MLB Playoff Picture 2024: Updated Bracket as Phillies Clinch Bye, Rays Eliminated

Paul KasabianFeatured Columnist IISeptember 26, 2024

Bleacher Report

The Philadelphia Phillies have clinched a bye past the National League Wild Card series after their 9-6 win over the Chicago Cubs.

MLB @MLBThe @Phillies clinch a first-round bye and home-field in the NLDS. pic.twitter.com/7mc05M33t3

The Boston Red Sox and Tampa Bay Rays have also been eliminated from postseason contention.

FOX Sports: MLB @MLBONFOXThe Boston Red Sox have been eliminated from Postseason contention pic.twitter.com/so4eiSknkR

FOX Sports: MLB @MLBONFOXThe Rays will miss the playoffs for the first time since 2018 pic.twitter.com/Q6ZAXly5Zq

Here’s a look at the current playoff projected based off standings as of 10:30 p.m. ET on Wednesday.

Projected American League Playoff Matchups

First-round bye: * No. 1 New York Yankees, * No. 2 Cleveland GuardiansWild Card Series: * No. 3 Houston Astros vs. No. 6 Detroit Tigers; * No. 4 Baltimore Orioles vs. No. 5 Kansas City RoyalsProjected National League Playoff Matchups

First-round bye: * No. 1 Los Angeles Dodgers, * No. 2 Philadelphia Phillies Wild Card Series: * No. 3 Milwaukee Brewers vs. No. 6 Arizona Diamondbacks; * No. 4 San Diego Padres vs. No. 5 New York Mets* Clinched playoff spot.

The Phillies have knocked on the door of a World Series victory each of the past two years. In 2022, the Phils reached the World Series but fell in six games to the Houston Astros. In 2023, Philadelphia was upset by the Arizona Diamondbacks in the National League Championship Series, falling in seven games.

Philadelphia finds itself in position to make another run to the Fall Classic. The team has a chance at earning homefield advantage throughout the entire playoffs (including the World Series). After the win over the Cubs, the 94-65 Phils had a .591 winning percentage, just .001 behind the 93-64 Los Angeles Dodgers.

Both teams have a good chance to finish strong.

The Phillies close the regular season on the road against the 69-89 Washington Nationals. L.A. ends the year with a three-game series at the 60-win Colorado Rockies.

Meanwhile, in the American League East, the Rays and Red Sox’s faint playoff hopes have come to an end.

Tampa Bay earned playoff berths each of the past five seasons, but this was a down year for a team that couldn’t overcome its hitting woes (second-last in the American League in OPS, runs and home runs).

The Red Sox have now missed the playoffs five of the past six seasons after winning the 2018 World Series. The Sox were 10 games over .500 at the All-Star break but stumbled in the second half, even falling under .500 for the year multiple times in September before a recent four-game winning streak.

There’s still a bunch left to decide in MLB as the final regular-season week nears its end, including the final two playoff teams in each league and the AL and NL’s top two seeds.