Now that we’re entering the last week of September, many MLB teams are preparing for next season, but several have their sights on postseason glory. The L.A. Dodgers were the first team to clinch a 2022 postseason berth, and the Houston Astros and the N.Y. Mets followed. The Seattle Mariners are still hoping to clinch and end a 21-year exile from the playoffs, and other teams looking to clinch include the Tampa Bay Rays, the San Diego Padres and the Philadelphia Phillies. Let’s look at the latest news about playoffs as you think about your MLB betting scenarios.
MLB News: Playoff Rundown
Playoff Matchups (if the season ended on September 25)
American League
Wild-card round: #6 Mariners at #3 Guardians, #5 Rays at #4 Blue Jays
ALDS: Mariners/Guardians vs #2 N.Y. Yankees*, Rays/Blue Jays vs #1 Astros*
National League
Wild-card round: #6 Phillies at #3 Cardinals, #5 Padres at #4 Braves*
NLDS: Phillies/Cardinals vs #2 N.Y. Mets*, Padres/Braves vs #1 L.A. Dodgers
*-clinched playoff spot
→ Key Series
Cardinals at Dodgers (September 23-25)
The Dodgers could still break the franchise record for wins in a single season as they host the Cardinals, who are on the cusp of clinching the NL Central division.
Braves at Phillies (September 22-25)
The Braves and Mets have gone back and forth atop the NL East, with major ramifications as far as postseason placement. The division winner would get a bye through the wild-card round, while the wild-card holder would get to host a three-game wild-card series, but that involves considerable risk as far as just getting to the Divison Series. Philadelphia can bolster their wild card position in the National League.
Blue Jays at Rays (September 22-25)
These teams will make some progress toward settling which of the two would host the wild-card round series as the play this weekend in Florida. The wild-card round host has all three games at home in a best-of-three format, a huge advantage.
→ Postseason Schedule
Wild-Card Round
Format: Best of three, better seed hosts all three games
- Game 1: Friday, October 7
- Game 2: Saturday, October 8
- Game 3*: Sunday, October 9
Division Series
Best of five
ALDS
- Game 1: Tuesday, October 11
- Game 2: Thursday, October 13
- Game 3: Saturday, October 15
- Game 4: Sunday, October 16*
- Game 5: Monday, October 17*
NLDS
- Game 1: Tuesday, October 11
- Game 2: Wednesday, October 12
- Game 3: Friday, October 14
- Game 4: Saturday, October 15*
- Game 5: Sunday, October 16*
Championship Series
Best of seven
ALCS
- Game 1: Wednesday, October 19
- Game 2: Thursday, October 20
- Game 3: Saturday, October 22
- Game 4: Sunday, October 23
- Game 5: Monday, October 24*
- Game 6: Tuesday, October 25*
- Game 7: Wednesday, October 26*
NLCS
- Game 1: Tuesday, October 18
- Game 2: Wednesday, October 19
- Game 3: Friday, October 21
- Game 4: Saturday, October 22
- Game 5: Sunday, October 23*
- Game 6: Monday, October 24*
- Game 7: Tuesday, October 25*
World Series
Best of seven
- Game 1: Friday, October 28
- Game 2: Saturday, October 29
- Game 3: Monday, October 31
- Game 4: Tuesday, November 1
- Game 5: Wednesday, November 2*
- Game 6: Friday, November 4*
- Game 7: Saturday, November 5*
*If necessary
MLB Betting Odds
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