With the New York Mets and Atlanta Braves knocking out the Arizona Diamondbacks on the final day of the regular season, the playoff field is now set for 2024.
The MLB regular season concluded play in somewhat historic fashion, with the New York Mets and Atlanta Braves playing a doubleheader the day after every other team finished its 162-game slate. A hurricane hitting Atlanta and other areas forced MLB to cancel the games originally scheduled for September 25 and 26 between the two squads, which created a scenario in which both needed to at least split the doubleheader in order for each to qualify for the postseason.
While other playoff teams were preparing rotations and watching on comfortably, the Mets, Braves and Arizona Diamondbacks were forced to sweat the final day, as Arizona needed one of the Mets or Braves to win both games if it hoped to make the playoffs.
Unfortunately for fans of the Diamondbacks, the Mets were able to claim victory in what might’ve been the greatest game played up to this point in the season. The Braves went up 3-0 in game one after home runs from Ozzie Albies and Ramón Laureano, only to watch as the Mets managed to put together a six-run eighth inning to go ahead 6-3. After most believed the final blow had been dealt, Atlanta was able to take advantage of a mistake from New York closer Edwin Diaz and rally for a four-run eighth to take the lead once again.
In improbable fashion, shortstop Francisco Lindor golfed a pitch out to right-center field and Braves fans were forced to look on as the ball carried out for a two-run homer to put the Mets up 8-7. Diaz then returned to get the final three outs, clinching a postseason berth for New York.
As the Mets celebrated, it became clear the team was going to “punt” game two in an effort to prepare itself better for the wild card round, meaning Atlanta was able to win the second game in relatively simple fashion. While this had been an expected outcome of many around the sport once the doubleheader was announced, the result still understandably frustrated Arizona fans as the team was eliminated even after winning its final game. The results are already set in stone, however, and now the 2024 MLB playoff field is officially in place and will begin on October 1.
The wild card round includes four series set in a best-of-three format, with the higher seeds in each getting home field advantage. The Braves will travel to San Diego to take on the Padres where the winner will go on to play the Los Angeles Dodgers, which received a first round bye along with the Philadelphia Phillies, New York Yankees and Cleveland Guardians. New York will head back to Milwaukee after just playing a weekend series against the Brewers, with the winner of that series playing the Phillies in the divisional round.
For the American League, the Baltimore Orioles will take on the Kansas City Royals and the Houston Astros will face the hottest teams in baseball to end the regular season, the Detroit Tigers. Detroit finished the year 15-5 to make up ground in the wild card race, overtaking the Minnesota Twins within the final three games of the season. The Royals and Orioles have both limped to the finish line, ending the regular season in tough fashion but still with a chance to play in the Fall Classic.
Houston began 2024 as one of the worst teams in all of baseball, while the Royals were able to remain consistent throughout the regular season to secure its spot in the dance. The Astros turned its season around once the summer months came, ending as one of the top performing teams in MLB after the calendar turned to June.
The Orioles are currently favored over the Royals on William Hill with odds of -170 to move onto the divisional round where it would play the Yankees in a possible AL East playoff matchup. Baltimore has a young core of talented players fresh off experiencing their first postseason disappointment after winning over 100 games in 2023 but were swept in its opening series. Gunnar Henderson, Adley Rustchman and Corbin Burnes will all be looked upon by Orioles fans to help carry the team to its first playoff series victory since 2014.
At +140, though, the Royals present an intriguing opportunity for bettors especially with the depth Kansas City has pitching-wise and the star power it contains within the lineup. Bobby Witt Jr. was a Most Valuable Player (MVP) candidate for much of the 2024 season and will likely come second in voting to the Yankees’ Aaron Judge. Kansas City will also hope first baseman Vinnie Pasquantino can return for this series after breaking his thumb on August 29 against the Astros.
Regarding Houston, the team is also favored to win its wild card round matchup with the Tigers despite Detroit’s run to finish the regular season. The Astros have heavy odds of -200 to qualify for the next round, while the Tigers are listed at +170 on William Hill to pull off the upset. Houston has made the playoffs every year since 2017 when it won the World Series (albeit in controversial fashion) and has won at least two series in each year during that time.
With playoff experience across the entire roster and Kansas City still growing into the championship contenders, it makes sense as to why operators look at Houston as a strong favorite to move onto the next round. Many players from the 2017 and 2022 rosters, when the Astros won the World Series for a second time in five years, still remain on the 2024 team and will bring that playoff mentality into the postseason once again.
Atlanta are also underdogs in its series against the Padres, listed at +145 while San Diego has odds of -180 to get past the wild card round for a third consecutive year. The Braves won the NL East each of the prior two seasons, but lost in its first series much like the Orioles. Atlanta does boast a World Series trophy from 2021, but will be without star outfielder Ronald Acuna Jr. and pitching ace Spencer Strider for the entire postseason in 2024. Funnily enough, the Braves were also without Acuna in 2021, choosing to make up for the loss with a number of trade deadline acquisitions including eventual World Series MVP Jorge Soler.
The Padres are favored due in part to having the best record in baseball since July 1, as the team returned Fernando Tatis Jr. and Yu Darvish from the injured list to further cement itself as a title contender this season. San Diego also made a number of moves at the deadline to add to its bullpen, now boasting perhaps the best group of relievers in the postseason out of every eligible team.
While both squads have plenty of playoff experience to help find victory, Atlanta will have to overcome numerous injuries to pull off an upset, as well as heavy travel. Both the Braves and Mets will be forced to play the first game of each respective series less than 24 hours after the conclusion of game two from the doubleheader. With Atltanta having to fly all the way to San Diego, a clear competitive disadvantage has already been set between the two sides.
The Mets have the best odds of any underdog team in the postseason with William Hill listing the squad at +110 and the Brewers at -130. It comes as a small surprise figuring Milwaukee has a record of 5-1 against New York in 2024 and are just coming off winning two out of three from the Mets prior to the Braves doubleheader. Milwaukee has an underrated squad with elite pitching starting with ace Freddy Peralta and shortstop Willy Adames. The Mets have a pitching staff that has largely flown under the radar, but still contained impressive seasons from the likes of Sean Manea, Luis Serverino and David Peterson.
New York will need slugger Pete Alonso to step up after struggling through most of the regular season and Lindor to continue his MVP-worthy pace into October. If the Mets can match the starting pitching Milwuakee will throw out in the wild card round, the franchise stands a great chance of continuing its highly-entertaining run into the divisional round.