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As Major League Baseball 2025 enters September, the playoff picture looks exciting and in shape but remains far from settled. This Labor Day weekend delivered a shake-up across both leagues, most notably the Texas Rangers roaring back into contention with a six-game winning streak and the Chicago Cubs carving into Milwaukee’s NL Central lead while tightening their grip on a wild card spot.
With just four weeks remaining in the regular season, every game carries postseason weight, and the wild card battles in particular look set to go down to the wire.This article throws light on the entire MLB 2025 playoff scenes, post the Labor Day weekend fixtures.
MLB 2025 updated Wild Card standings, bracket, and division races before playoffs
With the MLB 2025 postseason set to begin September 30, 2025, there’s little room for error and a lot of stakes riding on daily outcomes. Here's the latest on division standings, wild-card standings, and playoff odds.
Note that for the AL and NL Wild Card situations, top three reach playoffs.
American League Wild Card Standings
- New York Yankees (76-61):+3.5 games
- Boston Red Sox (77-62): +2.5 games
- Seattle Mariners (73-65)
- Texas Rangers (72-67): 1.5 GB
- Kansas City Royals (70-67): 2.5 GB
- Cleveland Guardians (68-68): 4 GB
- Tampa Bay Rays (68-69): 4.5 GB
The Rangers are the story of the week, riding a six-game winning streak to climb right behind the Mariners. Texas has been powered by resurgent pitching and timely hitting, with Adolis García and Corey Seager sparking the lineup.The Yankees, meanwhile, continue to live and die by the long ball. Their September schedule is brutal, with series against the Blue Jays, Astros, Tigers, and Red Sox, games that will prove whether they’re genuine contenders or just padding wins against weaker opponents.
The Mariners have cooled off after a hot July, dropping winnable games against Tampa Bay, while the Royals remain sneaky contenders thanks to Bobby Witt Jr.’s breakout year
National League Wild Card Standings
- Chicago Cubs (78-59): +5 games
- San Diego Padres (76-61): +3 games
- New York Mets (73–64)
- Cincinnati Reds (69-68): 4 GB
- San Francisco Giants (66-69): 5 GB
- Arizona Diamondbacks (68-70): 5.5 GB
- St. Louis Cardinals (68-70): 5.5 GB
The post-Labor Day games were nothing short of thrillers. A dramatic comeback win against the Rockies, capped by Carson Kelly’s game-tying homer and walk-off hit, highlighted their resilience. Chicago has cut-short Milwaukee’s division lead while creating separation in the wild-card race.
The Padres are steady but need consistency from their pitching staff. Fernando Tatís Jr. has rediscovered his power stroke at the right time, keeping San Diego’s offense dangerous.The Mets cling to the third spot, but with the Reds and Giants lurking, they’ll need big performances from Pete Alonso and Francisco Lindor to stay afloat.
MLB 2025 Division Leaders
AL East
- Toronto Blue Jays (79-59)
- New York Yankees (76-61): 2.5 GB
- Boston Red Sox (77-62): 3.5 GB
AL Central
- Detroit Tigers (80-59)
- Kansas City Royals (70-67): 9 GB
AL West
- Houston Astros (75-62)
- Seattle Mariners (73-65): 3 GB
- Texas Rangers (72-67): 4.5 GB
NL East
- Philadelphia Phillies (80-58)
- New York Mets (74-64): 6 GB
NL Central
- Milwaukee Brewers (85-54)
- Chicago Cubs (79-59): 5.5 GB
NL West
- Los Angeles Dodgers (78-59)
- San Diego Padres (76-62): 2.5 GB
Every series from here on out carries October implications. With the postseason set to begin September 30, fans can expect packed stadiums, scoreboard watching, and plenty of late-night drama.