October baseball is three days away. The 2026 MLB regular season ends Sunday, Sept. 27. The best-of-three Wild Card Series starts Tuesday, Sept. 29. Ten of 12 postseason spots are already locked. Three races will decide the rest — and ticket prices will move with every result.
Track the live field on MLB’s official playoff picture and bracket and ESPN’s clinching-scenarios tracker.
Who’s in: 10 teams have punched their tickets
American League (clinched)
- Tampa Bay Rays — AL East champions and AL No. 1 seed (first-round bye)
- Cleveland Guardians — playoff berth locked; leading the AL Central
- New York Yankees — AL Wild Card
- Boston Red Sox — AL Wild Card
- Chicago White Sox — playoff berth locked; chasing the AL Central title
National League (clinched)
- Milwaukee Brewers — NL Central champions and No. 1 overall seed (bye)
- Los Angeles Dodgers — NL West champions and No. 2 seed (bye)
- Atlanta Braves — NL East champions
- San Diego Padres — NL Wild Card
- Chicago Cubs — NL Wild Card
The Brewers, Dodgers, and Braves have already wrapped their divisions. The Rays locked the AL East and the top AL seed. That froze the Yankees into the top AL wild-card slot and set a Yankees–Red Sox Wild Card Series if the season ended today.
Who’s out (or on the brink)
Already eliminated from the postseason: Orioles, Blue Jays, Twins, Tigers, Royals, Mariners, Athletics, Angels, Mets, Marlins, Nationals, Pirates, Cardinals, Reds, Giants, and Rockies.
Two clubs are still alive but need help:
- Texas Rangers — tied with Houston at 79-81 for the AL West. The wild-card field in the AL is full, so the West loser goes home. Houston owns the tiebreaker.
- Arizona Diamondbacks — one game behind Philadelphia for the last NL wild card. Arizona owns the tiebreaker if the two finish with the same record.
That AL West race is historic: a sub-.500 club could win a 162-game division title for the first time.
What’s still up for grabs (final weekend)
Three races. Two games left for most contenders. All three can be decided by Sunday.
1. AL Central title (bye vs. Wild Card)
Guardians lead White Sox by one game (84-76 vs. 83-77). Both are in. The division winner gets the AL No. 2 seed and a bye into the Division Series. The loser is the No. 6 seed and opens on the road in the Wild Card.
Chicago owns the head-to-head tiebreaker, so Cleveland’s magic number is 2.
Saturday: Guardians at Royals (7:10 p.m. ET); White Sox host Rockies (7:10 p.m. ET).
Clinch today: Guardians win the Central with a win and a White Sox loss.
2. AL West title (last AL playoff spot)
Astros and Rangers are tied at 79-81. Houston holds the tiebreaker. Winner is the AL No. 3 seed and hosts a Wild Card Series. Loser is eliminated.
Saturday: Rangers at Twins (4:10 p.m. ET); Astros at Athletics (9:40 p.m. ET).
3. Last NL Wild Card
Phillies lead Diamondbacks by one game (87-73 vs. 86-74). Padres and Cubs are already in. Arizona has the tiebreaker.
Saturday: Rays at Phillies (7:15 p.m. ET, FOX); Diamondbacks at Padres (8:40 p.m. ET).
Clinch today: Phillies lock the last NL wild card with a win and an Arizona loss.
NL wild-card seeding can still shuffle among Padres, Cubs, and Phillies. That changes home field for the Wild Card Series.
If the season ended today: 2026 playoff bracket
American League
Byes: (1) Rays, (2) Guardians
Wild Card Series (best of three, Sept. 29–Oct. 1):
(6) White Sox at (3) Astros
(5) Red Sox at (4) Yankees
ALDS (starts Oct. 3): White Sox/Astros winner vs. Guardians; Red Sox/Yankees winner vs. Rays
National League
Byes: (1) Brewers, (2) Dodgers
Wild Card Series:
(6) Phillies at (3) Braves
(5) Cubs at (4) Padres
NLDS: Phillies/Braves winner vs. Dodgers; Padres/Cubs winner vs. Brewers
Full dates: Wild Card Sept. 29–Oct. 1 (NBC platforms), Division Series Oct. 3–10, LCS Oct. 11–20, World Series Game 1 Friday, Oct. 23, potential Game 7 Saturday, Oct. 31. See the CBS Sports postseason calendar.
2026 MLB playoff tickets: where to buy before prices jump
Wild Card and Division Series inventory is already live. Rivalry series (Yankees–Red Sox) and bye-team home games (Rays, Brewers, Dodgers) move first.
Official / primary
- MLB Postseason tickets (team sites + Mastercard cardholder offer)
- Team box offices via MLB.com Tickets
Resale marketplaces (compare all-in prices)
Recent get-in ranges reported on resale: Yankees–Red Sox Wild Card Game 1 from the low $90s–$110s; Braves Wild Card inventory has listed under $50 in some listings; Astros, Padres, and Cubs home Wild Card games typically start around $90–$150 depending on section. Prices change by the hour after Saturday’s results.
Buying tips
- Wild Card is a best-of-three at the higher seed. You need tickets for a specific park, not a “neutral” site.
- “If necessary” Game 3 listings are cheaper until Game 2 is decided — then they spike or vanish.
- Mobile transfer only at most parks. Screenshot tickets can fail at the gate.
- Compare all-in price (fees included) across StubHub, SeatGeek, and Vivid Seats before you tap buy.
- Hypothetical ALDS/NLDS tickets are already posted for bye teams. Those listings get remapped if seeding changes Sunday night.
FAQ: 2026 MLB playoff picture
When do the 2026 MLB playoffs start?
Tuesday, Sept. 29 — four Wild Card Series, all Game 1s.
How many teams make the MLB playoffs?
12 — three division winners and three wild cards in each league. The top two division winners in each league get a first-round bye.
Can the Rangers still make it without winning the West?
No. The three AL wild-card spots are filled (Yankees, Red Sox, White Sox). Texas needs the AL West.
Who has the tiebreakers?
Astros over Rangers (AL West). White Sox over Guardians (AL Central). Diamondbacks over Phillies (last NL wild card). Tiebreakers are mathematical — no Game 163.
Where should I look first for cheap seats?
Lower-demand Wild Card hosts (if Atlanta or Chicago White Sox host) and upper-deck corners. Avoid waiting until after Sunday if you want Yankee Stadium or American Family Field.
October starts Tuesday. The field is almost set. The last two tickets — and a few seeds — will be decided this weekend. Bookmark the MLB playoff bracket, watch Saturday’s slate, and lock seats before the market prices in Sunday’s clinches.
The Ticket News is an independent live-events and ticket-deals site. We are not affiliated with MLB, any club, Ticketmaster, StubHub, SeatGeek, Vivid Seats, or any venue. Some links may be affiliate links. Resale inventory, fees, and policies vary by marketplace. Always confirm mobile-transfer rules and refund terms before you buy.
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