MLB Playoffs: Explaining All the Tiebreaker Scenarios
With so many close races down the stretch, the MLB postseason tiebreaker system could be more important than ever in 2024.
When Major League Baseball introduced the third Wild Card team to the postseason picture in 2022, the league also introduced a whole new set of tiebreaker rules. Tiebreaker games are no more; instead, every tie can be decided by the results of the regular season schedule.
The tiebreaker rules are plentiful, but they really aren’t that complicated. If two teams are tied at the end of the season, the team with the better head-to-head record comes out on top. If the two clubs split the season series, then the team with a better record within its own division is the winner.
There are further tiebreaking procedures if head-to-head and intradivision records aren’t enough, but it’s unlikely it ever comes to that – we’ll cross that bridge when we get to it.
While the rules themselves aren’t overly complicated, it can be difficult to keep track of all the individual tiebreakers, especially with so many close races in both the American and National Leagues.
With that in mind, you can use this tracker to keep tabs on every tiebreaker scenario, by race or by team. Team names are in bold throughout the article for easy skimming.
Tiebreakers by Race
American League Tiebreakers
Tiebreakers as of September 17, 2024. See “Tiebreakers by Team” below for further details.
AL East
- If the Orioles and Yankees are tied, TBA will win the division. The Orioles lead the season series 6-4 with three games remaining (Sept. 24-26).
AL Central
- If the Guardians and Royals are tied, the Royals will win the division.
AL West
- If the Astros and Mariners are tied, TBA will win the division. The Mariners lead the season series 6-4 with three games remaining (Sept. 23-25).
Wild Card
Only including teams with FanGraphs playoff odds above 10% on September 17.
Two-Way Ties
- If the Orioles and Twins are tied, TBA will win the Wild Card spot/claim the higher seed. The Orioles lead the season series 3-0 with three games remaining (Sept. 27-29). If the season series ends in a tie, the tiebreaker is determined by intradivision records.
- If the Orioles and Royals are tied, the Orioles will win the Wild Card spot/claim the higher seed.
- If the Orioles and Mariners are tied, the Orioles will win the Wild Card spot/claim the higher seed.
- If the Twins and Tigers are tied, the Twins will win the Wild Card spot/claim the higher seed.
- If the Twins and Royals are tied, the Twins will win the division.
- If the Twins and Mariners are tied, the Twins will win the Wild Card spot/claim the higher seed.
- If the Royals and Tigers are tied, the Royals will win the Wild Card spot/claim the higher seed.
- If the Royals and Mariners are tied, the team with the better intradivision record will win the Wild Card spot/claim the higher seed. The season series ended in a 3-3 tie.
- If the Tigers and Mariners are tied, the Tigers will win the Wild Card spot/claim the higher seed.
Three-Way Ties
The possibility of various three-way ties will be addressed closer to the end of the season. In most cases, a three-way tie goes to the team with the best record against the other two teams combined.
Current Head-to-Head Records of the Top AL Wild Card Contenders
| TEAM | vs. BAL | vs. DET | vs. KCR | vs. MIN | vs. SEA |
| BAL | — | 1-2 | 4-2 | 3-0 | 4-2 |
| DET | 2-1 | — | 4-7 | 6-7 | 5-1 |
| KCR | 2-4 | 7-4 | — | 6-7 | 3-3 |
| MIN | 0-3 | 7-6 | 7-6 | — | 5-2 |
| SEA | 2-4 | 1-5 | 3-3 | 2-5 | — |
National League Tiebreakers
Tiebreakers as of September 17, 2024. See “Tiebreakers by Team” below for further details.
NL West
- If the Dodgers and Diamondbacks are tied, the Dodgers will win the division.
- If the Dodgers and Padres are tied, the Padres will win the division.
- If the Diamondbacks and Padres are tied, TBA will win the division. The season series is tied at 5-5 with three games remaining (Sept. 27-29).
- If the Dodgers, Diamondbacks, and Padres are all tied, The winner will be the team with the best record against the other two teams combined. (Currently: SDP, 12-8; ARI, 11-12; LAD, 10-13)
Wild Card
Only including teams with FanGraphs playoff odds above 10%. For the Dodgers, Diamondbacks, and Padres tiebreakers, see NL West tiebreakers above.
Two-Way Ties
- If the Diamondbacks and Braves are tied, the Braves will win the Wild Card spot/claim the higher seed.
- If the Diamondbacks and Mets are tied, the Mets will win the Wild Card spot/claim the higher seed.
- If the Padres and Braves are tied, the Padres will win the Wild Card spot/claim the higher seed.
- If the Padres and Mets are tied, the Mets will win the Wild Card spot/claim the higher seed.
- If the Braves and Mets are tied, TBA will win the Wild Card spot/claim the higher seed. The season series is tied at 5-5 with three games remaining (Sept. 24-26).
Three-Way Ties
The possibility of various three-way ties will be addressed closer to the end of the season. In most cases, a three-way tie goes to the team with the best record against the other two teams combined.
Current Head-to-Head Records of the Top NL Wild Card Contenders
| TEAM | vs. ARI | vs. ATL | vs. NYM | vs. SDP |
| ARI | — | 2-5 | 4-3 | 5-5 |
| ATL | 5-2 | — | 5-5 | 3-4 |
| NYM | 4-3 | 5-5 | — | 5-2 |
| SD | 5-5 | 4-3 | 2-5 | — |
Tiebreakers by Team
American League Tiebreakers
Tiebreakers as of September 17, 2024. See “Tiebreakers by Race” above for further details.
Baltimore Orioles
- Leading the season series against the Yankees (6-4)
- Leading the season series against the Twins (3-0)
- Won the season series against the Royals
The AL East tiebreaker is undecided. The Orioles hold the Wild Card tiebreaker over the Royals and Mariners. The Wild Card tiebreakers between the Orioles and Twins & Orioles and Tigers are undecided.
Detroit Tigers
- Lost the season series to the Twins
- Lost the season series to the Royals
- Won the season series against the Mariners
The Tigers hold the Wild Card tiebreaker over the Mariners. They do not hold the tiebreaker over the Twins or Royals.
Cleveland Guardians
- Lost the season series to the Royals
The Guardians do not hold the AL Central tiebreaker over the Royals.
Houston Astros
- Losing the season series to the Mariners (4-6)
The AL West tiebreaker is undecided.
Kansas City Royals
- Won the season series against the Guardians
- Won the season series against the Tigers
- Lost the season series to the Orioles
- Lost the season series to the Twins
- Tied the season series with the Mariners
The Royals hold the tiebreaker over the Guardians and Tigers. They do not hold the tiebreaker over the Orioles or Twins. The Wild Card tiebreaker between the Royals and Mariners will be decided by intradivision records.
Minnesota Twins
- Won the season series against the Royals
- Won the season series against the Tigers
- Won the season series against the Mariners
- Losing the season series to the Orioles (0-3)
The Twins hold the Wild Card tiebreaker over the Royals, Mariners, and Tigers. The tiebreaker between the Twins and Orioles is undecided.
Seattle Mariners
- Winning the season series against the Astros (6-4)
- Tied the season series with the Royals
- Lost the season series to the Twins
- Lost the season series against the Tigers
The AL West tiebreaker between the Mariners and Astros is undecided. The Wild Card tiebreaker between the Royals and Mariners will be decided by intradivision records. The Mariners do not hold the tiebreaker over the Twins or Tigers.
New York Yankees
- Losing the season series to the Orioles (4-6)
The AL East tiebreaker is undecided.
National League Tiebreakers
Tiebreakers as of September 17, 2024. See “Tiebreakers by Race” above for further details.
Arizona Diamondbacks
- Lost the season series to the Dodgers
- The season series with the Padres is tied (5-5)
- Lost the season series to the Braves
- Lost the season series to the Mets
The Diamondbacks do not hold the NL West tiebreaker over the Dodgers or the Wild Card tiebreaker over the Braves or Mets. The tiebreaker between the Diamondbacks and Padres is undecided.
Atlanta Braves
- Lost the season series to the Padres
- Won the season series against the Diamondbacks
- The season series with the Mets is tied (5-5)
The Braves hold the Wild Card tiebreaker over the Diamondbacks. They do not hold the tiebreaker over the Padres. The tiebreaker between the Braves and Mets is undecided.
Los Angeles Dodgers
- Won the season series with the Diamondbacks
- Lost the season series to the Padres
The Dodgers hold the NL West tiebreaker over the Diamondbacks. They do not hold the NL West tiebreaker over the Padres.
New York Mets
- Won the season series with the Diamondbacks
- Won the season series against the Padres
- The season series with the Braves is tied (5-5)
The Mets hold the NL Wild Card tiebreaker over the Padres and Diamondbacks. The tiebreaker between the Mets and Braves is undecided.
San Diego Padres
- Won the season series against the Dodgers
- The season series with the Diamondbacks is tied (5-5)
- Won the season series against the Braves
- Lost the season series to the Mets
The Padres hold the NL West tiebreaker over the Dodgers. The tiebreaker between the Padres and Diamondbacks is undecided. The Padres hold the tiebreaker over the Braves but not the Mets.
Additional Resources
- Head-to-head records for all 30 teams via ESPN.
- Intradivision records via Baseball Reference.
- Tiebreaker procedures via MLB.com.
- Playoff odds via FanGraphs.
Written by
Leo Morgenstern is an editor for Just Baseball and a writer for FanGraphs and MLB Trade Rumors. His work has also appeared at Baseball Prospectus, Pitcher…