're in the final month of the MLB regular season. The MLB season can feel long at times, but now, it's really go-time. Contending teams are entering their final push to prove they belong in the postseason.
The postseason is just a month away, and we have a clearer picture of what that will look like than we have all season long. With that in mind, let's take a look at what the playoff brackets look like as of now at the start of play on Monday, Sept. 1.
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Projected American League postseason bracket
Four of the six teams currently occupying an AL postseason spot won on Sunday. The two exceptions are the New York Yankees and Houston Astros, who lost to the Chicago White Sox and the Los Angeles Angels, respectively. Results like these are why baseball really is the best. With Sunday's results in mind, here's a look at what the AL postseason bracket would look like if it began on Monday.
- Detroit Tigers (80-58, AL Central champs)
- Toronto Blue Jays (79-59, AL East champs)
- Houston Astros (75-62, AL West champs)
- New York Yankees (76-61, top AL Wild Card)
- Boston Red Sox (77-62, No. 2 AL Wild Card)
- Seattle Mariners (73-64, No. 3 AL Wild Card)
Not only do the Detroit Tigers have the largest division lead in the game, but they're holding the No. 1 seed in the AL. They're in as good a spot as any team in the league. The Toronto Blue Jays have scuffled a bit, but earned a big win on Sunday, increasing their AL East lead. The Astros and Yankees suffered frustrating losses on Sunday, but they'd still host a series in the Wild Card round if the season ended today.
The Tigers and Blue Jays would earn byes if the season ended today, allowing them to automatically advance to the ALDS and allowing the MLB world to enjoy some outstanding Wild Card matchups.
- No. 5 Boston Red Sox at No. 4 New York Yankees
- No. 6: Seattle Mariners at No. 3 Houston Astros
Does it get much better than this? The Yankees-Red Sox rivalry is as good as any in the history of sports, and they're projected to play in the Wild Card round. The other matchup is another division rivalry, featuring the Mariners and Astros in Houston in a rematch of the 2022 ALDS.
As for predictions, that's where this gets difficult. I believe that the Yankees are the more talented team and have home-field advantage, but the Red Sox seem to have their number, and considering how well their top three starters have performed, I'd argue they'd have the pitching advantage. Give me Boston to advance. As for the other series, the Mariners are the more talented team, but the Astros are far more battle-tested and have the dynamic duo of Framber Valdez and Hunter Brown to lead the way. I have the Astros beating Seattle and moving on.
Projected National League postseason bracket
The National League playoff picture has felt rather clear for a while, and barring a dramatic collapse from one of the teams currently occupying a spot, it's hard to see that fact changing. What could change, though, is seeding.
- Milwaukee Brewers (85-53, NL Central champs)
- Philadelphia Phillies (79-58, NL East champs)
- Los Angeles Dodgers (78-59, NL West champs)
- Chicago Cubs (78-59, No. 1 NL Wild Card)
- San Diego Padres (76-61, No. 2 NL Wild Card)
- New York Mets (73-64, No. 3 NL Wild Card)
These six teams are the best in the National League. The Milwaukee Brewers and Philadelphia Philiies hold substantial division leads and also the top two seeds in the NL. The Los Angeles Dodgers are on the Phillies' heels when it comes to seeding, but for now, they sit as the No. 3 seed.
Given that they hold the top two seeds in the NL, both the Brewers and Phillies would automatically advance to the NLDS, and we'd get two blockbuster Wild Card series to watch.
- No. 5 San Diego Padres at No. 4 Chicago Cubs
- No. 6: New York Mets at No. 3 Los Angeles Dodgers
Speaking of dynamic matchups, does it get much better than these? The San Diego Padres would travel to Wrigley Field to take on the Chicago Cubs. Both of these teams have starting pitching concerns, but the Padres' bullpen is the best in the sport, and the Cubs' offense has the potential to be as good as any. The other matchup would be a rematch of last season's NLCS, with the New York Mets set to travel across the country and take on the Dodgers. Again, does it get much better than this?
As for predictions, I'd pick the Padres to defeat the Cubs at Wrigley mainly because of their bullpen. If they can hold a lead after four or five innings, I have the utmost confidence they can win just about any game, putting the Cubs in a very tough spot. I have the Dodgers winning the other series. Yes, the Mets have Juan Soto now, but here's a stat for you: the Mets went 11-17 in August in what turned out to be their highest-scoring month in franchise history. Their offense is performing as expected, but their pitching is a mess. The Dodgers have some pitching concerns as well, particularly in their bullpen, but their rotation is better and their lineup can go toe-to-toe with New York's, if not completely outperform the Mets.