Cal Raleigh and Aaron Judge going for history as AL playoff picture continues to form
USA TODAY Sports’ Gabe Lacques breaks down the storylines to watch in the AL as the MLB seasons winds down.
Sports Pulse
With Andrew Abbott and Elly De La Cruz leading the way, the Cincinnati Reds are trying to return to the MLB playoffs for the first time in five seasons and the first time in a 162-game season since 2013.
This is how things stand entering play on Sunday, Sept. 21:
What is the Reds’ magic number to make the 2025 MLB postseason?Reds’ elimination number for final NL wild card: 8 (Cincinnati trails the New York Mets by one game but owns the tiebreaker having won the season series.)Latest MLB standingsAmerican League:
AL East:
Toronto Blue Jays: 89-66New York Yankees: 87-68Boston Red Sox: 85-70e-Tampa Bay Rays: 75-80e-Baltimore Orioles: 73-82
AL Central:
Detroit Tigers: 85-70Cleveland Guardians: 84-71Kansas City Royals: 78-77e-Minnesota Twins: 66-89e-Chicago White Sox: 58-97
AL West:
Seattle Mariners: 86-69Houston Astros: 84-71Texas Rangers: 79-76e-Athletics: 73-82e-Los Angeles Angels: 70-85
AL Wild Card:
New York Yankees: 87-68Boston Red Sox: 85-70Cleveland Guardians: 84-71Houston Astros: 84-71Texas Rangers: 79-76Kansas City Royals: 78-77National League:
NL East:
y-Philadelphia Phillies: 92-63New York Mets: 80-75Miami Marlins: 75-80e-Atlanta Braves: 72-83e-Washington Nationals: 63-92
NL Central:
x-Milwaukee Brewers: 95-60x-Chicago Cubs: 88-67Cincinnati Reds: 79-76St. Louis Cardinals: 75-80e-Pittsburgh Pirates: 66-89
NL West:
x-Los Angeles Dodgers: 88-67San Diego Padres: 84-71Arizona Diamondbacks: 78-77San Francisco Giants: 76-79e-Colorado Rockies: 42-113
NL Wild Card:
x-Chicago Cubs: 88-67San Diego Padres: 84-71New York Mets: 80-75Cincinnati Reds: 79-76Arizona Diamondbacks: 78-77San Francisco Giants: 76-79St. Louis Cardinals: 75-80Miami Marlins: 75-80
y-clinched playoff berth
x-clinched division
e-eliminated from playoff contention
When do the MLB playoffs start?
The regular season ends Sunday, Sept. 28, and the Wild Card Series begins with four games on Tuesday, Sept. 30.