Predicting MLB's 12-team playoff bracket: Yankees, Phillies get No. 1 seeds, will anyone catch the Braves?

We're one month away from the end of the 2024 regular season, so let's project the playoff field

By Matt Snyder Aug 29, 2024 at 9:31 am ET• 3 min read

We're now down to exactly one month left in the 2024 Major League Baseball season, as the final day of the regular season is set for Sept. 29. Once the dust has settled on finale day, what kind of a playoff bracket will we be left with? I'm here to take a crack at that.

AL East

It's a one-game lead for the Yankees now. The Orioles have an easier schedule the rest of the way and there are three head-to-head games here, but I'm inclined to go with the Yankees here due to the pitching staff of the Orioles having struggled so mightily in the last two months. It also looks like the winner of this division will end up with the best record in the AL, if not the majors. 

AL Central

Even with the Guardians getting the comeback win on Wednesday -- pushing them back to a one-game lead over the Royals and 3.5-game lead over the Twins -- I'm done trusting them. They've been well under .500 since late June and that's not a small sample. That's just who they are now. The Royals have three more cracks at them and the Twins get them four more times. I've got the Guardians falling all the way down to third place here. With the Royals and Twins, it's a toss up, but the Royals have a much more difficult schedule. I'll say that the Twins find a way to pull this one out. 

AL West

Not only am I sticking with the Astros here, but I don't even think it'll be close despite it only being 3.5 games right now. Pathetic effort from the Mariners since having a 10-game lead.