The Milwaukee Brewers became the first team in Major League Baseball (MLB) to clinch a district title this season.
Milwaukee, which leads the National League Central, clinched the division title regardless of the outcome of the remaining games with the Chicago Cubs' 3-5 loss to the Oakland Athletics on Monday (Sept. 19) at American Family Field in Milwaukee, Wisconsin.
Milwaukee, which had 87 wins and 64 losses entering the day, would be tied if the Brewers lose all 11 of their remaining games and the district runner-up Cubs (77 wins and 75 losses) win all 10 of their remaining games.
But Milwaukee, with an 8-5 lead in the season head-to-head record, would take over first place in the division even if the worst happens.
Milwaukee defied the odds to take first place in the district, 토토사이트 despite losing their manager Craig Counsell to the rival Cubs this offseason, and having their lineup significantly weakened by injuries to key players.
Winning their third district title in the last four years, including back-to-back district championships, Milwaukee has established itself as a powerhouse in the Central District.
“You never know where your limits are, but (the team) came together and competed as well as they could, and that's what fueled us to win the district,” said Milwaukee manager Pat Murphy, who watched the Cubs' loss on TV before the game.
The New York Yankees also clinched a spot in the American League postseason with a 2-1 victory over the Seattle Mariners. They join Milwaukee as the second team to clinch a spot in fall baseball.
The Yankees, who have won 27 World Series titles, the most in MLB, have clinched at least the third wild-card spot in the league, which is the final postseason berth regardless of the number of games remaining.
The Yankees are in first place in the American League East with 89 wins and 63 losses, and they have a shot at winning the division.
There are six teams per league in the MLB postseason: the three district winners plus the next three teams with the highest winning percentage (wild cards).
The six teams with the highest winning percentage earn the No. 1 seed, while the second-highest winning percentage among the district winners earns the No. 2 seed and advances directly to the Division Series (best-of-five).
The No. 3 seed with the lowest winning percentage among the district winners, the No. 6 seed with the third wild card, and the No. 4 and 5 seeds with the first and second wild cards, respectively, will play a wild card series (best-of-three) at the home of the higher seed to determine the Division Series participants.
The winners of the Division Series advance to the League Championship Series (best-of-seven), where the winners meet in the World Series (best-of-seven) to be crowned this year's champion.