What Making The 2020 Playoffs Means For Each Team

Image credit: (John McCoy/Getty)

The 2020 postseason has arrived, and making it means something different for all 16 teams involved.

Here is a look at what making the postseason means for every team in the field, along with what they have to accomplish for their season to be considered a success.

Teams are listed in order of playoff seed in each league.

AMERICAN LEAGUE

Rays

Record: 40-20, first in AL East

What Making The Postseason Means: It’s not so much that the Rays made the postseason, but that they finished atop the AL East for the first time since 2010. As the team with the best record in the AL and the No. 1 farm system in the game, the Rays are positioned to dominate the division for years to come, even with the Yankees looming and the Blue Jays rising.

What Qualifies As A Success: The Rays are the favorite to represent the AL in the World Series, but given they haven’t won a postseason series since 2008 and are still at the start of their competitive window, just getting past the Wild Card round will count as a step forward.

Athletics

Record: 36-24, first in AL West

What Making The Postseason Means: Like the Rays, it’s mostly significant the A’s made the postseason as division winners. The A’s ended the Astros run of three straight division titles and boast a talented young core, signifying the start of their time as the reigning power in the AL West.

What Qualifies As A Success: The A’s, famously, have lost their last five postseason series and have failed to get past their opening round in nine of their last 10 playoff appearances. Given that history, just getting past the Wild Card Series will count as a win.

Twins

Record: 36-24, first in AL Central

What Making The Postseason Means: For all the star-level talent on the Indians and White Sox, the AL Central still belongs to the Twins. They’ve won back-to-back division titles and made the playoffs now three times in the last four years, their longest run of sustained success since they made the playoffs four times in five seasons from 2002-06.

What Qualifies As A Success: Like the A’s and Rays, it’s been awhile since the Twins have won in the playoffs. In fact, they’ve lost 16 straight postseason games since 2004 and have been dismissed in the opening round in each of their last seven postseason appearances. The Twins have legitimate World Series hopes, but even just winning the Wild Card Series to get over that hump will represent a positive outcome.

Indians

Record: 35-25, second in AL Central

What Making The Postseason Means: This could be the final run the with SS Francisco Lindor if the budget-conscious Indians decide to trade him this offseason with one year left on his deal. It could also be their last run with franchise favorite Carlos Santana, whose second stint in Cleveland may end this fall with his expensive team option for 2021 unlikely to be picked up.

What Qualifies As A Success: Given this could be it with Lindor, it’s World Series or bust in many ways for the Indians, although they could very well have another shot next year if they decide to keep him.

Yankees

Record: 33-27, second in AL East

What Making The Postseason Means: That even a Yankees team decimated by injuries is still a force to be reckoned with. The Yankees lost countless key contributors for the second year in a row and still maintained a winning record and playoff position even at their lowest point, a testament to the depth the organization has assembled.

What Qualifies As A Success: Winning the World Series is always the Yankees standard, but given they haven’t made it since 2009, just getting back to the Fall Classic will count as a win.

Astros

Record: 29-31, second in AL West

What Making The Postseason Means: This is likely the final chance for the Astros to add to their postseason legacy with OFs George Springer, Michael Brantley and Josh Reddick set to be free agents after the season and 2B Jose Altuve declining rapidly. This is also their shot to rebut criticisms that their success was a product of sign-stealing rather than legitimately earned.

What Qualifies As A Success: It’s World Series or bust for the Astros following their Game 7 loss last year and with their upcoming roster defections. Their window to compete figures to get tighter with each passing year.  

White Sox

Record: 35-25, third in AL Central

What Making The Postseason Means: The White Sox rebuild worked and they’ve arrived as a team to be feared in the American League. Even with their end-of-season slide, they had one of MLB’s 10-best records from nearly start to finish this season.

What Qualifies As A Success: Just making the postseason makes this season a success for the White Sox. Even if they’re eliminated in the Wild Card Series, they can look back on 2020 as a major step forward and the start of a bright future. 

Blue Jays

Record: 32-28, third in AL East

What Making The Postseason Means: The young core is ready to compete. SS Bo Bichette, OF Lourdes Gurriel Jr., 1B Vladimir Guerrero Jr., 2B Cavan Biggio and DH Rowdy Tellez comprise an impressive 26-and-under group and OFs Randal Grichuk and Teoscar Hernandez are still in their 20s as well.

What Qualifies As A Success: Making the playoffs alone made this a successful season for the Blue Jays, especially in light of the fact they had to relocate to Buffalo for the year. Anything else is a bonus.

NATIONAL LEAGUE

Dodgers

Record: 43-17, first in NL West

What Making The Postseason Means: It’s not so much that the Dodgers made the postseason, but how they did it. They steamrolled all comers, outscoring opponents by 136 runs and putting up a win percentage equivalent to a 116-win season over 162 games. It’s a sign that even after eight straight division titles, this franchise is nowhere near its decline phase.

What Qualifies As A Success: Winning the World Series. Given the Dodgers overwhelming talent and recent postseason disappointments, anything short of that will represent a failure, even taking into account the difficulties of an extra postseason round and the best-of-three opening series.

Braves

Record: 35-25, first in NL East

What Making The Postseason Means: The Braves competitive window remains wide open after their third straight division title. Even with a disastrous season for their starting rotation, they held at least a share of first place in the division for all but 10 days this season.

What Qualifies As A Success: The Braves haven’t gotten past the opening round in their last nine postseason appearances dating back to 2001. While they have higher hopes, even just winning a series will represent a positive step forward for the franchise.

Cubs

Record: 34-26, first in NL Central

What Making The Postseason Means: The Cubs aren’t done yet. Chicago progressively fell backward after winning the 2016 World Series—going from losing in the NLCS in 2017 to losing in the wild card game in 2018 to missing the playoffs altogether in 2019—but showed this year they’re still a team to be reckoned with.

What Qualifies As A Success: The Cubs have high standards and World Series aspirations. Even if they don’t quite get there, this will have been a successful step in the right direction as long as they get past the Wild Card Series.

Padres

Record: 37-23, second in NL West

What Making The Postseason Means: The rebuild worked. The Padres had not made the playoffs since 2006 or had a winning record since 2010 and underwent a painful, and often times ugly, rebuild to get here. Even taking into account the shortened season and expanded playoff field, the Padres performance this season showed they’ve finally arrived.

What Qualifies As A Success: Making the playoffs means 2020 will be viewed in a favorable light no matter what. But if the Padres can win their first playoff series since 1998 and then beat the Dodgers in the Division Series, the team and the city will erupt.

Cardinals

Record: 30-28, second in NL Central

What Making The Postseason Means: The Cardinals can still compete despite trading away loads of talent over the last two years, including RHPs Sandy Alcantara, Zac Gallen and Luke Weaver, 1B Luke Voit, OFs Tommy Pham, Oscar Mercado and Randy Arozanena and C Carson Kelly. Some of those players brought them Paul Goldschmidt and the since-departed Marcell Ozuna, but many of those trades have been misfires. Still, the Cardinals are in the postseason for the second straight year, a testament to the organizational depth they’ve built.

What Qualifies As A Success: The fact the Cardinals made the playoffs despite their COVID-19 outbreak makes their season a success. The organization has high standards, but given the challenges they faced this season, just being here counts as a win.

Marlins

Record: 31-29, second in NL East

What Making The Postseason Means: The Marlins have a young talent base to work with. Miami’s COVID-19 outbreak forced many of the club’s young prospects to the majors sooner than expected and they kept the team afloat, especially on the pitching side.

What Qualifies As A Success: Making the playoffs for the first time since 2003, especially given the circumstances, has already made the season a smashing success. Even if they don’t win a game, the Marlins can and should view the 2020 season in a positive light.

Reds

Record: 31-29, third in NL Central

What Making The Postseason Means: The end of six straight losing seasons and a sign of hope for the future. The Reds scuffled most of the year but got hot just in time to make the playoffs. Getting over that hump was huge for the franchise and may have saved a lot of jobs in the front office.

What Qualifies As A Success: Simply making the playoffs makes this a successful season for the Reds. Winning in the Wild Card Series—which would be the franchise’s first postseason series win since 1995—would make it an undeniable success.

Brewers

Record: 29-31, fourth in NL Central

What Making The Postseason Means: This is the most successful run in franchise history. The Brewers have made the playoffs three years in a row for the first time, although it must be noted they backed into the final playoff spot and in a normal year would be nowhere close to contention. But they’re in, and following two legitimately strong years, the 2018-20 Brewers are on a run of sustained success longer than any in franchise history.

What Qualifies As A Success: Because their inclusion in the playoffs was so uninspiring, the Brewers realistically need to upset the Dodgers in the Wild Card Series to prove they belong and to be able to look back on this season fondly.