The MLB playoff picture is starting to tighten, and the wild card races remain the easiest place for the standings to change in a hurry.
With division leaders trying to create separation and bubble teams fighting to stay above the cut line, the American League and National League wild-card standings carry major postseason implications every day. A single series can swing a team from holding a playoff spot to looking up at the field, especially with several contenders clustered closely together in the race for October.
With weeks still left on the schedule, there is plenty of room for movement among teams currently in playoff position, teams just outside the field and clubs trying to turn a late-season push into a playoff berth.
Here's the latest MLB wild card standings and playoff picture, including teams on each side of the postseason cut line, heading into prime-time action on Monday, Aug. 17.
MORE: Five series that could impact MLB playoff race, including a Chicago showdown
MLB playoff picture: Who would make playoffs if season ended today?
American League playoff field
- 1. Tampa Bay Rays (East leader) — 74-49
- 2. Chicago White Sox (Central leader) — 65-58
- 3. Houston Astros (West leader) — 63-62
- 4. New York Yankees (No. 1 wild card) — 69-55
- 5. Boston Red Sox (No. 2 wild card) — 65-58
- 6. Baltimore Orioles (No. 3 wild card) — 61-63
National League playoff field
- 1. Milwaukee Brewers (Central leader) — 77-48
- 2. Atlanta Braves (East leader) — 74-50
- 3. Los Angeles Dodgers (West leader) — 74-51
- 4. Chicago Cubs (No. 1 wild card) — 72-53
- 5. Philadelphia Phillies (No. 2 wild card) — 67-58
- 6. San Diego Padres (No. 3 wild card) — 67-58
Current matchups in American League
- Orioles at Astros; Red Sox at Yankees
- Rays and White Sox would have byes to AL division series
Current matchups in National League
- Padres at Dodgers; Phillies at Cubs
- Brewers and Braves would have byes to NL division series
American League wild card standings
Top three wild card teams make the postseason:
- New York Yankees — 69-55 (+8 games)
- Boston Red Sox — 66-58 (+5 games)
- Baltimore Orioles — 61-63 (—)
- Texas Rangers — 61-64 (½ game back)
- Toronto Blue Jays — 61-65 (1 game back)
- Detroit Tigers — 60-64 (1 game back)
- Minnesota Twins — 60-65 (1½ games back)
- Cleveland Guardians — 60-65 (1½ games back)
- Seattle Mariners — 59-66 (2½ games back)
National League wild card standings
Top three wild card teams make the postseason:
- Chicago Cubs — 72-53 (+5 games)
- Philadelphia Phillies — 67-58 (—)
- San Diego Padres — 67-58 (—)
- Arizona Diamondbacks — 66-59 (1 game back)
- Miami Marlins — 64-61 (3 games back)
- St. Louis Cardinals — 64-61 (3 games back)
- Pittsburgh Pirates — 61-65 (6½ games back)
- Cincinnati Reds — 59-65 (7½ games back)
- Washington Nationals — 60-66 (7½ games back)
MLB wild card tiebreaker rules
Ties between two teams, per MLB.com:
- Head-to-head record
- Intradivision record
- Intraleague record
- Last half of intraleague games: These are the records from intraleague games after the All-Star break.
- Last half of intraleague games plus one: Previous intraleague game on the schedule before All-Star break is used and process is repeated until tie is resolved.
When do MLB playoffs start?
- Wild-card series: Tuesday, Sept. 29 through Thursday, Oct. 1
- Division series: Saturday, Oct. 3 through Saturday, Oct. 10
- Championship series: Sunday, Oct. 11 through Tuesday, Oct. 20
- World Series: Friday, Oct. 23 through Saturday, Oct. 31
This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: MLB wild card standings today: Who would complete playoff field?