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    • Updated MLB playoff scenarios for Braves, Mets, Diamondbacks and other NL and AL teams
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    Updated MLB playoff scenarios for Braves, Mets, Diamondbacks and other NL and AL teams

    Vaseline Posted on

    The Braves and Mets can clinch a playoff spot on Sunday – and avoid a reunion in Atlanta on Monday.

    The Diamondbacks could be eliminated on Sunday – or force the Mets to fly to Georgia.

    Or it’s possible that none of the above will happen on Sunday – because of course it won’t.

    Anyway, with one day left in the season – for at least 30 of the 32 teams – no of the four matchups in the Wild Card Series, which begin in just two days, have been set.

    Is that wild enough for you? Let’s hope! Ahead of the final Sunday of the regular season, here’s a look at all the possibilities.

    The National League wildcard derby

    Believe it or not, they were still there eight different possible scenarios on Sunday. The important thing to remember is that if the Braves win on Sunday, they are in the game. But if the Mets and Diamondbacks both win, they’re in. not necessarily. Here are all eight possible options:

    Braves, Mets and Diamondbacks all win –If that happens, the Braves would gain a spot, but the Mets-Diamondbacks race would remain essentially the same. So the Mets and Braves should play at least one more game of their makeup doubleheader on Monday. If the Mets win Game 1, they’re in. If they lose, there would be a Game 2. In other words, the Mets would still have to win at least one game of the doubleheader to advance.

    Braves, Mets and Diamondbacks all lose – If all three lose, we have exactly the same scenario as above. The Braves gain a spot. The Mets would have to win at least one game of the makeup doubleheader to clinch their spot.

    Braves and Mets win, but Diamondbacks lose – If that happens, the Diamondbacks will be eliminated and there will be no games in Atlanta on Monday. The Braves would be the fifth seed in the NL and would face the Padres (locked as the fourth seed). The Mets would be the sixth seed and play the third-seeded Brewers.

    Braves and Diamondbacks win, but Mets lose – In this scenario, the Braves qualify, but still have to host the Mets on Monday. Then a Braves win in Game 1 on Monday would eliminate the Mets and the Diamondbacks would advance. A Mets win in Game 1 on Monday means Game 2 would determine whether the Mets or Diamondbacks advance.

    Braves win, but Mets and Diamondbacks lose – Then we are dealing with exactly the same situation as above. The Mets must play Game 1 on Monday – and win, or there will be a Game 2.

    Mets and Diamondbacks win, but Braves lose – This is basically your chaos scenario. Both games of the doubleheader should be played on Monday. The winner of Game 1 is in. The loser of Game 1 must play (and win) Game 2 to advance. If the loser of Game 1 is swept, the Diamondbacks are in.

    Mets win, but Braves and Diamondbacks lose – Then the Diamondbacks will be eliminated and there will be no games on Monday. The Braves would be the No. 5 seed, and the Mets would be the No. 6 seed, because the Braves hold the tiebreaker.

    Diamondbacks win, but Braves and Mets both lose – This is the only scenario the Diamondbacks could find themselves in today. They would then reach 89 wins, which would force the Mets to fly to Atlanta wipe the doubleheader Monday. If the Braves win either game, they would advance and the Mets would be eliminated.

    There you go. Do you have it? All we know for sure is that the Dodgers are the No. 1 seed in the NL and the Phillies are the No. 2 seed, so they’re both holding byes for this round. Everything else is completely unknown.

    The most likely matchups in the NL Wild Card Series are Braves-Padres, with all three games in San Diego, and Mets-Brewers, with all three games in Milwaukee. But ‘probably’ didn’t describe anything about this race. So theoretically we’ll know on Sunday night – which undoubtedly means we won’t know until Monday night.

    The American League wild card scenarios

    Here’s what we know: The Yankees and Guardians are the one and two seeds, respectively, so they have byes. The Astros and Orioles are the three and four seeds. So they’re hosting all three games of the AL Wild Card Series…against someone.

    But then there are the Tigers and Royals. It’s the final two wild card teams, but we still don’t know who is No. 5 and who is No. 6. Here’s how that could go.

    Tigers win on Sunday — Then they are number 5 and they go to Baltimore.

    Royals lose on Sunday — Then they are number 6 and they go to Houston.

    Tigers and Royals both lose on Sunday – The Tigers are still the No. 5 seed.

    Tigers lose, but Royals win – This is the only scenario in which the Royals would be the No. 5 seed. Kansas City and Detroit would each finish the season at 86-76. But the Royals hold the tiebreaker, thanks to a three-run rally in the ninth inning in Detroit on Aug. 4 that secured the season series for KC. The Tigers were a very different team then, but they could still be haunted by their former selves if Sunday turns out to be the case.

    (Photo: David J. Griffin/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images)

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