MLB Playoff Bracket if the season ended today (Sept. 11): Yankees sweating it out

The New York Yankees entered a weekend series at Wrigley Field against a scorching Cubs offense, followed by a home tilt with the playoff-contending Kansas City Royals, still side-eyeing a potential nightmare scenario. A complete flop in Wrigley, followed by a no-show against KC, could've resulted in New York exiting this series having been passed by the Royals.

The wind blowing in over the weekend might've helped the Yankees shut down the Cubs offense, though the successful returns of Luis Gil and Clarke Schmidt helped, too. Tack on a seventh-inning comeback in Monday's series opener for an additional statement win, and the Yankees have built the slightest bit of distance between them and the other Wild Cards, leading the Royals by five games with 18 to play.

Their mini-surge has also placed them in the AL East lead, holding a half-game edge on the Baltimore Orioles that swells to one in the all-important loss column. The Orioles have completed one more game than the Yankees, and have just 16 to play. They'll also win the season series over New York (and the tiebreaker) unless the Yankees sweep the final series between the two teams at Yankee Stadium in two weeks. Game on? If the Yanks don't sweep, they'll need to maintain that two-game edge. If they take all three between the two clubs, a tie atop the division will earn them the title (and likely No. 1 playoff seed) -- though, to be honest, if they're sweeping the O's, it's highly unlikely they'll also be tied.

Before Wednesday's action begins, the Yankees and Guardians will receive first-round byes, setting up the No. 3 Astros to play the No. 6 Twins, as well as the Nos. 4 and 5 Orioles and Royals fighting it out for a crack at the Yanks in the ALDS. Everything could still change as quickly as this week, though.

MLB Wild Card Standings: Yankees have sights set on AL East, but keeping tabs

If you're putting the Wild Card races and seeds 4-through-6 in ink, we'd recommend reassessing. After all, though the Boston Red Sox have played terribly the past few weeks, so have their competitors, and a Monday blowout win over Baltimore left them just three games behind the Twins for the final spot. They're behind the 74-71 Tigers at 74-71 tied with the 73-72 Mariners, and Detroit plays Baltimore six times over the season's final three weeks. Either the Tigers are about to make a serious chase for the postseason, or they're about to make the Yankees' lives miserable by rolling over/helping the Orioles surge forward and clearing a playoff path for Boston. WOOF.

Keep a close eye on the Sox and Twins, who'll link up for a three-game weekend series at Fenway from Sept. 20-22. If Minnesota continues to struggle with the Angels (6-2 door-opening loss on Monday), things could get very interesting, and could provide the Yankees even more incentive to avoid the Wild Card round. Popping your popcorn for an Astros-Red Sox best-of-three sounds fun .... until you remember it means that either the Astros or Sox are guaranteed to advance. On the 20th anniversary of 2004? No, thanks. Really, no, we're fine without it. Boston has just an 11.5% chance of making the postseason, per FanGraphs, but that's 11.5% too high.

Of course, the Yankees have the power to be determinative here, too. After the Red Sox and O's are done messing with the Yankees' fate while entangled this week, Boston comes to the Bronx for four. Chaotic.