The final week of the regular season has turned into a full-blown traffic jam across both leagues, with six postseason spots still open and several races coming down to the wire. The Braves, Brewers, Dodgers, Rays, Yankees and Red Sox have already punched their tickets for 2026, but there’s still plenty to settle before Sunday brings the curtain down.
In the American League, the White Sox, Guardians and Rangers are all trying to keep their grips on the division picture, while the Astros are still hanging around and hoping the schedule breaks their way. Texas has slipped into first in the AL West by a game, but that edge comes with a dangerous finish: a three-game set at home against the Mets, who have been tough all season.
Houston, after giving up the division lead, now sits one game back in the West and three back in the wild-card chase. The good news for the Astros is what comes next - two games in Seattle and then four on the road against the Athletics.
Chicago’s situation is even more delicate. The White Sox lost the AL Central lead to the Guardians, but they still hold the final wild-card spot by three games.
That cushion can disappear fast, though, and their three-game road series against the Royals from Monday to Wednesday carries real weight. Anything less than two wins there could make life miserable with Houston lurking two games back in the wild-card race.
Cleveland’s path isn’t easy either. The Guardians enter the week up one game in the AL Central and head to Fenway Park for three against the Red Sox, who clinched a playoff berth Sunday and are basically locked into the AL’s No. 5 seed.
That could mean some lineup shuffling from Boston, but Cleveland can’t afford to assume anything. If the Guardians stumble, they could lose the division for the first time since 2023, and they finish with a friendlier slate against the Royals and Rockies.
The race in the National League is no less tense. The Phillies have a four-game cushion in the wild-card standings, but their final six games are a grind: the Brewers and the Rays.
If Philadelphia slips up, the Diamondbacks could suddenly find themselves back in the mix. Arizona closes against the Rockies and the Padres, and that combination gives them at least a path back if the Phillies wobble.
San Diego is in a tricky spot too. The Padres own the NL’s second wild-card position and lead Arizona by five games, but they’ve got a tough road trip first - three games against the Dodgers.
That matters because the Diamondbacks get the Rockies, MLB’s worst team, which means the Padres can’t afford to let that series in Los Angeles get away from them. They need at least one win, and probably more, before a season-ending three-game set at home against Arizona that could wind up deciding everything.
There’s also a rare individual chase worth watching in the closing stretch. Pete Crow-Armstrong has 44 home runs and 37 stolen bases with seven games left, putting him within striking distance of a 40-40 season. He needs three steals to become the seventh player ever to join Barry Bonds, Jose Canseco, Alfonso Soriano, Alex Rodriguez, Ronald Acuña Jr. and Shohei Ohtani in that club.
And then there’s Yordan Alvarez, who still has a shot at the AL Triple Crown if he catches fire over the final week. He leads the league with a .311 average and sits second in both home runs with 40 and RBIs with 99.
Junior Caminero is one homer ahead of him for the AL lead, while Pete Alonso is six RBIs ahead, which makes that part of the chase a steep climb. If Alvarez pulls it off, he’d be the first Triple Crown winner since Miguel Cabrera in 2012.
Justin Verlander’s final start is set for Saturday, when the Tigers host the Pirates at Comerica Park. The 43-year-old will make the 557th start of his career in the same ballpark where he first took the mound for Detroit in 2005. It’s the kind of full-circle ending that fits one of the defining pitchers of this generation, and the home crowd should treat it like the moment it is.
There’s even a strange bit of history on the line in the AL West. The 2005 Padres remain the worst division winner in MLB history at 82-80, but the Rangers and Astros could threaten that mark.
Texas is sitting at 78-78 with seven games to go, while Houston is 77-79. The Rangers would need to win five of their last six to avoid tying or breaking the record, and the Astros would have to win out.
In Other News...
Orioles History Still Carries A Painful Eddie Murray Reminder
Eddie Murray remains one of the most important hitters in Orioles history, a Hall of Famer who spent 12 seasons in Baltimore and helped drive the club to its 1983 World Series title. For a franchise that has leaned on its legends as part of its identity, Murrays place in the picture is secure because of everything he produced on the field, including the steady excellence that made him a multiple Silver Slugger winner.
Still, the story of Murray and the Orioles is not only about the highlights. His relationship with ownership soured in the mid-1980s, and by 1988 he was dealt to the Dodgers, a split that left a lingering sting for a player and a fan base that had watched him become a cornerstone. Murray did eventually return to Baltimore in 1996 after things improved, but the memory of how it ended the first time is still one of the more painful reminders in team history. [Read more 🡒]
Trey Mancini Gets The Orioles Ending Baltimore Fans Wanted
Trey Mancinis return to Baltimore this week carried the kind of symmetry Orioles fans could appreciate. He signed a ceremonial one-day contract so he could retire as a member of the team that first made him a favorite, a neat ending for a player whose time in Baltimore meant far more than a box-score line ever could. For a franchise that has spent years reconnecting with its past while pushing toward its future, the gesture fit the moment perfectly.
Mancinis place in Orioles memory was already secure, but the one-day deal gives the story a cleaner finish and a sense of closure for the fan base that watched him become one of the clubs most respected figures. It is the sort of move that does not change a standings race or alter a roster, yet still matters because it speaks directly to the relationship between a player and a city, and Baltimores appreciation for one of its most enduring recent stars. [Read more 🡒]
Orioles Face One Defining Question About Elias After Front Office Shakeup
The Orioles 1-0 loss to the Brewers on a day meant to honor Trey Mancinis retirement as an Oriole was a reminder of how much attention is now shifting from the field to the people building the roster. Mike Elias said he and manager Craig Albernaz are expected back next season, but the organization is also continuing a front office search that could reshape the structure around them.
What makes the situation worth watching is the direction of that search. Baltimore is looking for a new general manager with a player development background, a clue that the club wants to reinforce the pipeline even as it absorbs recent changes, including the departure of director of player development Matt Blood and a title adjustment for analytics executive Sig Mejdal. The next hire may say as much about how the Orioles see themselves as anything Elias has said publicly so far. [Read more 🡒]