MLB Playoffs Picture: M’s October hopes slipping
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Manuel Gómez, East Coast Contributor & Podcast Director
- September 26, 2022
Looking at the teams in the hunt for the 2022 MLB Playoff picture
The Seattle Mariners‘ stronghold on the third and final Wild Card spot is slipping away. Their five-game lead over the Baltimore Orioles last week is now down to four, and their chances at the MLB Playoffs are in peril.
After a 21-year hiatus, 2022 was looking like the season the Mariners would return to the playoffs. A successful free agency period prior to the season. A successful trade deadline showing seemed to indicate that the team was poised for a deep October run.
However, their last three series would have you believe otherwise. In those 10 games – all against sub-500 teams that are already eliminated from playoff contention – the Mariners were only able to muster up three wins. They also lost AL Rookie of the Year favorite Julio Rodriguez, who landed on the injured list Friday with a lower back strain.
Fortunately, the Mariners’ next 10 games are also against dreadful teams – the Rangers, Athletics, and Tigers. This should strike some confidence for their playoff chances.
If recent history has taught us anything, the Mariners should approach these games like a miniature postseason. Their fans can’t afford another baseball-less October.
A Few Changes to the MLB Playoffs
The MLB playoffs start on Oct. 7. To prepare for October and November baseball, here’s a comprehensive look at the MLB playoff picture.
Here, you will see exactly which teams are in the postseason, including their seeding, and which teams on the outside looking in are in the hunt.
The pool of teams has been expanded from 10 to 12 (six teams in each league). Division leaders will determine the top three seeds. The bottom three seeds will go to teams with the next best record.
The top two division leaders will receive byes in the first round. The other teams will play in four best-of-three series (two in each league).
The remaining division leader will enter the Wild Card Series and face the 6 seed.
Each Wild Card Series will determine who faces the 1 and 2 seed in the Division Series
The MLB Postseason Picture
Here’s a look at the MLB Postseason bracket of the regular season ended today.
American League
- Houston Astros (101-53)
- New York Yankees (94-58)
- Cleveland Guardians (86-67)
- Toronto Blue Jays (86-67)
- Tampa Bay Rays (84-69)
- Seattle Mariners (83-69)
National League
- Los Angeles Dodgers (106-47)
- New York Mets (97-57)
- St. Louis Cardinals (89-65)
- Atlanta Braves (95-58)
- San Diego Padres (85-68)
- Philadelphia Phillies (83-69)
Still in the MLB Playoff Hunt
Baltimore Orioles (4 games behind a playoff spot). The Orioles are for real. After coming within one run of taking three out of four games from the Houston Astros, they’ll have to settle for being four games behind in a playoff spot instead of three.
Whether Baltimore makes it to the playoffs or not, the season has been a successful one. Who would have thought that with 10 games left in the regular season, the O’s would still be in the hunt?
Milwaukee Brewers (1 1/2 games behind a playoff spot). Over the last 10 days, the Brewers caught a break. In that time, the Philadelphia Phillies have only won three games, shortening their lead over Milwaukee from four games in the loss column to two.
With 10 games remaining, the Brew Crew have a more favorable schedule than the Phils, but barely.
As it stands, they have a 20.2 percent chance of making the playoffs, according to ESPN. Their fate is in Philadelphia’s hands, which recent history tells us isn’t too bad of a thing.
Manuel Gómez
East Coast Contributor & Podcast Director
Manuel Gómez is a former Special Education teacher. He is a devout podcaster and baseball writer with strong Dominican roots.
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