MLB magic numbers, tiebreakers: Yankees, Brewers, Phillies, Guardians on brink (9/18/24)

UPDATE: Here is link to magic numbers through Friday, Sept. 20 games

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SEATTLE — The Yankees are hoping to pop champagne corks and celebrate a return to the playoffs Wednesday night.

All they do is beat the Mariners for the second night in a row, and they’ll be back in the postseason after falling short in 2023.

The Brewers will be in, too, as NL Central champions with a home win over the Phillies or if the Cubs lose to the Athletics at Wrigley Field for the second night in a row.

The Phillies and Guardians also are close to clinching playoff spots.

All the Phillies need on Wednesday is a repeat of Tuesday, another win in Milwaukee and the Braves to lose again in Cincinnati. The Guardians will clinch Wednesday with a win over the Twins and a Tigers loss in Kansas City.

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RESTORING THE GLORY

The Yankees are the brink after blowing out the Mariners 11-2 Tuesday night in Seattle. The Brewers have to wait at least another day to three-peat as division champs with the Phillies beating them 5-1 on Tuesday.

The Phillies’ magic number dropped to two with the Reds holding on for a 6-5 win over the Braves, who fell two games out of a NL wild card spot.

Elsewhere …

— The Mets moved two games ahead of the Braves and into a tie with the Diamondbacks for the second NL wild card with their 14th win in 18 games, a 10-1 shellacking of the Nationals. The Mets hold the tiebreaker with Arizona, so they’re currently in the second spot. The D’backs have lost two in a row to the Rockies in Denver, falling 8-2 on Tuesday.

— The NL West-leading Dodgers lost 11-9 to the Marlins in Miami, but stayed 3.5 games ahead of the second-place Padres, who lost at home to the Astros 4-3 in 10 innings. The Dodgers’ magic number to get in the playoffs is three.

— The Astros’ AL Central lead is up to five games over the Mariners, who also dropped to three games behind the Twins for the third AL wild card.

— The Orioles lost 10-0 at home to the Giants to fall four games behind the AL East-leading Yankees, whose division lead is the most it’s been since June 6.

Here’s a look at magic numbers plus tiebreakers and remaining schedules for the contenders through Tuesday, Sept. 17, along with playoff matchups if the postseason began on Sept. 18:

AL EAST

NEW YORK YANKEES (88-63)

Standings: First in AL East. Lead second-place Orioles by 4 games.

Tiebreakers: Yankees trail season series with Orioles 6-4; Yankees won season series with Guardians 4-2; Yankees won season series with Tigers 4-2.

Magic number to clinch AL East: 8

Magic number to clinch playoffs: 2

Games remaining: 11 (6 home, 5 road).

Yankees schedule:

Sept. 18-19: at Mariners (2)

Sept. 20-22: at Athletics (3)

Sept. 24-26: Orioles (3)

Sept. 27-29: Pirates (3)

BALTIMORE ORIOLES (84-67)

Standings: Second in AL East. Trail first-place Yankees by 4 games. First in AL wild-card standings. Lead Tigers by 6 games for third AL wild card.

Tiebreakers: Orioles lead season series with Yankees 6-4; Orioles lost season series with Guardians 4-3.

Magic number to clinch playoffs: 6

Games remaining: 11 (5 home, 6 road).

Orioles schedule:

Sept. 18-19: Giants (2)

Sept. 20-22: Tigers (3)

Sept. 24-26: at Yankees (3)

Sept. 27-29: at Twins (3)

BOSTON RED SOX (75-76)

Standings: Third in AL East. Trail first-place Yankees by 13 games. Sixth in AL wild-card standings. Trail Twins by 5 games for third AL wild card.

Tiebreakers: Red Sox won season series with Mariners 4-3. Red Sox trail season series with Twins 2-1; Red Sox won season series with Royals 4-2; Red Sox lost season series with Tigers 4-3.

Magic number for playoffs elimination: 7

Games remaining: 11 (6 home, 5 road).

Red Sox schedule:

Sept. 18-19: at Rays (2)

Sept. 20-22: Twins (3)

Sept. 23-25: at Blue Jays (3)

Sept. 27-29: Rays (3)

AL CENTRAL

CLEVELAND GUARDIANS (87-65)

Standings: First in AL Central. Lead second-place Royals by 5 games.

Tiebreakers: Guardians lost season series with Royals 8-5; Guardians lead season series with Twins 8-3; Guardians lost season series with Yankees 4-2; Guardians won season series with Orioles 4-3; Guardians won season series with Tigers 7-6; Guardians won season series with Mariners 4-2.

Magic number to clinch AL Central: 6

Magic number to clinch playoffs: 2

Remaining games: 10 (7 home, 3 road).

Guardians schedule:

Sept. 18-19: Twins (2)

Sept. 20-22: at Cardinals (3)

Sept. 24-25: Reds (2)

Sept. 27-29: Astros (3)

KANSAS CITY ROYALS (82-70)

Standings: Second in AL Central. Trail first-place Guardians by 5 games. Second in AL wild-card standings. Lead Tigers by 3 games for third AL wild card.

Tiebreakers: Royals lost season series with Twins 7-6; Royals won season series with Guardians 8-5; Mariners, Royals season series tied 3-3; Royals lost season series with Red Sox 4-2; Royals lead season series with Tigers 7-4.

Magic number to clinch playoffs: 8

Remaining games: 10 (4 home, 6 road).

Royals schedule:

Sept. 18: Tigers (1)

Sept. 20-22: Giants (3)

Sept. 24-26: at Nationals (3)

Sept. 27-29: at Braves (3)

MINNESOTA TWINS (80-71)

Standings: Third in AL Central. Trail first-place Guardians by 6.5 games. Third in AL wild-card standings. Lead Tigers by 1.5 games for third AL wild card.

Tiebreakers: Twins won season series with Royals 7-6; Twins won season series with Tigers 7-6; Twins won season series with Mariners 5-2; Twins lead season series with Red Sox 2-1. Twins trail season series with Guardians 8-3.

Magic number to clinch playoffs: 10

Remaining games: 11 (6 home, 5 road).

Twins schedule:

Sept. 18-19: at Guardians (2)

Sept. 20-22: at Red Sox (3)

Sept. 24-26: Marlins (3)

Sept. 27-29: Orioles (3)

DETROIT TIGERS (79-73)

Standings: Fourth in AL Central. Trail first-place Guardians by 8 games. Fourth in AL wild-card standings. Trail Twins by 1.5 games for third AL wild card.

Tiebreakers: Tigers lost season series with Twins 7-6; Tigers trail season series with Royals 7-4; Tigers won season series with Mariners 5-1; Tigers won season series with Red Sox 4-3; Tigers lost season series with Yankees 4-2.

Magic number for playoffs elimination: 10

Remaining games: 10 (6 home, 4 road).

Tigers schedule:

Sept. 18: at Royals (1)

Sept. 20-22: at Orioles (3)

Sept. 24-26: Rays (3)

Sept. 27-29: White Sox (3)

AL WEST

HOUSTON ASTROS (82-69)

Standings: First in AL West. Lead second-place Mariners by 5 games.

Tiebreakers: Astros trail season series with Mariners 6-4.

Magic number to clinch AL West: 7

Magic number to clinch playoffs: 7

Remaining games: 11 (7 home, 4 road).

Astros schedule:

Sept. 18: at Padres (1)

Sept. 19-22: Angels (4)

Sept. 23-25: Mariners (3)

Sept. 27-29: at Guardians (3)

SEATTLE MARINERS (77-74)

Standings: Second in AL West. Trail first-place Astros by 5 games. Fifth in AL wild-card standings. Trail Twins by 3 games for third AL wild card.

Tiebreakers: Mariners lead season series with Astros 6-4; Mariners lost season series with Twins 5-2; Royals, Mariners season series tied 3-3; Mariners lost season series with Red Sox 4-3; Mariners lost season series with Tigers 5-1.

Magic number for playoffs elimination: 9

Remaining games: 11 (5 home, 6 road).

Mariners schedule:

Sept. 18-19: Yankees (2)

Sept. 20-22: at Rangers (3)

Sept. 23-25: at Astros (3)

Sept. 27-29: Athletics (3)

NL EAST

PHILADELPHIA PHILLIES (91-60)

Standings: First in NL East. Lead second place Mets by 8 games.

Tiebreakers: Phillies won season series with Dodgers 5-1; Phillies lead season series with Brewers 4-1; Phillies lead season series with Mets 6-3; Phillies lost season series with Braves 7-6.

Magic number to clinch NL East: 4

Magic number to clinch playoffs: 2

Remaining games: 11 (3 home, 8 road).

Phillies schedule:

Sept. 18: at Brewers (1)

Sept. 19-22: at Mets (4)

Sept. 23-24: Cubs (3)

Sept. 27-29: at Nationals (3)

NEW YORK METS (83-68)

Standings: Second in NL East. Trail first-place Phillies by 8 games. Tied with Diamondbacks for second in NL wild-card standings. Lead Braves by 2 games for third NL wild card.

Tiebreakers: Mets, Braves, season series tied 5-5; Mets won season series with D’backs 4-3; Mets won season series with Padres 5-1; Mets trail season series with Phillies 6-3.

Magic number to clinch playoffs: 10

Remaining games: 11 (5 home, 6 road).

Mets schedule:

Sept. 18: Nationals (1)

Sept. 19-22: Phillies (4)

Sept. 24-26: at Braves (3)

Sept. 27-29: at Brewers (3)

ATLANTA BRAVES (81-70)

Standings: Third in NL East. Trail first-place Phillies by 10 games. Fourth in NL wild-card standings. Trail Mets and Diamondbacks by 2 games for second and third NL wild card.

Tiebreakers: Braves, Mets season series tied 5-5; Braves won season series with Diamondbacks 5-2; Braves lost season series with Padres 4-3; Braves won season series with Mets 7-6.

Magic number for playoffs elimination: 10

Remaining games: 11 (6 home, 5 road).

Braves schedule:

Sept. 18-19: at Reds (2)

Sept. 20-22: at Marlins (3)

Sept. 24-26: Mets (3)

Sept. 27-29: Royals (3)

NL CENTRAL

MILWAUKEE BREWERS (87-64)

Standings: First in NL Central. Lead second-place Cubs by 10 games.

Tiebreakers: Brewers lost season series with Dodgers 4-3; Brewers trail season series with Phillies 4-1; Brewers won season series with Cubs 8-5.

Magic number to clinch NL Central: 1

Magic number to clinch playoffs: 1

Remaining games: 11 (8 home, 3 road).

Brewers schedule:

Sept. 18: Phillies (1)

Sept. 19-22: Diamondbacks (4)

Sept. 24-26: at Pirates (3)

Sept. 27-29: Mets (3)

CHICAGO CUBS (77-74)

Standings: Second in NL Central. Trail first-place Brewers by 10 games. Fifth in NL wild-card standings. Trail Mets and Diamondbacks by 6 games for second and third NL wild card.

Tiebreakers: Cubs lost season series with Brewers 8-5.

Magic number for playoffs elimination: 6

Remaining games: 11 (8 home, 3 road).

Cubs schedule:

Sept. 18: Athletics (1)

Sept. 19-22: Nationals (4)

Sept. 23-25: at Phillies (3)

Sept. 27-29: Reds (3)

NL WEST

LOS ANGELES DODGERS (89-62)

Standings: First in NL West. Lead second-place Padres by 3.5 games.

Tiebreakers: Dodgers trail season series with Padres 7-3; Dodgers won season series with Diamondbacks 7-6; Dodgers lost season series with Phillies 5-1; Dodgers won season series with Brewers 4-3; Dodgers won season series with Braves 5-2.

Magic number to clinch NL West: 8

Magic number to clinch playoffs: 2

Remaining games: 11 (6 home, 5 road).

Dodgers schedule:

Sept. 18-19: at Marlins (2)

Sept. 20-22: Rockies (3)

Sept. 24-26: Padres (3)

Sept. 27-29: at Rockies (3)

SAN DIEGO PADRES (86-66)

Standings: Second in NL West. Trail first-place Dodgers by 3.5 games. First in NL wild-card standings. Lead Mets and Diamondbacks by 2.5 games for first NL wild card. Lead Braves by 4.5 games for third NL wild card.

Tiebreakers: Padres, Diamondbacks, season series tied 5-5; Padres lead season series with Dodgers 7-3; Padres won season series with Braves 4-3; Padres lost season series with Mets 5-1.

Magic number to clinch playoffs: 7

Remaining games: 10 (4 home, 6 road).

Padres schedule:

Sept. 18: Astros (1)

Sept. 20-22: White Sox (3)

Sept. 24-26: at Dodgers (3)

Sept. 27-29: at Diamondbacks (3)

ARIZONA DIAMONDBACKS (83-68)

Standings: Third in NL West. Trail first-place Dodgers by 6 games. Tied with Mets for second in NL wild-card standings. Lead Braves by 2 games for third NL wild card.

Tiebreakers: D’backs, Padres season series tied 5-5; D’backs lost season series with Dodgers 7-6; D’backs lost season series with Braves 5-2; D’backs lost season series with Mets 4-3.

Magic number to clinch playoffs: 10

Remaining games: 11 (6 home, 5 road).

Diamondbacks schedule:

Sept. 18: at Rockies (1)

Sept. 19-22: at Brewers (4)

Sept. 23-25: Giants (3)

Sept. 27-29: Padres (3)

CURRENT POSTSEASON MATCHUPS

AL WILD CARD SERIES (best-of-3)

Yankees (1), Guardians (2) byes

Twins (6) at Astros (3)

Royals (5) at Orioles (4)

NL WILD CARD SERIES (best-of-3)

Phillies (1), Dodgers (2) byes

Diamondbacks (6) at Brewers (3)

Mets (5) at Padres (4)

Note: Higher seed will host all games (from Oct. 7-9).

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Randy Miller may be reached at [email protected].