Manny Machado hit a three-run homer and the San Diego Padres beat the Arizona Diamondbacks 10-7 to secure the No. 4 seed in the National League playoffs. San Diego will host every game in a best-of-three Wild Card Series against the fifth-seeded Chicago Cubs beginning Tuesday. The winner will face the NL Central champion Milwaukee Brewers in a best-of-five Division Series. The Cubs eliminated the Padres in the wild-card round last season. Xander Bogaerts also went deep for the Padres, who clinched their club-record third straight 90-win season and seventh in team history. The Diamondbacks had their six-game winning streak snapped but remain alive for the NL’s third wild-card spot. They are one game behind Philadelphia going into Sunday’s season finales and hold the tiebreaker.
The San Diego Padres have earned a wild-card rematch with the Chicago Cubs, and this time it will be in San Diego at packed and raucous Petco Park. The Padres beat the Arizona Diamondbacks 10-7 to wrap up the No. 4 seed in the National League playoffs. They’ll host every game in a best-of-three Wild Card Series at Petco Park against the fifth-seeded Cubs beginning Tuesday. The winner will face the NL Central champion Milwaukee Brewers in a best-of-five Division Series.
The Texas Rangers’ quest for an AL West title — and a .500 record — will go down to the final day of the regular season. Danny Jansen homered and drove in two runs and Jake Burger also went deep in 6-2 victory over the Minnesota Twins. Texas is 80-81 heading into Sunday’s regular-season finale at Minnesota. Houston is also 80-81 going into its final game at the Athletics and holds the tiebreaker over the Rangers because the Astros won their season series. That means Texas needs a win and a Houston loss Sunday to make the playoffs.
Yordan Alvarez launched a three-run homer and the Houston Astros went deep five times as they moved closer to a division title with a 13-2 victory over the Athletics. Houston can clinch the AL West crown and the No. 3 seed in the American League playoffs with another win Sunday over the A’s in their regular-season finale or a Texas loss at Minnesota. Either team will become the first to win a division with a .500 record or worse, excluding shortened seasons. Alvarez homered in the fifth inning to put the Astros up 6-1. His 42nd homer of the season tied him with Tampa Bay slugger Junior Caminero for second in the AL. Jeremy Peña hit a pair of two-run homers and finished 4 for 6 with four RBIs
Houston Astros catcher Yainer Diaz, left, high-fives pitcher Ronel Blanco after a baseball game against the Athletics Saturday, Sept. 26, 2026, in West Sacramento, Calif. (AP Photo/Sara Nevis)
The final day of Major League Baseball’s regular season is here, and two playoff spots are still up for grabs. The Philadelphia Phillies and Arizona Diamondbacks are fighting for the National League’s final wild card, while the Houston Astros and Texas Rangers are in a race for the American League West. In the NL, if the Phillies can beat the Tampa Bay Rays, they’re in. The D-backs have to beat the San Diego Padres and hope the Phillies lose. A similar situation exists in the AL, where the Astros will clinch if they beat the Athletics. The Rangers need to beat the Minnesota Twins and hope the Astros lose.
Houston Astros' Jeremy Peña interviews with media after a baseball game against the Athletics Saturday, Sept. 26, 2026, in West Sacramento, Calif. (AP Photo/Sara Nevis)
Seattle Mariners' Josh Naylor steals second base in front of the tag from Los Angeles Angels shortstop Zach Neto during the eighth inning of a baseball game, Saturday, Sept. 26, 2026, in Seattle. (AP Photo/Lindsey Wasson)
Seattle Mariners catcher Cal Raleigh greets relief pitcher Gabe Speier as they celebrate a win over the Los Angeles Angels in a baseball game, Saturday, Sept. 26, 2026, in Seattle. (AP Photo/Lindsey Wasson)
Seattle Mariners' Josh Naylor reacts after stealing second base against the Los Angeles Angels during the eighth inning of a baseball game, Saturday, Sept. 26, 2026, in Seattle. (AP Photo/Lindsey Wasson)


