MLB playoffs: Games to watch, races left undecided on season's final day

The 2025 Major League Baseball season has hit its final day, and there are several playoff races left to be decided.

A pair of division titles are still up for grabs in the American League, while a wild card spot in the National League still remains unclaimed thanks to a tie between the New York Mets and Cincinnati Reds.

In fact, three of the four wild card round series have yet to be locked in, with only the Chicago Cubs and San Diego Padres having locked in their final seeding for those series beginning on Tuesday.

Here’s what you need to know entering the final day of the regular season.

What races haven’t been decided?

The American League East and the American League Central remain undecided headed into the final day of the regular season, as does the final wild card spot in the National League.

In the AL East, the Toronto Blue Jays and New York Yankees enter Sunday with identical 93-68 records. The Blue Jays hold the tiebreaker over the Yankees, and can clinch the top spot in the American League with a win over the Tampa Bay Rays.

Whichever team fails to win the division will secure the top wild card spot in the American League.

The Boston Red Sox need to win their game Sunday in order to secure the second wild card spot in the American League.

In the AL Central, the Cleveland Guardians and Detroit Tigers have matching 87-74 records entering play Sunday. The Guardians, who hold the tiebreaker, can clinch the division with a win over the Texas Rangers. The Tigers take on the Red Sox in Boston to wrap up the season.

Whichever team wins the division will host the other in the wild card round, as the Seattle Mariners have already locked up the second seed in the American League.

The Red Sox will be the second wild card team if they finish ahead of, or tied with, the Guardians, but would drop to the third wild card spot if they end up in a tie with the Tigers.

Things are a bit more settled in the National League. The Milwaukee Brewers have earned the top record in baseball and will have home-field advantage throughout the postseason, with the Philadelphia Phillies winning the National League East and earning the other bye into the Division Series.

The Los Angeles Dodgers have clinched the National League West, but are still awaiting their first-round playoff opponent. That race has come down to the Cincinnati Reds and New York Mets, both of whom enter the final day of the regular season with identical 83-78 records.

If the Reds can beat the Brewers on Sunday, they would clinch the wild card spot, and would face the Dodgers beginning Tuesday. If the Reds lose, the Mets would clinch the wild card spot if they can beat the Miami Marlins.

The other wild card series will feature the Chicago Cubs hosting the San Diego Padres at Wrigley Field beginning on Tuesday.

When do the playoffs start?

The wild card round, which will feature two best-of-three series in each league, will get underway on Tuesday, and will continue through Thursday if necessary.

Only one of the four series has been locked in, as the Cubs will take on the Padres at Wrigley Field.

The Dodgers will also be hosting a wild card series in the National League, facing either the Reds or the Mets beginning Tuesday.

The sites of the American League series remain in the air, with the Guardians, Tigers, Blue Jays and Yankees all still potentially hosting those series. Either the Blue Jays or Yankees will earn a first-round bye, while the Red Sox still have to see which team they’ll be traveling to play beginning on Tuesday.

The Division Series round will get underway on Saturday, October 4, with the Brewers, Phillies and Mariners all hosting series. Either the Blue Jays or Yankees will host the fourth series.

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