The 2020 Major League Baseball postseason field was finalized on Sunday as the Philadelphia Phillies and Houston Astros secured their spots in the playoffs on the final day of the regular season.
The Phillies (88-74) defeated the Tampa Bay Rays 7-3 to clinch the final National League wild-card berth, avoiding what would have been the largest late-season collapse in franchise history. Philadelphia had lost six of its last eight games before Sunday’s victory. The win ensured the team would finish above .500 for the first time since 2019.
Meanwhile, the Houston Astros (81-81) secured the American League West division title with a 9-0 win over the Oakland Athletics. The victory capped a season in which the Astros finished the year at .500, marking the worst record for a division winner in MLB history. The previous low was set by the 2005 San Diego Padres, who won the NL West with an 82-80 record.
Postseason Field Set
The remaining postseason teams were already determined before Sunday’s games. The Tampa Bay Rays (AL East), Cleveland Guardians (AL Central), Atlanta Braves (NL East), Milwaukee Brewers (NL Central), and Los Angeles Dodgers (NL West) all clinched division titles earlier in the weekend. The Rays, Guardians, Brewers, and Dodgers earned byes into the Division Series, while the Phillies and Astros will begin their postseason runs in the Wild Card Series.
The Astros will face the Chicago White Sox in their wild-card series, while the Phillies will open against an opponent to be determined based on the results of other wild-card matchups. The Guardians (85-76) secured the AL Central title with an 11-5 win over the Kansas City Royals on Saturday.
Key Moments from Sunday’s Games
For the Phillies, Kyle Schwarber delivered a two-run double in the sixth inning, and Bryce Harper added a solo home run to extend the lead. The bullpen held the Rays scoreless over the final three innings to preserve the victory. Philadelphia’s clinching win came one day after the team suffered a 12-1 loss to Tampa Bay, which had reduced their postseason odds to as low as 99.1% according to FanGraphs.
The Astros’ victory was anchored by a strong start from Ethan Pecko, who allowed just one hit and struck out two in three innings. The bullpen combined for six scoreless innings, and Christian Walker contributed with his 29th home run of the season. Houston’s division title was guaranteed despite entering the day tied with the Texas Rangers at 80-81.
The Rangers, who also won on Saturday, finished the season at 80-81 but lost the tiebreaker to the Astros, who held the head-to-head advantage. Texas will enter the postseason as the top wild-card team in the AL.
Historical Context
The Astros’ division title at 81-81 sets a new benchmark for the worst record by a division winner in MLB history. The previous record was held by the 2005 Padres, who finished 82-80. The Astros’ .500 finish is the first time a division winner has not finished above .500 since the league expanded to three divisions per league in 1969.
The Phillies’ avoidance of a late-season collapse adds to a season of highs and lows. After a strong start, the team struggled in September, losing six of eight games before rallying on the final day. Their wild-card berth marks the franchise’s first postseason appearance since 2011.
The postseason is set to begin this week, with the Astros and Phillies joining 10 other teams in the race for the World Series.