MLB: The Final Week of the Regular Season

By Alexander Davis — September 22, 2026

With the MLB regular season entering its final week, the playoff picture is becoming clearer while several teams continue fighting for the remaining postseason spots. Six teams have already clinched playoff berths, but division races and wild-card positionsare still being decided.

One of the biggest recent stories is the Atlanta Braves clinching the National LeagueEast. Atlanta defeated the Houston Astros 4–2 on Sunday to secure its seventh divisiontitle in the last nine seasons. Mike Yastrzemski played a major role in the victory, hitting a three-run home run during a four-run sixth inning.

The Milwaukee Brewers have also made history. After completing a sweep of the Baltimore Orioles, Milwaukee recorded its 98th win of the season, setting a new franchise record. The Brewers are also competing for one of the best records in the National League as the postseason approaches.

Another major storyline is the San Diego Padres and Los Angeles Dodgers. The Padres entered Tuesday's matchup with a chance to clinch a playoff spot against the defending World Series champion Dodgers. Los Angeles recently swept San Francisco and remains near the top of the National League standings.

The American League wild-card race is also getting interesting. Baltimore stayed alive after Pete Alonso hit his 39th and 40th home runs of the season in a 4–3 comebackvictory over Toronto. Alonso's eighth-inning two-run homer gave the Orioles the lead and helped them move closer to the wild-card race.

The AL East remains another important race to watch. The Tampa Bay Rays have led the division for much of the season, and the Yankees are trying to prevent Tampa Bay from celebrating a division title in New York.

As the regular season reaches its final days, every game has increased importance. Division titles, wild-card spots, individual awards, and playoff seeding are all being decided. With only one week remaining, MLB fans have plenty of reasons to keep watching as the postseason field takes shape.