MLB September Preview: Standings, Series and Storylines That Matter

The final month of the regular season has arrived, and there’s plenty left to decide between division crowns, wild-card spots, award races and more.

Aaron Judge is expected to return to the Yankees in September. | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

The final month of the 2026 MLB season has arrived, and there’s plenty at stake as we inch closer to the postseason. Between division battles, wild-card spots and some intriguing awards races, there’s a lot left to play for prior to October.

Teams will be fighting to stay in the hunt for the postseason, particularly in the American League, which, despite being rather lackluster this season, remains wide open, with several teams within reach of the coveted final wild-card spot.

As the season winds down, the stakes get greater. We’re going to detail some of the key storylines to follow in September and highlight some important series that will take place during the final month of the campaign.

MLB standings entering September

AL East

Team	Wins	Losses	Winning Percentage	Games Back
Rays	82	55	.599	0
Yankees	78	60	.565	4.5
Red Sox	75	63	.540	7.5
Orioles	69	69	.500	13.5
Blue Jays	68	70	.493	14.5

AL Central

Team	Wins	Losses	Winning Percentage	Games Back
White Sox	72	65	.526	0
Guardians	69	68	.504	3
Twins	66	72	.478	6.5
Tigers	63	74	.460	9
Royals	62	76	.449	10.5

AL West

Team	Wins	Losses	Winning Percentage	Games Back
Astros	70	68	.507	0
Rangers	68	70	.493	2
Mariners	64	74	.464	6
Athletics	53	85	.384	17
Angels	53	85	.384	17

NL East

Team	Wins	Losses	Winning Percentage	Games Back
Braves	82	56	.594	0
Phillies	78	60	.562	4.5
Marlins	69	69	.500	13
Nationals	66	74	.471	17
Mets	62	76	.445	20

NL Central

Team	Wins	Losses	Winning Percentage	Games Back
Brewers	85	53	.616	0
Cubs	78	60	.565	7
Cardinals	68	70	.493	17
Pirates	67	71	.486	18
Reds	65	73	.471	20

NL West

Team	Wins	Losses	Winning Percentage	Games Back
Dodgers	82	55	.599	0
Padres	73	65	.529	9.5
Diamondbacks	73	66	.525	10
Giants	57	81	.409	25.5
Rockies	52	86	.377	30.5

AL Wild Card standings

Team	Wins	Losses	Winning Percentage	Games Back
Yankees	78	60	.565	+8.5
Red Sox	75	63	.543	+5.5
Guardians	69	68	.504	0
Orioles	69	69	.500	0.5
Rangers	68	70	.493	1.5
Blue Jays	68	70	.493	1.5
Twins	66	72	.478	3.5
Mariners	64	74	.464	5.5
Tigers	63	74	.460	6
Royals	62	76	.449	7.5
Athletics	53	85	.384	16.5
Angels	53	85	.384	16.5

NL Wild Card standings

Team	Wins	Losses	Winning Percentage	Games Back
Cubs	78	60	.565	+5
Phillies	78	60	.565	+5
Padres	73	65	.529	0
Diamondbacks	73	66	.525	0.5
Marlins	69	69	.500	4
Cardinals	68	70	.493	5
Pirates	67	71	.486	6
Nationals	66	74	.471	8
Reds	65	73	.471	8
Mets	62	76	.445	11
Giants	57	81	.413	16
Rockies	52	86	.380	21

Most important September series

Guardians third baseman Jose Ramírez has not hit up to his standards this year, but he still has a chance to carry his offense-starved team to a playoff berth. | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

Blue Jays vs. Guardians (Sept. 1–3)

The Blue Jays and Guardians will play what could be a decisive series for the postseason picture. Both teams are vying for the final wild-card spot, which Cleveland currently holds, and the gap between them is a mere 1 1/2 games. 

Braves vs. Phillies (Sept. 4–6)

The Phillies are already near locks to make the playoffs—FanGraphs puts their odds at 99%—and they only sit four games back of the NL East-leading Braves heading into the final month. If they sweep this Labor Day weekend series at home, Atlanta will be under pressure to do the same in the final series this season between the two rivals the following weekend.

Tigers vs. Guardians (Sept. 4–6)

The Tigers will have an important four-game series on the road in Cleveland, which could prove to be their final chance at starting a climb into a postseason spot, as they currently sit six games out of a wild-card berth.

Guardians vs. Orioles (Sept. 7–9)

The postseason picture in the AL will be heavily shaped by how the Guardians perform at the start of September. Cleveland will have three important matchups to open the month. After taking on the Tigers and Blue Jays, the Guards will head to Baltimore for a three-game set against the Orioles, who sit just one game back in the wild-card race. 

Mariners vs. Rangers (Sept. 8–10)

The Mariners need a very strong September to reach the postseason, and their schedule in the final month of the campaign certainly favors them. They’ll have a division matchup against the Rangers early in the month, which could prove pivotal toward their chances of sneaking into the postseason.

Phillies vs. Braves (Sept. 11–13)

Bryce Harper has been the Phillies’ most valuable bat by bWAR this season, leading the majors with 97 walks while playing all 138 games. | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

This will mark the second straight weekend these fierce rivals engage in a three-game set, and the NL East will likely be decided in that part of the calendar, especially if the Braves use it to extend their division lead.

Guardians vs. Twins (Sept. 11–13)

Another important road series for the Guardians will get underway after their visit to Baltimore. This time, they’ll take on the Twins, who are just four games back of the final wild-card spot. Minnesota hasn’t been great in the second half, but in a weakened American League, they’re still in the hunt and could gain important ground if they can take down the Guardians at Target Field.

Orioles vs. Blue Jays (Sept. 11–13)

Both teams at the bottom of the AL East standings are fighting for a postseason spot via the wild card, and they’ll meet twice in the final month of the regular season. The first series will be in Toronto. Just one game currently separates these postseason hopefuls, so this series will be vital for both sides. 

Marlins vs. Diamondbacks (Sept. 14–16) 

The Marlins are still in the playoff hunt, despite being four games back of the Padres and Diamondbacks. They’ll be in Arizona in mid-September for an important three-game set against the D-Backs, which could be their best chance at gaining ground in the hunt for the final wild-card spot. 

Marlins vs. Padres (Sept. 18–20)

Right after their three-game set in Arizona, the Marlins will head up to San Diego for another crucial series against the Padres. Much like their matchup with the Diamondbacks, Miami will be fighting for its chance at a postseason berth when they take on the Padres, so they’ll need to come away with at least a couple of wins. 

Blue Jays vs. Rangers (Sept. 18–20)

Ezequiel Duran has been an underrated part of the Rangers’ success, playing at every position except pitcher and catcher while racking up a team-high 4.1 bWAR. | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

The Blue Jays and Rangers are both 1 1/2 games outside of the playoff picture at present, but if the Guardians (or Astros, in the case of the Rangers) slip up in September, the door will be wide open for either team to make a push. That will make their three-game set in Texas even more critical as the season winds down in what figures to be a tight, multi-team race for the final wild-card spot. 

Blue Jays vs. Orioles (Sept. 21–23)

The second of the two September series between the AL East foes will be held in Baltimore. It’s the penultimate series of the regular season for both sides, and it could potentially have even higher stakes than their meeting just 10 days prior. The Orioles and Jays are the final two teams that would miss the playoffs if the season ended today, sitting a half-game and 1.5 games back in the wild-card race, respectively. 

Astros vs. Mariners (Sept. 22–23)

The Astros and Mariners will play a two-game set in Seattle in late September, one which could prove heavily impactful on the fate of the AL West. At present, the Mariners are six games back of the Astros in the division, but plenty could change over the next few weeks before these teams meet for the final time this season. 

Rays vs. Yankees (Sept. 22–24)

If the Yankees close ground on the AL East-leading Rays between now and this series, when they hope to activate Aaron Judge and several other key contributors, it could easily decide the division crown and No. 1 seed in the league. It’s actually a four-game set over three days, as a rain makeup game means this blockbuster will start with a doubleheader on a Tuesday.

Diamondbacks vs. Padres (Sept. 25–27) 

These two teams are deadlocked in the NL West and in the wild-card race, with San Diego holding the edge between the two for the NL’s final postseason position. If things remain tight throughout September, the final series of the regular season will prove to be essential watching, as the Diamondbacks will visit Petco Park to wrap up the campaign in a vital three-game set. 

Fernando Tatis Jr. has rediscovered his power stroke in the second half of the season, recording a .586 slugging percentage, fourth-best in the majors. | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

September storylines to monitor

Who will win the AL West?

The AL West has been the worst division in MLB this year, with zero teams above the .500 mark for a good chunk of last month. The Astros hold a narrow lead over the Rangers in the division standings at present, with Seattle still barely in the mix, six games back. The race for the division title figures to go down to the wire. 

Mariners’ easy schedule 

There’s no team in MLB with an easier schedule heading into the final month than the Mariners, in what will be a welcome respite after they struggled through one of the league’s toughest slates in August. Five of Seattle’s final eight series of the regular season are against MLB’s worst teams. They’ll play the Rockies once and the Angels and Athletics twice in September. Capitalizing on those series will give Seattle a great chance to make up ground in the AL West and potentially win the division, or at least move up in the wild-card race. 

Orioles’ difficult schedule 

While the Mariners will face some lowly opponents in September, the same cannot be said for the Orioles, who will take on several tough teams in the final month of the campaign. Looming for Baltimore in September are series against the Red Sox, Guardians, Blue Jays, Yankees and Brewers. If Toronto hopes to sneak into the postseason, they’ll need to be at their best.  

Pete Alonso and the Orioles will have done it the hard way if they make the playoffs despite a tough September schedule. | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

Blue Jays’ easy schedule

The Orioles will have their work cut out for them in September, which is troublesome considering the division rivals just below them in the standings have a much more favorable schedule the rest of the way. Entering September, not one of Toronto’s opponents down the stretch has a record above .500, and the Jays will face some truly lackluster teams like the Reds, Athletics and Royals. 

Diamondbacks’ injury reinforcements

For a team in the thick of the postseason hunt, the Diamondbacks will benefit greatly from the return of a trio of key players who have been on the IL. Ketel Marte’s case is a bit different, but he was nonetheless activated from the IL on Monday. Additionally, Zac Gallen and Corbin Burnes will return to the team in September, which will provide a big boost to the pitching rotation if they can perform at a high level. 

Roman Anthony’s return 

Roman Anthony is finally back, which will be big for a Boston offense that’s been inconsistent all season. Anthony struggled before landing on the 60-day IL and missing most of the season with a somewhat mysterious finger injury, but he’s back in action and will play a big role for the Red Sox in the final month of the season as the team looks to cement its spot in the postseason. 

Roman Anthony has collected four hits, including two doubles and a triple, in his first two games back from the injured list. | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

Aaron Judge’s return

Perhaps the most important injury return in all of baseball, the Yankees are expected to welcome Aaron Judge back to the club in September. Judge has missed the last three months but should provide some stability to a Yankees offense that’s struggled in his absence. As the team gears up for a World Series run, Judge will be a vital component of New York’s lineup when he returns, and he’s looking to avoid a rehab assignment to expedite his timeline to get back onto the field. 

Awards races

There are two awards races in particular that will be determined by the final month of the regular season: National League MVP and American League Cy Young.

In August, Pete Crow-Armstrong emerged as the favorite to be named the NL’s Most Valuable Player, thanks to an otherworldly second half of the season during which he owns a 1.016 OPS (first in NL) with 17 home runs (first), 38 RBIs (second) and eight stolen bases in 42 games. Shohei Ohtani looked like he had the award locked up earlier this season, but the knee injury that’s kept him off the mound opened the door for Crow-Armstrong to enter the conversation. If the Cubs outfielder continues to play like both the best hitter and fielder in the league, it’ll be hard to vote against him.

As for the AL Cy Young, it’s a two-horse race between Yankees ace Cam Schlittler and Blue Jays star Dylan Cease. Both pitchers figure to make five or six starts before the end of the season, and with little separating the two, a single blow-up on the mound could be extremely costly. Schlittler enters September with a 2.09 ERA and 201 strikeouts in 163 2/3 innings, while Cease owns a 2.35 ERA and 217 strikeouts in 150 1/3 innings.