See the moment an MLB superstar showed up to play Wiffleball in the backyard
Kansas City Royals catcher Salvador Perez stops to join a group of children playing a backyard game of Wiffleball in Kansas City, Kansas.
USA Today
The 2024 Major League Baseball season has entered its penultimate week and the playoff spots are still wide open.
The wildcard race is heating up in both leagues, with some teams separated by just a few games. In the National League, the Arizona Diamondbacks, New York Mets and Atlanta Braves are battling for the second and third wildcard spots. They play on Tuesday, while Atlanta is left out.
“We’re definitely fighting to win, and it’s going to come down to one play, one pitch. And that’s what the playoffs are about,” Mets infielder Jose Iglesias said Monday. “It’s all going to come down to that one play. We just have to stick together. We have to pay attention to every detail, every single pitch, every single play.”
The playoffs begin on Tuesday, October 1, with the best-of-three wild-card series – two in each league.
Here is an overall look at the MLB postseason:
(Games played up to and including 17 September)
AL Wildcard Ranking
The top three reach the playoffs
- Baltimore Orioles (84-67): +4 games
- Kansas City Royals (82-70): +1.5 Games
- Minnesota Twins (80-71)
- Detroit Tigers (79-73): 1.5GB
- Seattle Mariners (77-74): 3GB
- Boston Red Sox (75-76): 5GB
NL Wildcard Ranking
The top three reach the playoffs
- San Diego Padres (86-66): +2.5 games
- New York Mets (83-68): NYM holds tiebreaker against AZ
- Arizona Diamondbacks (83-68)
- Atlanta Braves (81-70): 2GB
- Chicago Cubs (77-74): 5GB
AL East
- New York Yankees (88-63)
- Baltimore Orioles (84-67) – 4GB
AL Central
- Cleveland Guardians (87-65)
- Kansas City Royals (82-70) – 5GB
- Minnesota Twins (80-71) – 6.5GB
- Detroit Tigers (79-73) – 8GB
AL West
- Houston Astros (82-69)
- Seattle Mariners (77-74) – 5GB
NL East
- Philadelphia Phillies (91-60)
- New York Mets (83-68) – 8GB
- Atlanta Braves (81-70) – 10GB
NL Central
- Milwaukee Brewers (87-64)
- Chicago Cubs (77-74) – 10GB
NL West
- Los Angeles Dodgers (89-62)
- San Diego Padres (86-66) – 3.5GB
- Arizona Diamondbacks (83-68) – 6GB
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