Brewers, Rays Hold No. 1 Seeds as 6 MLB Teams Sit Effectively Out by September
Updated
Updated · CBS Sports · Sep 1
Brewers, Rays Hold No. 1 Seeds as 6 MLB Teams Sit Effectively Out by September
3 articles · Updated · CBS Sports · Sep 1
Summary
September opens with Tampa Bay and Milwaukee atop the playoff bracket, while the Dodgers and White Sox currently hold the other first-round byes.
82-win division leaders are separating slightly from the pack: the Rays lead the Yankees by 4.5 games, the Braves lead the Phillies by 4, and the Brewers have stretched their NL Central edge over the Cubs to 7.
Wild-card races remain the tightest front, with Cleveland holding the AL's last spot by 0.5 game over Baltimore and 1.5 over Toronto and Texas.
The NL race is similarly cramped: San Diego owns the final berth by 0.5 game over Arizona, while Miami sits 4 back and several clubs remain alive entering the final month.
Only six teams—the Angels, Athletics, Nationals, Mets, Giants and Rockies—appear effectively out, underscoring how broad but muddled the 2026 postseason chase remains.