2020 MLB playoffs: Wild-card standings, playoff picture and postseason format

 The 2020 MLB playoffs are less than a week away, even though it seems like the regular season has barely kicked off. The compressed 60-game schedule is down to the final weekend, and the MLB standings are tight heading to the finish, with wild-card positioning, postseason seeding and the rest of the playoff picture at stake.

As has been the case with so much this season, the playoffs will have a new look, with an expanded format that includes 16 teams for the first time in MLB history.

This will be the place to visit every day through the end of the regular season for updated looks at the potential playoff field, recaps of the biggest games, analysis of the most important storylines and previews of the critical games ahead.

Jump to: Current playoff field | The big story | Playoff debates | Key games ahead

Key links: Standings | Guide to final week | Passan: Inside final week | Playoff schedule | Play: Playoff Baseball Pick 'Em

If the season ended today ...

The matchups: Here's what the first round of the expanded playoffs would look like, based on the standings after the most recent day's games.

Best-of-three series, higher seed is home team

AMERICAN LEAGUE
No. 1 Rays* vs. No. 8 Blue Jays*
No. 2 Twins* vs. No. 7 Indians*
No. 3 Athletics* vs. No. 6 Astros*
No. 4 White Sox* vs. No. 5 Yankees*

NATIONAL LEAGUE
No. 1 Dodgers* vs. No. 8 Brewers
No. 2 Braves* vs. No. 7 Reds*
No. 3 Cubs* vs. No. 6 Marlins*
No. 4 Padres* vs. No. 5 Cardinals

*Clinched playoff spot

Magic numbers to clinch playoff spot

NL: Cardinals 2, Brewers 1