We're down to the nitty gritty as wheat has largely been separated from the chaff in the rush to the MLB postseason. As always, MLB futures odds are a major focus of the proceedings.
The ultimate prize is cashing in on World Series odds, but before you can win the Fall Classic, you have to get into the postseason first, so we're looking at each team's MLB playoff odds.
Let's look at the latest round of MLB odds to make the playoffs and those still in the thick of the wild-card races, with the exception of the AL West, which is the tightest division in the game.
Odds to make the MLB postseason
How the odds work is very simple: "Yes" means that they advance to the MLB postseason (as a division winner or a wild card), while "No" means they miss the playoffs... so better luck next year. If a team isn't listed below that means they are currently off the board.
| Team | Yes | No |
|---|---|---|
 Philadelphia Phillies |
-20,000 | +5,000 |
 Houston Astros |
-2,500 | +1,300 |
 Toronto Blue Jays |
-390 | +320 |
 Seattle Mariners |
-185 | +150 |
 Texas Rangers |
-180 | +155 |
 Arizona Diamondbacks |
-135 | +115 |
 Cincinnati Reds |
+105 | -215 |
 Miami Marlins |
+105 | -215 |
 Chicago Cubs |
+115 | -135 |
 San Francisco Giants |
+900 | -1,100 |
Odds courtesy of DraftKings as of September 19, 2023.
MLB playoff odds analysis
Most of the top contenders have been established and most of the loser franchises have been excluded at this point of the season. There are still a few races to be decided, mostly in the respective wild-card pursuits, and the odds are fairly narrow unless you're feeling particularly optimistic about the San Francisco Giants' odds of staging a last-second comeback.
That final NL wild card seems to be the tightest race around with the Cincinnati Reds, Miami Marlins, and Chicago Cubs all catching odds between +105 and +115. The Cubs appeared poised to stroll into October just a couple of weeks ago but five straight losses have brought things into question. The Arizona Diamondbacks may have shorter odds in the second wild-card spot, but they're only half a game up on the Cubs and Reds.
And the Giants are only two games out, so it's not entirely unreasonable to think they have a chance.
The AL race is a little more convoluted. The Toronto Blue Jays rebounded from a brutal set against the Texas Rangers to hold onto the second spot by a game over Texas and the Seattle Mariners. But all three are listed at -180 or shorter despite there being only two spots for three teams.
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MLB Postseason format
The MLB playoffs expanded in the 2022 season, adding an extra wild card to both the AL and NL, making it a total of 12 teams in the postseason.
The new format will see the top two division winners in each league (Seeds 1 and 2) get a first-round bye, while the third-best division winner (Seed 3) will host the third wild card (Seed 6) — and the two remaining wild cards (Seeds 4 and 5) will face off — in a three-game series.
Following the Wild Card Round, the No. 1 seed will face the winner of the two wild cards (Seeds 4/5), while the No. 2 seed will face the No. 3 vs No. 6 winner in the Divisional Round.
In the event that the second-best record in the league does not come from a division winner (e.g. the San Francisco Giants in 2021), they will remain the top wild card — and not get a first-round bye.
MLB Postseason Odds FAQs
The Atlanta Braves and Los Angeles Dodgers are both OTB after posting the best records in MLB. The Baltimore Orioles have the shortest odds of the teams remaining at -20,000.
MLB expanded its postseason for 2022 by adding an extra wild card to each league, meaning 12 total teams now make the MLB playoffs.
The tentative start date for the MLB Postseason is Tuesday, October 3.
The 2023 World Series is expected to begin on Friday, October 27.
