Previewing the 2026 Major League Baseball playoffs.
A number of former American Legion Baseball players will be on the field and in the dugouts as the 2026 Major League Baseball playoffs begin Sept. 29.
Here’s a look at each of the 12 playoff teams and some of the key Legion Baseball alumni competing in the postseason.
American League
1. Tampa Bay Rays (98-64). The Rays won the AL East title for the first time since 2021 and earned homefield through the AL playoffs. Manager Kevin Cash (Post 111/Tampa, Fla.) has Tampa Bay in the postseason for the sixth time in his 12 seasons leading the club. The Rays will face either the New York Yankees or Boston Red Sox in the ALDS beginning Oct. 3.
2. Cleveland Guardians (85-77). The Guardians won their third straight AL Central title and earned a first-round bye as the No. 2 seed. They’ll face either the Houston Astros or Chicago White Sox in the ALDS.
3. Houston Astros (81-81). The Astros became the first MLB team to win a division title without a winning record after winning the AL West for the fifth time in six seasons. They’ll host the Chicago White Sox in the AL Wild Card round. Houston won the season series 5-2.
4. New York Yankees (93-68). The Yankees will face the Red Sox in the Wild Card round in the seventh postseason series between the rivals. New York went 7-6 against Boston in the regular season.
5. Boston Red Sox (87-75). The Red Sox overcame a 2-8 start to qualify for the postseason, earning a trip to Yankee Stadium for the Wild Card round.
6. Chicago White Sox (84-78). After consecutive 100-loss seasons, the White Sox came within a game of winning the AL Central but will settle for a Wild Card trip to Houston.
National League
1. Milwaukee Brewers (103-59). The Brewers won their fourth straight NL Central title and finished with the best record in the major leagues. They’ll face either the San Diego Padres or Chicago Cubs in the NLDS.
2. Los Angeles Dodgers (100-62). The Dodgers are vying for a third straight World Series championship. Their playoff run will start with an NLDS matchup against the Atlanta Braves or Philadelphia Phillies.
3. Atlanta Braves (94-68). The Braves return to the postseason after winning the NL East. They’ll host the division rival Philadelphia Phillies in the Wild Card round. DH/OF Mike Yastrzemski (Andover, Mass.) has 12 home runs and 41 RBIs for the Braves this season.
4. San Diego Padres (91-71). The Padres reached the postseason for the third year in a row for the first time in franchise history, They’ll host the Chicago Cubs in the Wild Card round, with P Michael King (Post 74/Warwick, R.I.) starting Game 1 on Tuesday. He’s 12-10 with a 3.21 ERA this season.
5. Chicago Cubs (89-73). The Cubs will head to San Diego for the Wild Card round. 3B/DH Alex Bregman (Albuquerque, N.M.) returned for the final weekend after sustaining facial fractures from a foul ball; he batted .265 with 28 HRs and 93 RBIs in his first season with the Cubs. P Aaron Civale (Post 36/Windsor Locks, Conn.) should be available for relief appearances this postseason.
6. Philadelphia Phillies (88-74). The Phillies nearly blew a substantial lead in the standings but managed to win when they needed it to keep their season going. Manager Don Mattingly (Post 8/Evansville, Ind.) is 79-55 since replacing Rob Thomson after the Phillies’ 9-19 start. His lineup includes four starters who played Legion Baseball, including C J.T. Realmuto (Post 170/Midwest City, Okla.), 2B Bryson Stott (Las Vegas), 3B Alec Bohm (Post 1/Omaha, Neb.), and RF Bryce Harper (Las Vegas).
Special guests. The 2026 American Legion World Series champions from Lincoln (Neb.) Carpet Land Post 500 are expected to attend Game 2 of the MLB World Series.
The World Series finalist with the best regular-season record will host Game 2 on Oct. 24.
- Baseball