MLB standings 2020: Updated playoff bracket, magic numbers as of Sept. 17

Sixteen of baseball’s 30 franchises will qualify for the 2020 postseason, which means every team within sniffing distance of the .500 mark will have at least a puncher’s chance of reaching October as we head into the final few weeks of September.

It’s a convoluted setup. If you want the full setup, this is your happy place. Here, we’re going to update the playoff seeds on a daily basis, so here’s the very basic seeding structure.

The first three seeds (1-3) in each league will go to division winners, ordered by record. The second trio of seeds (4-6) goes to the second-place finishers in each division, ordered by record. The final two seeds (7-8) go to the two wild-card teams.

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MORE: Explaining MLB's expanded playoff format

MLB standings 2020

American League playoff bracket

Standings updated after games onSept. 17

1. White Sox (C1), 33-17, .660
2. Rays (E1), 33-18, .647
3. A’s (W1), 31-19, .620
4. Twins (C2), 31-21, .596 
5. Yankees (E2), 29-21, .580
6. Astros (W2), 25-25, .500
7. Indians (WC2), 27-23, .540
8. Blue Jays (WC1), 26-23, .531

American League wild-card standings

• WC1: Indians, 27-23, .540
• WC2: Blue Jays, 26-23, .531

——

• Mariners, 22-28, .440, 4.5 games back of second WC
• Orioles, 22-29, .431, 5 back
• Tigers, 21-28, .429, 5 back
• Royals, 21-29, .420, 5.5 back
• Angels, 21-30, .412, 6 back
• Red Sox, 19-32, .373, 8 back
• Rangers, 19-31, .360, 8.5 back

American League current Wild-Card Series matchups

• No. 1 White Sox vs. No. 8 Blue Jays
• No. 2 Rays vs. No. 7 Indians
• No. 3 A's vs. No. 6 Astros
• No. 4 Twins vs. No. 5 Yankees

National League playoff bracket

Standings updated after games onSept. 17

1. Dodgers (W1), 36-15, .706
2. Cubs (C1), 30-20, .600
3. Braves (E1), 29-21, .580
4. Padres (W2), 32-19, .627
5. Marlins (E2), 25-23, .521
6. Reds (C2), 25-26, .490
7. Giants (WC2), 25-24, .510
8. Phillies (WC1), 24-25, .490

National League wild-card standings

• WC1: Giants, 25-24, .510
• WC2: Phillies, 24-25, .490

——

• Cardinals, 22-24, .478, 0.5 game back of second WC
• Brewers, 23-26, .469, 1 back
• Mets, 23-27, .460, 1.5 back
• Rockies, 22-27, .449, 2 back
• Nationals, 18-29, .383, 5 back
• Diamondbacks, 19-32, .373, 6 back
• Pirates, 15-34, .306, 9 back

National League Wild-Card Series matchups

• No. 1 Dodgers vs. No. 8 Phillies
• No. 2 Cubs vs. No. 7 Giants
• No. 3 Braves vs. No. 6 Reds
• No. 4 Padres vs. No. 5 Marlins

MLB magic numbers for 2020

What is a magic number? It’s the combination of games a team needs to win and/or its closest competitor needs to lose to clinch a playoff spot. The smaller the number, the better. Because of the complicated nature of the 2020 playoff field, there are separate magic numbers to clinch a division and to clinch a wild-card spot. Info comes from @MLBMagNum on Twitter.

Updated through games of Sept. 16

AL East
Rays, 8for division, 3for wild-card
Yankees, 15/6
Blue Jays, 17/8
Orioles, 21/16
Red Sox, x/20

AL Central
White Sox, 9/1
Twins, 13/3
Indians, 18/8
Tigers, 23/17
Royals, x/17

AL West
A’s, 4/3
Astros, 18/9
Mariners, 20/14
Angels, x/15
Rangers, x/18

NL East
Braves, 10for division, 6for wild card
Marlins, 15/10
Phillies, 16/11
Mets, 18/15
Nationals, 22/19

NL Central
Cubs, 8/4
Reds, 16/12
Brewers, 18/14
Cardinals, 19/12
Pirates, x/23

NL West
Dodgers, 6/-- (clinched at least a wild-card spot)
Padres, 14/3
Giants, 22/11
Rockies, x/15
Diamondbacks, x/18