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Yes, it’s Friday afternoon. And yes, you’re getting another newsletter because we’ve reached the final three days of the regular season!

I’ll keep it short and to the point, but all I’m here to do today is breakdown where everything stands and what’s up for grabs in the final weekend of the season prior to the playoffs.

Stay tuned with Just Baseball on all platforms throughout October for the best postseason content out there and we’ll be delivering updates straight to your inbox right here through it all!

Postseason Picture

Take a look at this image and tell me you’re not incredibly fired up. Oh, right, you can’t!

This current postseason picture would bring an insane level of excitement to our lives next week for the Wild Card Round with two divisional battles on one side and a pair of simply star-studded matchups (and cities) on the other.

However, this picture is far from locked in with so much yet to be determined and just three games remaining for every team this weekend!

American League

1. Toronto Blue Jays: 91-68 (Clinched playoff berth)

2. Seattle Mariners: 90-69 (Clinched AL West and first-round bye)

For now, the top two seeds and first round byes belong to the Toronto Blue Jays and Seattle Mariners. The Mariners are sitting pretty for now with a first-round bye, whether it be the one or two seed, locked up heading into their weekend series with the Dodgers.

However, Toronto will be heavily invested in their series against Tampa as they currently hold the top seed and AL East solely via a tiebreaker with the Yankees having the same record.

Seattle will be one of these two while either Toronto or New York will join them in having a little break until next weekend.

3. Cleveland Guardians: 86-73

4. New York Yankees: 91-68 (Clinched playoff berth)

5. Boston Red Sox: 87-72

6. Detroit Tigers: 86-73

7. Houston Astros: 85-74

The Cleveland Guardians could frankly have their own entire newsletter given what they have done in the past month. After trailing by double-digit games heading into September, they have overtaken the Detroit Tigers at the top of the AL Central in one of the craziest runs we have seen in some time.

However, after Detroit’s win last night and Cleveland’s loss, this division is tied. The Guardians will have to maintain or beat the pace of the Tigers to maintain the division and third seed in the AL as they hold the tiebreaker.

Cleveland hosts Texas this weekend while Detroit in on the road facing a Boston team that is still fighting to secure a postseason berth as well.

The Boston Red Sox are no longer in play for the AL East, but they’re just one win away from clinching a Wild Card spot as they hold the tiebreak over Houston, who can win at most 88 games.

After being the best team in the AL for the past decade, the Houston Astros are on the outside looking in right now. They need to win out against the Angels while also needing some help from others to make it in this season.

National League

1. Milwaukee Brewers: 96-63 (Clinched NL Central and first-round bye)

2. Philadelphia Phillies: 94-65 (Clinched NL East and first-round bye)

These two teams have been a notch above the rest for a little while and have secured first round byes in the National League.

The Milwaukee Brewers are just one win or Philly loss away from locking up the top seed and home field advantage for the entire postseason. Assuming they hold onto this seed, it could lead to an incredible divisional battle in the NLDS…

Meanwhile, the Philadelphia Phillies are will more than likely remain the two seed and host the winner of the Dodgers and final Wild Card team. Side note…they brought in a known postseason stud recently and he has been shoving!

3. Los Angeles Dodgers: 90-69 (Clinched NL West and third seed)

4. Chicago Cubs: 89-70 (Clinched NL Wild Card)

5. San Diego Padres: 87-72 (Clinched NL Wild Card)

6. New York Mets: 82-77

7. Cincinnati Reds: 81-78

8. Arizona Diamondbacks: 80-79

This is where things start to get messy in the National League as it seems nobody has interest in running away with the final spot in the postseason.

The Los Angeles Dodgers are locked into the third seed, which means what could’ve been an awesome series in Seattle will now be quite relaxed for both teams.

The Wild Card matchup between the Chicago Cubs and San Diego Padres is set, but where that series will be played is not set yet. The Cubs lead by two games, but the Padres do hold the tiebreaker.

If San Diego makes up two games this weekend, they would become the host of this one. The more likely outcome is an epic matchup at Wrigley kicking off on Tuesday.

Then, the issue of this final spot. The New York Mets have had a brutal month, falling far in the standings and putting themselves in a high stakes position this weekend. If they can go into Miami and sweep the weekend, they’ll guarantee a playoff appearance.

However, the Cincinnati Reds hold the tiebreaker over New York and are just one game back. If the Reds can win one game more against the Brewers this weekend, then New York can win against Miami, they would surpass the Mets for the final spot.

Yet, somehow someway, the Arizona Diamondbacks are still alive as well even after selling off at the deadline this season! This makes no sense, but hey, snakes alive. They have a tough and unlikely path though as two wins from the Mets or the Reds would result in Arizona’s elimination from the playoffs.

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