Records through Sunday, August 30, 2026. Updated daily.
Atlanta leads the NL East by five games at 82-55, and Philadelphia’s consolation is a good one: the Phillies are level with the Cubs atop the National League wild card standings. Both are going to October in all likelihood — the question is which door they walk through.
Behind them, Miami at 69-68 is the only other team in the division with a pulse.
| Team | W | L | PCT | GB | Games left |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Atlanta Braves | 82 | 55 | .599 | — | 25 |
| Philadelphia Phillies | 77 | 60 | .562 | 5 | 25 |
| Miami Marlins | 69 | 68 | .504 | 13 | 25 |
| Washington Nationals | 65 | 74 | .468 | 18 | 23 |
| New York Mets | 61 | 76 | .445 | 21 | 25 |
Atlanta and Philadelphia Are Both Going Somewhere
The Braves’ magic number is 21 with 25 to play, and Philadelphia would need to erase five games in a month. More to the point, the Phillies don’t need to. At 77-60 they are tied with the Cubs for the top NL wild card, so the realistic outcome is Atlanta as a division winner and Philadelphia as a wild card host.
That matters because of what the format does to them. A division title likely means a higher seed and a friendlier path; a wild card means a best-of-three series with the season on the line.
Miami’s Narrow Path
| NL wild card | Team | Record | GB |
|---|---|---|---|
| WC1 | Cubs | 77-60 | — |
| WC2 | Phillies | 77-60 | — |
| WC3 | Diamondbacks | 73-65 | — |
| First out | Padres | 72-65 | 0.5 |
| In the hunt | Marlins | 69-68 | 3.5 |
Miami is 13 games out of the division and three and a half out of a playoff spot — the gap between those two numbers is the whole argument for the three-wild-card format.
Washington and New York Are Done
The Nationals at 65-74 and the Mets at 61-76 are 18 and 21 games out with 23 and 25 to play. Neither has a realistic path in the division or the wild card.
Washington has at least been playing spoiler, taking a series from Miami over the weekend at exactly the moment the Marlins could least afford it. For the full league picture see our MLB standings page, and the day’s slate is in our MLB games today roundup.
The Bottom Line
Atlanta leads by five with a magic number of 21 and should take the division. Philadelphia is tied with the Cubs for the top NL wild card and is very likely playing in October either way. Miami at 69-68 is the live long shot, three and a half games out of the last spot with 25 to play. Washington and New York are finished but still hold influence over who gets in.