Want to know who is in and who is out this baseball season? The 2025 MLB playoff picture has launched.
In 2024, baseball fans watched an historic match-up as the New York Yankees and Los Angeles Dodgers met in the World Series for the 12th time. You never know: This could be the big one in October again this season. Unless you check out the playoff picture, how can you find out if this is a thing or not?
This article will be updated periodically in August, and more frequently in September.
2025 MLB Playoff Picture: Structure
Each league, American and National, sends six out of their 15 teams to the postseason. The three division champions – East, Central, and West – gain the top three seeds, arranged based on record. The first tiebreaker, if needed, is head-to-head record.
Among the non-division champions, the top three teams make the playoffs as wild cards. They claim the four, five, and six seeds, arranged by record.
The first round is the League Wild Card Series, a best-of-three hosted by the more favored seed. The 3-seed hosts the 6-seed, and the 4-seed hosts the 5-seed. Seeds one and two automatically receive a bye to the League Division Series.
The winner of the 3-vs.-6 series faces the 2-seed in the LDS, and the winner of the 4-vs.-5 series plays the 1-seed in a best-of-five series.
Winners of each of those series proceed to the League Championship Series, a best-of-seven, followed by the AL and NL champions meeting in the best-of-seven World Series.
2025 MLB Playoff Picture Brackets
American League
National League
