Here is how the MLB postseason field would look like if the regular season were to end Monday, Aug. 23.
It felt like yesterday that the 2021 MLB season began. But now we are near the tail end of August, which means there is over a month remaining in the 162-game campaign. There have been plenty of surprises, such as the San Francisco Giants becoming the first team to win 80 games and the New York Yankees going from basement dwellers into legitimate contenders after the trade deadline.
With that in mind, just how exactly would the postseason bracket look like if the campaign were to end today, Aug. 23? Well, we have you covered.
MLB playoff bracket if season were to end today
First things first, the MLB will not have a 16-team field like they did last year in the 60-game, pandemic-shortened season. Instead, the postseason format will return to the 10-team format, with three division winners and two Wild Card teams in the American and National Leagues. The Wild Card teams will compete in a single win-or-go-home game and the winner will face the top seed in their respective league in the Division Series.
Here is how the American League field looks if the season were to end following the games that took place on Sunday, Aug. 22:
- AL Wild Card Game: Boston Red Sox at New York Yankees
- AL Division Series: (1) Tampa Bay Rays vs. Winner of Red Sox/Yankees
- AL Division Series: (2) Houston Astros vs. (3) Chicago White Sox
Now, here is the National League field:
- NL Wild Card Game: Cincinnati Reds at Los Angeles Dodgers
- NL Division Series: (1) San Francisco Giants vs. Winner of Reds/Dodgers
- NL Division Series: (2) Milwaukee Brewers vs. (3) Atlanta Braves
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