One week out and the 2025 MLB Playoff picture is still absolute chaos

We’re officially inside the final week of the 2025 MLB regular season, and the playoff bracket is starting to take shape. A few heavy hitters have locked things up, but there’s still plenty of chaos brewing for the last couple of wild card spots.

National League: Phillies and Brewers on Top

The Brewers were first to clinch and still hold the best record in baseball, but the Phillies aren’t far behind. Philly wrapped up the NL East last weekend and snagged a first-round bye, which means Citizens Bank Park is going to be rocking deep into October.

The Phillies remain three games back of the Brewers for home field advantage throughout the postseason with just seven games left in the regular season.

The Dodgers already punched their ticket, and barring a collapse, they’ll finish as NL West champs. That leaves the Cubs, Padres, and Mets in line for wild card spots, but the Reds, Diamondbacks, and Giants aren’t done yet.

Cincinnati trails New York by just a game, Arizona by two, and the Giants are still technically alive. Basically, we’ve got a cage fight for that last ticket to October.

Phillies 3-games back of the Brewers for the 1-Seed

Phillies fall short in Arizona, drop 4-3 as D-Backs keep Wild Card hopes alive

NL Bracket If Season Ended Today

• Byes: Brewers (1), Phillies (2)
• WC Series: Dodgers (3) vs. Mets (6), Cubs (4) vs. Padres (5)

American League: Pure Chaos

The AL is absolute madness. The Blue Jays sit atop the East, but only barely, while the Yankees and Red Sox are fighting for wild card spots. The Tigers are holding the Central by a single game over Cleveland, and the Guardians are doing everything they can to make life miserable down the stretch.

Out West, the Mariners and Astros are in a slugfest for the division. Whoever blinks first is getting tossed into the wild card pool. And while Seattle and Houston sort things out, the Rangers are hanging on by a thread.

AL Bracket If Season Ended Today

• Byes: Blue Jays (1), Mariners (2)
• WC Series: Tigers (3) vs. Guardians (6), Yankees (4) vs. Red Sox (5)

Who’s Hot, Who’s Not

• Phillies: Took the East early and now hunting Milwaukee for the NL’s top seed. Citizens Bank Park in October is worth its weight in gold.
• Guardians: The AL’s best spoiler. They’re forcing Detroit to sweat out the Central.
• Diamondbacks: Still alive, still annoying. Zac Gallen is pitching like he’s trying to drag Arizona over the finish line by himself.
• Mets: Hanging onto that last NL wild card spot, but every loss tightens the noose with Cincinnati breathing down their neck.

The Odds

As of this week, the Phillies are World Series favorites at +450, followed closely by the Dodgers at +500. Milwaukee and Seattle sit at +700, with Toronto at +750. The Yankees (+900) round out the top six, while everyone else is fighting for oxygen.

The postseason starts September 30, and if this last week is anything like the first five months, we’re in for complete insanity. Phillies and Brewers are sitting pretty, but the wild card races? Total bloodbath.

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