MLB playoff photo, standings, playoff odds: Yankees jump Red Sox; The magic number of cardinals to one

Major League Baseball’s 2021 regular season is entering its final week, and baseball’s playoff photo is taking shape. We officially have our first five playoff teams, like the White Sox, Giants, Dodgers, Brewers and Rays constitute half of the land. The Astros are likely to be next to join them, and the Cardinals are also on the verge of snagging second place in the NL wild card as their 16-game winning streak has reduced their magic number to one.

The Joker AL, however, remains a source of intrigue. The Yankees finished a three-game Red Sox sweep at Fenway on Sunday night and now have a one-game lead over Boston for first place and the right to host the AL Wild Card Game. The Sox, meanwhile, are only one game ahead of the Blue Jays for second and final place.

So how is all of this going to play out? We’ll find out the answers before the playoffs start on October 5. But it’s also worth asking, what would the MLB playoff picture look like if the season ended today? We’ve got the answer to that question, along with up-to-date standings and playoff odds, below.

If the season ended today

• Wild Card Game AL: Yankees vs. Red Sox
• NL wild card game: Dodgers vs Cardinals
• ALDS: Astros vs. White Sox
• ALDS: Rays vs. AL Wild Card Game
• NLDS: Brewers vs. Braves
• NLDS: Giants vs. NL Wild Card Game

The teams that won

• Spokes (off hook AL East)
• White Sox (won AL Central)
• Giants (playoff spot)
• Dodgers (playoff spot)
• Brewers (off the hook NL Central)

MLB Ranking, Playoff Races

Here is an overview of the current ranking. The projections of the divisions and the playoffs are made via SportsLine. For the extended ranking, click here.

American League standings

Tampa Bay – x	97	59	–	100%	100,%
New York Yankees	89	67	8.0	0.0%	62.9%
Boston	88	68	9.0	0.0%	91.6%
Toronto	87	69	10.0	0.0%	43.6%
Baltimore – e	50	106	47.0	0.0%	0.0%

National League ranking

MLB division odds

All odds via Caesars Sportsbook. Last updated September 27.

NL East
Courageous: -500
Philly: +375

Newfoundland and Labrador West
Giants: -380
Dodge: +300

MLB 2021 playoff gear now available

The 2021 MLB playoffs begin October 5-6 with the AL and NL Wild Card games. To celebrate, 2021 MLB playoff gear is now available for select teams. Shop for hoodies, shirts and more here.

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