Playoff race heats up as Braves' lead narrows and Phillies surge
The Atlanta Braves' NL East advantage has slipped to three games as the Philadelphia Phillies close in, while wild-card battles intensify in both leagues.
As summer wanes, Major League Baseball enters a crucial stretch with the Braves' NL East lead reduced to three games by a surging Phillies team that has won nine straight and now occupies the NL's second wild-card position. The division leaders in both leagues stay the same, yet the scramble for the final wild-card spots is heating up, notably in the American League. The article details the current playoff picture, including division winners and wild-card standings as of Monday, Aug. 24.
It also explains the postseason structure, noting that the top two division winners in each league receive byes, while the third division champion hosts the lowest-seeded wild-card team. Key dates from the season's end on Sept. 27 through the World Series start on Oct. 23 are provided.
Why it matters
Fans need to know which teams are still in contention as the regular season draws to a close.
In this story
