Since 2022, all ties in the standings -- for a division title or Wild Card spot, or to determine playoff seeding -- have been determined solely by a series of mathematical tiebreakers, rather than on the field. A full breakdown of the current methodology can be seen here, but to summarize, the top three elements are, in order: head-to-head record, intradivision record (i.e. within the same division) and then record against opponents in the same league but a different division.

This means that a team’s head-to-head record against its rivals is more important than ever, as it can very well determine who plays deep into October and who goes home after Game 162. Consider what happened in 2022, when the Braves and Mets finished with identical 101-61 records, but Atlanta won the NL East title by virtue of going 10-9 against New York, which then fell to San Diego in the best-of-three Wild Card Series.

Because of this, MLB.com will be tracking the progress of various tiebreaker scenarios throughout the rest of the 2023 regular season. To limit these scenarios to teams in realistic playoff contention, we will only be listing teams with FanGraphs postseason odds at or above 1%, with tiebreaker scenarios outlined only for the most realistic possible matchups.

^ - Clinched season series win
# - Opponent clinched season series win
+ - Season series finished in a tie; intradivision record is the second tiebreaker

All records are up to date through Monday, Sept. 4.

AL EAST

Orioles

• Rays (6-3, 4 remaining)
• Blue Jays (10-3)^
• Red Sox (3-3, 7 remaining)
• Astros (1-2, 3 remaining)
• Mariners (4-2)^
• Rangers (3-3)+

The Orioles host a four-game series with Tampa Bay from Sept. 14-17, needing only one win to clinch the better head-to-head record.

Rays

• Orioles (3-6, 4 remaining)
• Blue Jays (4-3, 6 remaining)
• Red Sox (7-2, 4 remaining)^
• Astros (3-3)+
• Mariners (1-2, 4 remaining)
• Rangers (2-4)#

With a 22-16 record in intradivision games, the Rays would be a hair behind the Astros (27-17) in the tiebreaker as of now, if both teams were to finish tied for a Wild Card spot.

Blue Jays

• Orioles (3-10)#
• Rays (3-4, 6 remaining)
• Red Sox (3-7, 3 remaining)#
• Astros (4-3)^
• Mariners (3-3)+
• Rangers (1-2, 4 remaining)

Toronto’s 12-25 intradivision record means it will almost certainly lose out in a tiebreaker situation with Seattle (24-12).

Red Sox

• Orioles (3-3, 7 remaining)
• Rays (2-7, 4 remaining)#
• Blue Jays (7-3, 3 remaining)^
• Astros (2-5)#
• Mariners (3-3)+
• Rangers (2-1, 3 remaining)

Boston (20-14) is currently three games behind Seattle (24-12) in intradivision record, giving the Mariners the edge as of now if these teams tied for a Wild Card spot.

AL CENTRAL

Twins

• Guardians (5-6, 2 remaining)
• Mariners (3-4)#
• Astros (4-2)^
• Rangers (5-2)^

If the Twins can win the AL Central and catch the eventual AL West champion, a tiebreaker could come into play for the No. 2 seed in the AL, which would determine which club gets a first-round bye and which has to play in the Wild Card Series.

Guardians

• Twins (6-5, 2 remaining)

AL WEST

Mariners

• Rangers (1-5, 7 remaining)
• Astros (8-2, 3 remaining)^
• Orioles (2-4)#
• Red Sox (3-3)+
• Rays (2-1, 4 remaining)
• Blue Jays (3-3)+
• Twins (4-3)^

At 24-12 vs. the AL West, the Mariners currently have the best intradivision record in the AL and would win the tiebreaker over Toronto or Boston.

Astros

• Mariners (2-8, 3 remaining)#
• Rangers (7-4, 2 remaining)^
• Orioles (2-1, 3 remaining)
• Red Sox (5-2)^
• Rays (3-3)+
• Blue Jays (3-4)#
• Twins (2-4)#

As previously mentioned, the Astros are slightly ahead of the Rays in intradivision record, giving Houston the edge as of now in a potential tiebreaker.

Rangers

• Mariners (5-1, 7 remaining)
• Astros (4-7, 2 remaining)#
• Orioles (3-3)+
• Red Sox (1-2, 3 remaining)
• Rays (4-2)^
• Blue Jays (2-1, 4 remaining)
• Twins (2-5)#

As it stands now, the Rangers (21-16 against AL West teams) would lose a tiebreaker to the Orioles (26-15 vs. the AL East) if those teams tied for a Wild Card spot.

NL EAST

Braves

• Dodgers (4-3)^

By winning the first three games of their four-game series in Los Angeles, the Braves clinched the tiebreaker over the Dodgers if the teams finish even for the No. 1 NL seed. The Dodgers are the only foe listed here because no other team is within striking distance of Atlanta.

Phillies

• Marlins (5-5, 3 remaining)
• Cubs (5-1)^
• Reds (4-3)^
• Brewers (2-4)#
• D-backs (4-3)^
• Giants (2-4)#

Marlins

• Phillies (5-5, 3 remaining)
• Cubs (4-2)^
• Reds (3-3)+
• Brewers (0-0, 7 remaining)
• D-backs (4-2)^
• Giants (3-3)+

With a 19-21 intradivision record, the Marlins would be far behind the 19-14 Giants if a tiebreaker came down to that, but they are 2 1/2 games ahead of the 18-25 Reds as of now.

NL CENTRAL

Brewers

• Cubs (5-5, 3 remaining)
• Reds (10-3)^
• Marlins (0-0, 7 remaining)
• Phillies (4-2)^
• D-backs (2-4)#
• Giants (2-5)#
• Dodgers (1-5)#

Cubs

• Brewers (5-5, 3 remaining)
• Reds (6-7)#
• Marlins (2-4)#
• Phillies (1-5)#
• D-backs (0-0, 7 remaining)
• Giants (3-1, 2 remaining)

Reds

• Brewers (3-10)#
• Cubs (7-6)^
• Marlins (3-3)+
• Phillies (3-4)#
• D-backs (4-3)^
• Giants (3-4)#

Cincinnati (18-25 vs. NL Central) is currently 2 1/2 games behind the Marlins (19-21 vs. NL East) in intradivision record.

NL WEST

Dodgers

• Braves (3-4)#
• Brewers (5-1)^

Even if the Brewers catch the Dodgers for the second-best record in the NL, Los Angeles would win the tiebreaker for a first-round postseason bye.

D-backs

• Giants (5-6, 2 remaining)
• Marlins (2-4)#
• Phillies (3-4)#
• Cubs (0-0, 7 remaining)
• Reds (3-4)#
• Brewers (4-2)^

Giants

• D-backs (6-5, 2 remaining)
• Marlins (3-3)+
• Phillies (4-2)^
• Cubs (1-3, 2 remaining)
• Reds (4-3)^
• Brewers (5-2)^

The Giants (19-14) are comfortably ahead of the Marlins (19-21) in intradivision record, if a tiebreaker comes down to that.