MLB Playoff Picture: Mets out of contention with 6 games left, Guardians & Reds sneak in final spots

The race for the playoffs is in it's final stages with several teams trying to squeeze into the postseason. Heading into the final few days of the regular season, five teams have clinched a playoff berth so far.

The Milwaukee Brewers (National League Central) and Philadelphia Phillies (NL East) are headed into October as division winners. Meanwhile, the Chicago Cubs, Los Angeles Dodgers and Toronto Blue Jays have qualified for the postseason, with the Dodgers and Blue Jays still in the fight for a division title.

With several other teams still fighting for a postseason berth, we look at the MLB Playoff Picture.

MLB Playoff Picture: Mets out of contention, Yankees surge, Astros & Reds fighting for final WC spot

New York Mets

It has been a frustrating second half of the season for the Mets, who are no longer in charge of their route to the postseason. Following a defeat to the Washington Nationals in the series finale on Sunday and the Cincinnati Reds' win over the Chicago Cubs, the Mets are no longer a lock for the final NL Wild Card spot.

While the Reds and Mets hold an 80-76 record, Cincinnati holds the tie-breaker over Carlos Mendoza's team. The Mets will need to win one more than the Reds in the final six games to reclaim their wild-card spot.

New York Yankees

The New York Yankees' strong September continued on Sunday as they brushed aside the Baltimore Orioles for a 7-1 win, claiming the series in the process.

The Yankees hold a four-game lead over the Boston Red Sox in the AL Wild Card race and still have the chance to topple division leaders the Toronto Blue Jays, who hold a 2.0 game advantage over the Yankees in the AL East. The Bronx Bombers seem like a lock for the postseason after winning seven of their last 10 games.

Houston Astros

The Houston Astros ' series against division rivals, the Seattle Mariners, was expected to be a decisive moment in the playoff race, and the Astros have come out worst after being swept by Seattle over the weekend.

The Mariners now hold a 3.0 game advantage at the summit of the American League West, while the Astros are seemingly out of contention for the division title.

Houston's place in the postseason is also under threat as the Cleveland Guardians improved to 84-72 after the series win against the Minnesota Twins. The Guardians and Astros are tied for the final AL Wildcard spot with Cleveland holding the tie-breaker over Houston.

Edited by Chaitanya Prakash