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Braves clinch NL East; Red Sox secure playoffs; tight races in AL

Yahoo Sports • 1 min read • Latest: Sep 21, 2026, 5:31 AM

Last updated Sep 21, 2026

Braves clinch NL East; Red Sox secure playoffs; tight races in AL

Summary

The Atlanta Braves clinched the NL East title with a 4-2 victory over the Houston Astros, marking their seventh division title in nine seasons. The Boston Red Sox secured an AL wild-card spot despite a 5-1 loss to the Tampa Bay Rays, who lead the AL East. The Cleveland Guardians edged the Oakland Athletics 1-0 to stay one game ahead of the Chicago White Sox in the AL Central. The Texas Rangers remain one game above the Houston Astros in the AL West, with both teams suffering losses on Sunday. The next week features crucial matchups as teams fight for playoff positioning.

Source Links

Yahoo Sports

By the Numbers

•Braves win NL East title with six-game lead
•Red Sox clinch AL wild-card spot despite loss
•Guardians lead White Sox by one game in AL Central
•Rangers and Astros maintain narrow lead in AL West
•Rays can clinch AL East with wins over Yankees

Latest Updates

5:31 AMYahoo Sports — MLB magic numbers: Braves take NL East; Red Sox in; Rangers, Guardians up 1 game (9/21/26)

What they're saying

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Here are MLB magic numbers, remaining schedules and tiebreakers for contenders through Sunday, Sept. 20 games with playoff matchups if Wild Card Series began Monday, Sept. 21.
— Yahoo Sports

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