Everything at stake on the final day of the 2023 MLB regular season

It seems like just yesterday that pitchers and catchers were reporting for Spring Training. But the MLB playoffs are now right around the corner: We’ve reached the final day of the 2023 regular season, while the Wild Card Round begins in a couple of days on Tuesday, Oct. 3. Saturday was a huge day for sorting through the chaos of the playoff picture, with all five unsettled postseason spots getting filled. Just because we know who will be moving on to October doesn’t mean there’s no longer anything to settle, though: There are still seeding questions we need answered, and, oh yeah, there’s still a division on the line out west. As we get set for Game 162, here’s everything at stake on baseball’s final regular-season Sunday.

MLB playoff picture entering Sunday, October 1

American League

Here is what is locked in entering the season’s final day:

• Orioles: Clinched the AL East and the No. 1 seed in the AL.
• Twins: Clinched the AL Central and are locked into the No. 3 seed in the AL. They will host a Wild Card series against the No. 6 seed.
• Rays: Clinched the top AL Wild Card spot — the No. 4 seed overall — and will host a Wild Card series against the No. 5 seed.
• Rangers: Clinched a playoff berth with a win on Saturday.
• Blue Jays: Clinched a playoff berth on Saturday.
• Astros: Clinched a playoff berth on Saturday.

Who will take home the AL West, the Astros or Rangers? Will the Blue Jays wrap up the fifth seed, or will they fall down to sixth — and which of those does Toronto actually want? Let’s break it all down.

Tampa Bay Rays at Toronto Blue Jays, 3:07 p.m. ET

Texas Rangers at Seattle Mariners, 3:10 p.m. ET

Houston Astros at Arizona Diamondbacks, 3:10 p.m. ET

Toronto could’ve wrapped up the fifth seed Saturday night, but they stubbed their toe against Tampa. Now the Jays have a decision to make: Win Sunday to try and lock in a date with these same Rays in the Wild Card Round, or lose and — provided the Astros beat the D-backs on Sunday (Toronto holds the head-to-head tiebreaker over Houston) — get a potentially easier matchup as the sixth seed against the AL Central-winning Twins? Of course, even if the Jays do win here, the fifth seed isn’t guaranteed: If Texas, Toronto and Houston all finish at 90-72 — which would require a Rangers loss and wins by the Jays and ‘Stros — head-to-head tiebreakers would give the AL West to Houston and the fifth seed to Texas, knocking Toronto down to sixth anyway.

Speaking of Texas, the math here is now very simple after the Rangers conquered Luis Castillo on Saturday night: Win one more, and the west is theirs. If they lose, however, things get hairy; after losing the season series to the Astros, they would need Houston to also lose on Sunday in order to avoid dropping down to the fifth seed.

National League

Here is what is locked in:

• Braves: Clinched the NL East, the No. 1 seed in the NL, and home-field advantage through the World Series.
• Dodgers: Clinched the NL West and the No. 2 seed in the NL.
• Brewers: Clinched the NL Central and will be the No. 3 seed in the NL. They will host a Wild Card series against the No. 6 seed.
• Phillies: Clinched the No. 1 NL Wild Card and will host a Wild Card series against the No. 5 seed.
• Marlins: Clinched a Wild Card berth with a win on Saturday.
• D-backs: Clinched a Wild Card berth on Saturday.

Miami Marlins at Pittsburgh Pirates, 3:05 p.m. ET

Houston Astros at Arizona Diamondbacks, 3:10 p.m. ET

The picture in the NL is simpler, with the top four seeds all already decided. MLB has already announced that they will not force the Marlins to fly back to New York to finish Thursday’s postponed game with the Mets, meaning Miami will only play 155 games this regular season. If the Marlins win the last of those on Sunday in Pittsburgh, they lock in the fifth seed and a matchup against the division-rival Phillies in the Wild Card Round. Lose, and that opens the door for Arizona to win on Sunday and take the fifth seed for themselves — avoiding the Brewers in the process.