The 2022 MLB postseason is just around the corner, and all 12 teams have already secured their playoff berths well before the final day of the regular season. This year's race has been highly competitive, with the Los Angeles Dodgers leading the pack by clinching the season's first playoff spot. Let's take a closer look at the teams that made it and what's next for them.
The Playoff Matchups
In the American League, the Wild Card matchups will feature the Tampa Bay Rays facing off against the Cleveland Guardians, while the Seattle Mariners will take on the Toronto Blue Jays. On the other hand, the Houston Astros will await the winners of the Wild Card round, while the New York Yankees will face either the Mariners or the Blue Jays.
Over in the National League, the Wild Card games will see the Philadelphia Phillies challenging the St. Louis Cardinals, and the San Diego Padres going head-to-head with the New York Mets. The winners of these games will then move on to meet the Atlanta Braves and the reigning champions, the Los Angeles Dodgers, respectively.
The Los Angeles Dodgers secured the season's first playoff berth - L.A.'s 10th straight trip to the postseason - on Sept. 12 and followed that by clinching the NL West with a win in Arizona the next day.
The Road to the Playoffs
Let's take a quick look at some of the other teams that have made it into the postseason:
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Houston Astros: The Astros secured their playoff spot early on and followed it up by clinching the AL West title, their fifth division crown in the past six seasons.
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New York Mets: The Mets clinched a playoff spot after Max Scherzer's remarkable 200th career win in Milwaukee. This marks their first appearance in the postseason since 2016.
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Atlanta Braves: The defending champions clinched a return to the playoffs shortly after the Mets and secured their fifth consecutive NL East crown.
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New York Yankees: The Yankees secured their sixth straight playoff berth with a memorable walk-off win over the Red Sox. They then sealed the AL East title with a crucial victory against the Toronto Blue Jays.
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Cleveland Guardians: The Guardians clinched the AL Central title for the first time since 2018, completing a remarkable journey to the postseason.
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St. Louis Cardinals: The Cardinals emerged victorious in a crucial battle against the Brewers, claiming the NL Central title and securing their place in the playoffs.
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Toronto Blue Jays: Despite not playing a game on the day, the Blue Jays clinched a wild-card berth with an Orioles loss on September 29th.
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Seattle Mariners: Ending the sport's longest postseason drought, the Mariners secured their wild-card spot with a thrilling walk-off victory. They will be making their first playoff appearance since 2001.
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Tampa Bay Rays: The Rays extended their franchise's longest postseason streak and secured their eighth playoff appearance since 2008, on the same day as the Mariners.
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San Diego Padres: Despite a loss to the White Sox, the Padres clinched their first playoff berth in a full season since 2006, thanks to Milwaukee's loss to Miami.
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Philadelphia Phillies: The Phillies ended their 11-year playoff drought by securing the season's final playoff berth.
The Houston Astros became the second team to clinch a postseason berth on Sept. 16 and followed it up by clinching the AL West title, which is Houston's fifth division crown in the past six seasons, on Sept. 19.
The Playoff Schedule
With the 12-team field locked in, let's take a look at the upcoming playoff schedule:
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Wild Card Series: These best-of-three series will be held at the better seed's stadium. The first game will take place on Friday, October 7th, followed by the second game on Saturday, October 8th. If necessary, a third game will be played on Sunday, October 9th.
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Division Series: These best-of-five series will set the stage for the League Championship Series. The ALDS and NLDS will begin on Tuesday, October 11th, with subsequent games scheduled throughout mid-October.
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League Championship Series: The best-of-seven series will determine the American League and National League champions. The ALCS will commence on Wednesday, October 19th, while the NLCS will start on Tuesday, October 18th.
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World Series: The best-of-seven series will showcase the ultimate showdown between the AL and NL champions. The first game is set for Friday, October 28th, with subsequent games played throughout November.
Let the excitement begin! Buckle up and get ready for an unforgettable MLB postseason.
