The postseason begins Tuesday.
Virtually every team in the 2024 Major League Baseball playoffs have ties to American Legion Baseball — including whichever teams clinch the final spots after Monday’s doubleheader in Atlanta.
Three teams remain in contention for two wild card spots in the National League: the Atlanta Braves and New York Mets are both 88-72 heading into their makeup doubleheader after Hurricane Helene forced the postponement of two games between the NL East rivals last week. The Arizona Diamondbacks (89-73) have a chance at one of the wild card spots but need Atlanta or New York to sweep both makeup games. If the Braves and Mets split, they each get a spot in the playoffs.
The postseason begins Tuesday, with the four best-of-three Wild Card Series taking place at the higher seed Oct. 1-3. The Division Series will be best-of-five, followed by the best-of-seven League Championship Series. The World Series is scheduled to begin Oct. 25 at the home of the league champion with the better record, but the start date could move up to Oct. 22 if both League Championship Series’ end by Oct. 19.
American League
1. New York Yankees (94-68, AL East champions)
Notable ALB alumni: LF Alex Verdugo (Post 36/Tucson, Ariz.)
The Yankees clinched homefield in the American League for the 43rd time in franchise history but did it for the first time since 2012. They’ll face the winner of the Baltimore-Kansas City series in the ALDS.
2. Cleveland Guardians (92-69, AL Central champions)
The Guardians’ regular-season finale against Houston on Sunday was cancelled due to rain, but they still might get another shot at each other as Cleveland, which drew a first-round bye as the No. 2 seed, will face the winner of the wild-card series between the Astros and the Tigers.
3. Houston Astros (88-73, AL West champions)
Notable ALB alumni: 3B Alex Bregman (Albuquerque, N.M.); P Shawn Dubin (Post 892/Knapp Creek, N.Y.); OF Jake Meyers (Omaha, Neb.); C Cesar Salazar (Post 36/Tucson, Ariz.); P Justin Verlander (Post 201/Powhatan, Va.)
The Astros won the AL West for the seventh time in eight seasons — the one year they didn’t was the pandemic season — but will have to come out of the wild-card round to reach the ALCS for the eighth straight season. They’ll host the Detroit Tigers in the AL Wild-Card Series beginning Oct. 1.
4. Baltimore Orioles (91-71)
Notable ALB alumni: P Keegan Akin (Post 165/Midland, Mich.); SS Gunnar Henderson (Post 20/Selma, Ala.)
The Orioles are in the playoffs in consecutive seasons for just the fourth time, and first since 1996-97. All together they’ve lost eight straight postseason games and will try to end that streak against Kansas City when their playoff series begins Tuesday.
5. Kansas City Royals (86-76)
Notable ALB alumni: P Michael Wacha (Texarkana, Tex.)
The Royals clinched a playoff spot Friday, then edged Detroit for the fifth seed with a win and a Tigers’ loss in the regular season finale on Sunday. Kansas City will head to Baltimore for the opening round of the playoffs, starting Tuesday.
6. Detroit Tigers (86-76)
Notable ALB alumni: Manager A.J. Hinch (Post 170/Midwest City, Okla.)
A loss on Sunday dropped the Tigers to the sixth seed and an opening round matchup at Houston. Detroit is back in the playoffs for the first time in a decade.
National League
1. Los Angeles Dodgers (98-64, NL West champions)
Notable ALB alumni: P J.P. Feyereisen (Post 121/River Falls, Wis.)
Superstar Shohei Ohtani didn’t win the Triple Crown, but the Dodgers did finish with the best record in MLB this season and would have homefield advantage should they get back to the World Series.
2. Philadelphia Phillies (95-67, NL East champions)
Notable ALB alumni: 3B Alec Bohm (Post 1/Omaha, Neb.); 1B Bryce Harper (Las Vegas); C J.T. Realmuto (Post 170/Midwest City, Okla.); 2B Bryson Stott (Las Vegas)
The Phillies won the NL East for the first time in 13 years and, like the Dodgers, would have homefield in the World Series if they get that far.
3. Milwaukee Brewers (93-69, NL Central champions)
Notable ALB alumni: P Aaron Civale (Post 36/Windsor Locks, Conn.)
The Brewers won the NL Central for the second straight season and third time in four years, and now wait to see who will end up as the No. 6 seed and their opponent in the Wild-Card Series which begins Tuesday.
4. San Diego Padres (93-69)
Notable ALB alumni: P Michael King (Post 74/Warwick, R.I.); manager Mike Shildt (Post 262/Charlotte, N.C.)
A game-ending triple play last Tuesday clinched the win and a playoff spot for the Padres, who will host the fifth seed in the Wild-Card Series. Who that is remains to be determined.
TBD: Atlanta Braves (88-72), New York Mets (88-72), Arizona Diamondbacks (89-73)
Notable ALB alumni:
Braves: Manager Brian Snitker (Post 105/Decatur, Ill.)
Mets: P Jake Diekman (Wymore, Neb.); OF Brandon Nimmo (Post 6/Cheyenne, Wyo.)
Diamondbacks: RF Jake McCarthy (Post 908/Scranton, Pa.); P Jordan Montgomery (Post 15/Sumter, S.C.); P Paul Sewald (Las Vegas)
The Braves had an opportunity to clinch a playoff spot Sunday, needing a win and an Arizona loss to do so. Neither happened as the Braves lost to the Royals and the Diamondbacks beat the Padres.
Atlanta still needs just one win in Monday’s doubleheader to reach the playoffs, as do the Mets.
Atlanta would be the No. 5 seed and New York would be the No. 6 seed if they split the doubleheader. If it’s a doubleheader sweep, the winner would be the No. 5 seed and Arizona would be the No. 6 seed.
- Baseball