MLB Playoff Standings 2022: Wild-Card Picture, Odds For Phillies, Brewers, Orioles

With less than three weeks left in the regular season, the 2022 MLB playoff standings are coming into focus. The divisions and American League wild card are close to being wrapped up.

Most of the intrigue down the stretch involves the National League wild-card slots.

There might not be much drama in the American League wild-card race, considering no team is within fewer than four games of the top three teams in the standings. In the National League, five teams have a legitimate chance to earn a wild-card spot.

The Atlanta Braves have an eight-game lead atop the NL wild-card standings and are almost certainly headed to the playoffs. The Philadelphia Phillies are the second wild-card team with a 2.5-game lead on the San Diego Padres, which have the third and final wild-card spot.

The Milwaukee Brewers are the biggest threat to San Diego. The Brewers are 1.5 games behind the Padres and still very much alive in the playoff race.

Milwaukee has +155 odds to make the playoffs at DraftKings Sportsbook. With a four-game edge on the Brewers, the Phillies are overwhelming favorites to hang onto a playoff spot at -1100.

The New York Mets are only a game ahead of the Braves for the lead in the NL East. The team that finishes second in the division is likely to be the first wild-card team.

In the AL, the Seattle Mariners are only percentage points ahead of the Toronto Blue Jays atop the wild-card standings. The Tampa Bay Rays are a half-game behind the Blue Jays, and the two teams will meet four more times.

The Baltimore Orioles are fourth in the wild-card standings, trailing the Rays by 4.5 games. Baltimore is a long shot to make the postseason with +800 odds.

The Orioles have six games left against the Blue Jays, starting with a series this weekend. Toronto is +1500 long shot to miss the playoffs. Tampa Bay has +1000 odds to be left out of the final postseason picture.

The New York Yankees are pulling away with the AL East lead. The Yankees are 6.5 games ahead of the second-place Blue Jays.

The Chicago White Sox are fifth in the wild-card standings, trailing Tampa Bay by 6.5 games. If the White Sox make it to the playoffs, it will likely be as a division winner. Chicago is three games behind the Cleveland Guardians for first place in the NL Central.

The playoffs start Oct. 7.