2025 Magic Number Tracker: Counting Down to the MLB Playoffs
Breaking down the magic (and tragic) numbers for every team in the NL and AL postseason races.
A magic number represents the number of games a team needs to win – or their closest opponent needs to lose – for that team to clinch a playoff spot, a division title, a first-round bye, or home-field advantage in any given postseason series.
Tracking your favorite team’s magic numbers is a nice and easy way to follow their postseason chase down the stretch. If their magic number is still in the double digits with less than two weeks remaining in the season, you know it’s going to be a close race.
On the other hand, once their magic number gets down to one or two, it’s time to start preparing for a champagne celebration.
Unfortunately, it’s not always easy to find magic numbers. They aren’t listed on the standings at MLB.com, and anything you see on social media will quickly become out of date.
With that in mind, Just Baseball has put together this simple Magic Number Tracker that we’ll update every weekday for the rest of the regular season.
Do you need to know how close the Blue Jays are to securing their first AL East title in a decade?
We’ve got you covered.
Note: The tiebreaking rules introduced in the latest CBA can sometimes complicate magic numbers. If something seems off, it’s likely due to the various effects of multi-way ties and tiebreakers.
See below for tables with the head-to-head records of all contending teams in the NL and AL.
National League Magic Numbers
Magic numbers as of games on September 27, 2025.
Chicago Cubs Magic Numbers
- To clinch homefield in the Wild Card: 0
- To clinch a playoff spot: 0
By winning on Saturday, the Chicago Cubs moved to 91-70 on the season. The Padres can at most win 90 games, which means the Cubs have officially locked up the No. 4 seed in the playoffs. They will host San Diego in the Wild Card round.
Cincinnati Reds Tragic Number
- To clinch a playoff spot: 1
The Reds went into Friday night trailing the New York Mets by a game in the Wild Card race, but since they own the tiebreaker, their tragic number was set a three with three games left to play.
They went on to beat the Brewers in Game 1 of their final series, which, paired with the Mets losing to the Marlins, has put the Reds back on top.
Both teams won on Saturday, which brings them into the final game of the season tied up at 83-68. If the Reds win, they make it to the playoffs. If the Mets win and the Reds lose, the Mets make it to the playoffs. And if both teams lose, the Reds make it as they own the tiebreaker.
Los Angeles Dodgers Magic Numbers
- To clinch the NL West: 0
- To clinch a playoff spot: 0
Unable to catch the Brewers or the Phillies for a first-round bye, the Dodgers will host whoever grabs the final Wild Card spot in a series at Dodgers Stadium next week.
This is the first time the Dodgers will play in the Wild Card under the new format, as their last Wild Card appearance came back in 2021, as one of the two Wild Card teams that played in the do-or-die game.
The Dodgers beat the Cardinals in that game and have won the division in every other year dating back to 2013. They have not been eliminated from before the NLDS in any season since then.
Milwaukee Brewers Magic Numbers
- To clinch a first-round bye: 0
- To clinch the NL Central: 0
- To clinch a playoff spot: 0
The Brewers are the NL Central champions once again. After clinching their playoff spot with a victory over the Cardinals earlier this month, they clinched their division last Sunday. While the Brewers lost to the Cardinals, the Cubs lost to the Reds, officially guaranteeing that the Brew Crew would win the NL Central for the third year in a row.
On top of that, the Brewers clinched a first-round bye by clinching their division. The highest win total the NL West-leading Dodgers could get to this season is 93, and the Brewers are already at 96.
The Phillies are sitting at 95 wins with one game left to play, but since the Brewers own the tiebreaker, they will have home-field advantage throughout the playoffs regardless of what happens today.
Philadelphia Phillies Magic Numbers
- To clinch a first-round bye: 0
- To clinch the NL East: 0
- To clinch a playoff spot: 0
Sitting at 95-66, the Philadelphia Phillies have the second-best record in MLB. They have locked up the NL East, and after winning on Wednesday night, they have secured their first-round bye as well. The Phillies be the No. 2 seed on the NL side of the playoff bracket.
San Diego Padres Magic Number
- To clinch a playoff spot: 0
The Padres are locked into the No. 5 seed on the NL side of the playoff bracket.
New York Mets Magic Number
- Elimination number: 1
By winning on Thursday night, the New York Mets kept their fate in their own hands heading into the final weekend of the season. The Reds sat one game back after beating the Pirates.
Unfortunately for the Mets, a devastating loss to the Marlins on Friday night has their season on the brink. The Reds won to draw even with the Mets in the standings, and they also hold the tiebreaker over the Mets.
Again, the Mets need to both win their final game and they need the Reds to lose, otherwise they will be eliminated from the 2025 MLB playoffs.
Arizona Diamondbacks Tragic Number
- Eliminated
Miami Marlins Tragic Number
- Eliminated
St. Louis Cardinals Tragic Number
- Eliminated
San Francisco Giants Tragic Number
- Eliminated
National League Head-to-Head Records for Tiebreakers
| TEAM | vs. MIL | vs. CHC | vs. LAD | vs. NYM | vs. SDP | vs. PHI | vs. CIN |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Brewers | — | 6-7 | 6-0 | 4-2 | 2-4 | 4-2 | 7-5 |
| Cubs | 7-6 | — | 4-3 | 2-4 | 3-3 | 2-4 | 5-8 |
| Dodgers | 3-4 | 3-4 | — | 3-4 | 9-4 | 2-4 | 5-1 |
| Mets | 2-4 | 4-2 | 4-3 | — | 2-4 | 7-6 | 2-4 |
| Padres | 4-2 | 3-3 | 4-9 | 4-2 | — | 3-3 | 2-4 |
| Phillies | 2-4 | 4-2 | 4-2 | 6-7 | 3-3 | — | 3-3 |
| Reds | 5-7 | 8-5 | 1-5 | 4-2 | 4-2 | 3-3 | — |
American League Magic Numbers
Magic numbers as of games on September 27, 2025.
Boston Red Sox Magic Number
- To clinch a playoff spot: 0
The Boston Red Sox beat the Detroit Tigers on Friday night, and in doing so, they officially locked up their American League Wild Card spot.
The Yankees and the Blue Jays are still battling it out for the AL East title, with the winner set to receive a first-round bye, and the loser, likely a date with the Red Sox in the Wild Card round.
As of now, the Red Sox to have the No. 5 seed, as they have a game lead on both the Detroit Tigers and the Cleveland Guardians. However, both teams own the tiebreaker over the Red Sox.
With the Tigers playing head-to-head with the Red Sox, if Detroit wins, that means the Red Sox lose. If that happens, and the Guardians win as well, the Red Sox would drop to the No. 6 seed.
The Guardians own the tiebreaker over the Tigers, so they take the division, and the Tigers own the tiebreaker over the Red Sox, so they get the No. 5 seed.
Regardless of the results, the Red Sox will be playing on the road in the AL Wild Card round.
Toronto Blue Jays Magic Numbers
- To clinch a first-round bye: 1
- To clinch the AL East: 1
- To clinch a playoff spot: 0
The Blue Jays clinched a playoff berth with a win last Sunday, and they’re in the driver’s seat to win the AL East.
Both the Blue Jays and the Yankees are tied with a 93-68 record with a game left to play. The Blue Jays have the benefit of the head-to-head tiebreaker, so if they win today, they win the AL East.
If the Yankees win and the Blue Jays lose, the Yankees win the AL East, and if they both lose, the title goes to Toronto. Winner gets a first-round bye, so both teams should be pursuing a win today.
New York Yankees Magic Number
- To clinch a playoff spot: 0
The Yankees will either host a Wild Card series or avoid it altogether if things unfold their way today. All the scenarios can be found in the Blue Jays section above.
Cleveland Guardians Magic Number
- To clinch the AL Central: 1
- To clinch a playoff spot: 0
On September 4th, after losing their third game in their first four September tries, the Guardians were sitting 11 games back of the Detroit Tigers for first place in the AL Central. Now, remarkably, 24 days later, Cleveland is in first place.
Winner of 18 of their last 22 games, the Guardians have enjoyed a meteoric rise up the standings, and by beating the Tigers in their season series, they will own the tiebreaker.
The Tigers are playing the Boston Red Sox, who clinched their own playoff berth by beating them on Friday night. But then Boston returned the favor, as the Tigers clinched their playoff spot yesterday.
The Guardians clinched their spot with a win over the Rangers, and now all that is left to be determined is seeding. If Cleveland wins today, it takes the AL Central crown. Which also means they get the No. 4 seed and will host their Wild Card Series.
If the Guardians lose and the Tigers win today, they will have to travel back to Detroit in the Wild Card.
Detroit Tigers Magic Numbers
- To clinch a playoff spot: 0
By beating the Boston Red Sox on Saturday, the Detroit Tigers officially clinched their spot in the playoffs. Now, all that is left to be determined is whether they will win the AL Central and who they will be playing in the AL Wild Card round.
Seattle Mariners Magic Number
- To clinch a first-round bye: 0
- To clinch the AL West: 0
- To clinch a playoff spot: 0
Sitting three games up on the two teams tied in first place in the AL Central, and three games back of the two teams tied in first place in the AL East, the Seattle Mariners are locked into the No. 2 side on the AL side of the playoff bracket.
Winners of the AL West division, with the second-best record in the AL, the Mariners have earned a first-round bye.
Houston Astros Tragic Number
- Eliminated
For the first time since 2016, the Houston Astros will not be in the playoffs.
The Astros beat the Angels on Saturday, but both the Tigers and Guardians won, and since each owns the tiebreaker over Houston, they have now been eliminated.
Kansas City Royals Tragic Number
- Eliminated
Tampa Bay Rays Tragic Number
- Eliminated
Texas Rangers Tragic Number
- Eliminated
American League Head-to-Head Records for Tiebreakers
| TEAM | vs. TOR | vs. SEA | vs. CLE | vs. BOS | vs. DET | vs. NYY |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Blue Jays | — | 4-2 | 3-3 | 7-5 | 4-3 | 8-5 |
| Mariners | 2-4 | — | 4-2 | 3-3 | 4-2 | 1-5 |
| Guardians | 3-3 | 2-4 | — | 2-4 | 8-4 | 3-3 |
| Red Sox | 5-7 | 3-3 | 4-2 | — | 1-4 | 9-4 |
| Tigers | 3-4 | 2-4 | 4-8 | 4-1 | — | 4-2 |
| Yankees | 5-8 | 5-1 | 3-3 | 4-9 | 2-4 | — |
Written by
Just Baseball is a multimedia platform that dives into all aspects of America's Pastime through a new lens. News, analysis, rankings, podcasts, and more!