Are Clayton Kershaw and Roki Sasaki the answer to Dodgers bullpen issues?
USA TODAY Sports’ Bob Nightengale breaks down the recent performances by Clayton Kershaw and Roki Sasaki out of the bullpen for the Dodgers.
Sports Pulse
As Major League Baseball heads into the final days of the season, there are still a few boxes to check when it comes to locking in the field for the 2025 postseason.
Most of the seeding in both leagues hasn’t been determined, and bids for the final wild-card spots are tight. In the American League, one of the Cleveland Guardians, Detroit Tigers and Houston Astros will be left on the outside looking in. And in the National League, the race for the final playoff spot is on between the New York Mets and Cincinnati Reds.
Here is every MLB team that has clinched a postseason berth, along with the magic numbers for teams to lock up a spot:
Who has clinched MLB playoff berth?
National League
Milwaukee Brewers – NL Central division and a bye to division series (Magic number to clinch NL No. 1 seed is 1 against Philadelphia Phillies)Philadelphia Phillies – NL East division and a bye to division seriesLos Angeles Dodgers – NL West division and No. 3 seedChicago Cubs – NL wild card (Magic number to clinch NL No. 4 seed is 1 against San Diego Padres)San Diego Padres – NL wild card
American League
MLB magic numbers to clinch division
Heading into games on Saturday, Sept. 27; Magic numbers count down with a win and/or a loss by team in parenthesis.
Toronto Blue Jays: 2 to win AL East (tied with New York Yankees, but they win the tiebreaker)Cleveland Guardians: 2 to win AL Central (tied with Detroit Tigers, but they win the tiebreaker)New York Yankees: 3 to win AL East (tied with Toronto Blue Jays, but they lose the tiebreaker)Detroit Tigers: 3 to win AL Central (tied with Cleveland Guardians, but they loser the tiebreaker)MLB magic numbers to clinch playoff berth
Heading into games on Saturday, Sept. 27; Magic numbers count down with a win and/or a loss by team in parenthesis.
Cleveland Guardians: 1 to clinch at least AL wild card (Houston Astros)Detroit Tigers: 1 to clinch at least AL wild card (Houston Astros)Cincinnati Reds: 2 to clinch NL wild card (New York Mets)New York Mets: 3 to clinch NL wild card (Cincinnati Reds)MLB playoff picture: Teams still alive
Heading into games on Saturday, Sept. 27; Elimination number counts down with each loss and/or win by team in parenthesis.
American League
Houston Astros (elimination number: 1 – Detroit Tigers)MLB playoff bracket
Heading into games on Saturday, Sept. 27.
National League
No. 1 Milwaukee Brewers: Home-field advantage throughout NL playoffs and World Series. Will host winner of No. 4 vs. No. 5 wild-card series in the NL Division Series.No. 2 Philadelphia Phillies: Will host winner of No. 3 vs. No. 6 wild-card series in NL Division Series.No. 6 Cincinnati Reds at No. 3 Los Angeles DodgersNo. 5 San Diego Padres vs. No. 4 Chicago Cubs
American League
No. 1 Toronto Blue Jays: Home-field advantage throughout AL playoffs. Will host winner of No. 4 vs. No. 5 wild-card series in the AL Division Series.No. 2 Seattle Mariners: Will host winner of No. 3 vs. No. 6 wild-card series in AL Division Series.No. 6 Detroit Tigers at No. 3 Cleveland GuardiansNo. 5 Boston Red Sox at No. 4 New York Yankees