MLB playoff tiebreakers: Postseason clinching scenarios for AL, NL teams in 2023

The days of a Game 163 are over. As of 2022, MLB now turns to a series of tiebreakers system to determine which teams head to the postseason and which ones are headed home — several of which could come into play as the 2023 season hits its final weekend. Here’s a full rundown of the current rules, as well as where things stand for every relevant team and playoff race.

List of MLB playoff tiebreakers

In the event teams are tied after Game 162, MLB will turn to its tiebreakers to decide the teams headed to the playoffs.

There is a set order for handling the ties:

The first tiebreaker is simple enough. If one team has a winning record against the other, that team gets the edge. It gets more complicated if there are three teams tied for the same spot. In that case, the head-to-head record would look first to see if one team has winning records against the other two. If two teams have identical records against each other, but both have winning records over the third team, those two teams would advance to intradivision records and the next wave of tiebreakers. If they are all still tied at that point, it looks at overall winning percentage against the tied teams; if the tie still exists, things move to intradivision records.

The intradivision tiebreaker applies even if the teamsin question play in separate divisions, e.g. the Cubs would look at their NL Central record while the Marlins would look to their NL East record.

Next things move to records for teams outside their own division, but still inside their own league. For example, the Cubs would look at their record against NL East and NL West teams, while the Marlins would look at their wins and losses against the NL Central and NL West.

The final two, and beyond, all involve intraleague games post-All-Star break. The first is teams’ records against all teams inside their league during the second half of the season. If there is still a tie from there, the tiebreaker would go back one further game on the schedule to see if that would resolve the tie. MLB would continue to look a game back in the intraleague records until it is resolved.

Current MLB tiebreaker scenarios

Heading into the final weekend of play, updated with games ending as of Sept. 28, here’s a look at how the tiebreakers are shaping up.

Head-to-head record

NL Wild Card

AL West

*Rangers have clinched the record against Seattle prior to season-ending series against Mariners.

AL Wild Card

*Rangers have clinched the record against Seattle prior to season-ending series against Mariners.

Intradivision records

NL Wild Card

*Cubs end season with a three-game series vs. Brewers

**Reds end season with a three-game series vs. Cardinals

AL West

*Rangers and Mariners end season with a four-game series against each other

AL Wild Card

*Blue Jays end season with a three-game series vs. Rays

**Rangers and Mariners end season with a four-game series against each other

Interdivision records

NL Wild Card

*Marlins end season with a three-game series with the Pirates

AL West

AL Wild Card

Last half of intraleague games

NL Wild Card

*Cubs end season with a three-game series with the Brewers

**Marlins end season with a three-game series with the Pirates

***Reds end season with a three-game series with the Cardinals

AL West

*Rangers and Mariners end season with a four-game series with each other

AL Wild Card

*Blue Jays end season with a three-game series vs. Rays

**Rangers and Mariners end season with a four-game series with each other

Last half of intraleague games plus one

NL Wild Card

*Cubs end season with a three-game series with the Brewers

**Marlins end season with a three-game series with the Pirates

***Reds end season with a three-game series with the Cardinals

AL West

*Rangers and Mariners end season with a four-game series with each other

AL Wild Card

*Blue Jays end season with a three-game series vs. Rays

**Rangers and Mariners end season with a four-game series with each other