Updated 2026 MLB Playoffs Bracket Picture and Standings After Astros Clinch Berth, Make History

It wasn't always pretty, but the Houston Astros are back in the playoffs after winning the American League West title.

The Astros clinched the division and a spot in the 2026 MLB postseason on Sunday with the Texas Rangers' 6-4 loss to the Minnesota Twins. The Astros also won their regular-season finale to reach the .500 mark:

This year's AL West has the dubious distinction of being among the worst divisions in MLB history. Entering Sunday, the five teams had a collective minus-469 run differential.

Since the wild-card era began in 1995, the 2005 San Diego Padres held the record for the fewest wins by a division champion (82-80).

The 2005 NL West won by the Padres also holds the distinction of having the worst collective run differential since MLB moved to five-team divisions (minus-490), so history remains within reach for the AL West.

Despite the overall futility within the AL West, the Astros were able to prevail and get back to the playoffs after missing out in 2025. Last year marked their first time not in the postseason since 2016.

Even though the record doesn't stand out, the Astros could be a sleeper team to make a surprise playoff run. They have arguably the best hitter in MLB and the presumptive AL MVP frontrunner in Yordan Alvarez. Jeremy Peña, Yainer Diaz, Isaac Paredes and Jose Altuve provide quality depth around Alvarez in the lineup.

Hunter Brown might have been an AL Cy Young contender if he didn't miss so much time early in the season. Peter Lambert has been solid after spending last year in Japan. Josh Hader is arguably still the best closer in MLB with a 1.01 ERA.

The 2023 Arizona Diamondbacks only won 84 games in the regular season before sweeping their way through the first two rounds of the playoffs en route to reaching the World Series.

Houston will look to follow a similar path if it can put everything together now that it is officially in the postseason field.

It wasn't always pretty, but the Texas Rangers are back in the playoffs for the first time in four seasons after winning the American League West title.

The Rangers clinched the division and a spot in the 2026 MLB postseason on DAY with an X-X win over OPPONENT--OR--the Houston Astros' X-X loss to the TEAM .

This year's AL West has the dubious distinction of being among the worst divisions in MLB history. The five teams have a collective minus-467 run differential .

Since the wild-card era began in 1995, the 2005 San Diego Padres hold/held the record for the fewest wins by a division champion (82-80). The Astros can only get to XX wins with X games remaining in the regular season.

Despite the overall futility within the AL West, the Rangers were able to prevail and get back to the playoffs for the first time since winning the World Series in 2023.

Even though the record doesn't stand out, the Rangers could be a sleeper team to make a surprise playoff run. Corey Seager has one of the best playoff resumes of any active player in MLB.

Josh Jung and Joc Pederson, who hopes to be back from a hand fracture for the start of the postseason, provide quality depth with Seager at the top of the lineup.

Jacob deGrom hasn't been his usual dominant self with a 3.86 ERA, he still finished with 196 strikeouts in 158.2 innings.

The issue for Texas is a lack of pitching depth behind deGrom. The three other primary healthy starters all have ERAs over 4.00. The bullpen owns the third-worst ERA in MLB since the All-Star break .

Three years ago, the Arizona Diamondbacks team that lost to the Rangers in the World Series limped into the playoffs with just 84 wins. They proceeded to sweep their first two series en route to reaching the Fall Classic.

Texas will be hoping to follow a similar path as it looks to win the World Series for the second time in franchise history.