MLB 2026 Season Ends with Playoff Berths, Individual Milestones, and Lottery Outcomes

Sunday marked Game 162 of the Major League Baseball season, and now the regular season is over and the playoffs upon us. Game 162 these days is a unique occasion on the MLB calendar, in that, weather permitting, all games start at the same time or within minutes of each other. With postseason berths hanging in the balance and scoreboard-watching the norm, that adds a layer of intrigue to the proceedings. The 2026 edition of Game 162 was no exception.

To get you up to speed on all that went down on Sunday, we're here to declare some winners and losers from the action that unfolded just ahead of the playoffs. Let's do that now.

Winner: The Astros

Game 162, when the standings cooperate, is mostly about snaring a playoff berth at the last moment. The Astros did indeed do that, as they fended off their in-state rivals, the Rangers, for the AL West crown and thus made the playoffs for the ninth time in the last 10 years. That sets up a Wild Card Series encounter with the White Sox. The Astros are on the cusp of seeing their window close, but Sunday's outcomes ensured they have one last run in them.

Loser: The AL West

As noted above, the Astros were crowned AL West champs on Sunday and as a result secured their spot in the postseason. However, a certain level of chagrin should accompany it. The AL West in 2026 was quite simply a historically miserable division. Not only did the division yield the first-ever playoff team without a winning record, but also every single team in the division finished with a negative run differential. By any reasonable standard, none of the five teams of the AL West should be in the postseason, but here we are.

Winner: Justin Verlander

OK, this actually happened on Saturday, but we'll make an exception and include him here. Verlander, the future first ballot Hall of Famer and arguably the greatest pitcher of his generation, made the final start of his standout career on Saturday after 21 seasons in the majors. The 43-year-old right-hander against the Pirates worked 5 ⅓ innings with two runs allowed and six strikeouts against only one walk. The real triumph, however, came when the Tigers gave Verlander an exit he'll remember and cherish for the rest of his life. Here's a look:

"The way it went, with Genevieve running out, I had no clue," Verlander said afterward. "Was totally blindsided. It hit me like a ton of bricks. That was amazing. I was sobbing ... Walking off the field with my family -- we talked a lot about how my life has changed and what my family means to me, what I'm looking forward to most in retirement, to be able to walk off the field with them, I can't think of a better ending."

That's a fitting exit for one of the best to ever do it. Winner indeed.

Loser: Yordan Alvarez

OK, it's quite hard to put this label on a player who may wind up winning American League MVP honors. Alvarez indeed had a stellar season at the plate, and he was the best pure hitter in all of MLB this season. However, he came up short in his bid for history on Sunday. Alvarez ended the 2026 regular season with the league lead in batting average. However, he finished one homer behind Pete Alonso in that race, and he also finished second to Alonso in the RBI race. In other words, if not for Alonso, Alvarez would've become just the sixth player in the Integrated ERA -- i.e., since 1947 -- to win the Triple Crown. The last to do it was Miguel Cabrera of the Tigers in 2012. Even so, it was a season to remember and appreciate for Alvarez, who, in addition to his batting title, also led the majors in OPS, OPS+, and walks and paced the AL in total bases.

Winner: Pete Alonso

No, Alonso's Orioles did not make the playoffs, but he did his job and then some. Not only did Alonso play in all 162 games for the third straight season, but he also paced the AL with 43 home runs. Perhaps more impressive, Alonso on Sunday became the first player since the RBI became an official stat in 1920 to lead both leagues in the category. Alonso ended the 2026 season with 113 RBI, which was good enough for the AL crown. In his NL days, Alonso also led the league in RBI as a member of the Mets in 2022. To repeat, that's never been done before. Alonso's first season in Baltimore couldn't have gone much better, at least at an individual level.

Loser: The Angels

No longer can the Angels claim they are the only team in baseball without a 100-loss season. They dropped Game 162 on Sunday to fall to 62-100, the franchise's first-ever 100-loss season. Prior to this year, only once had the Angels lost even 99 games. They did that in 2024. Is it good when the two worst seasons in franchise history come in a three-year span? On the bright side, the Angels have a new owner. Perhaps brighter days are ahead?

Winner: Max Scherzer

Not to be outdone by his longtime Tigers (and briefly Mets) teammate Justin Verlander, Max Scherzer struck out seven in seven innings of one-run ball against the Reds in Game 162. He did that on short rest, too. Blue Jays manager John Schneider went to the mound to take him out in the seventh, but Scherzer wasn't having it:

Scherzer said he will discuss his future with his family in the offseason. If this was the future Hall of Famer's final start, he went out with a bang.

Loser: The Rangers and D-backs

Not much explanation needed. These two clubs entered the day still in playoff contention and ended the day with their seasons over. Arizona has now narrowly missed the postseason in three of the last four years, and the Rangers haven't made it since they won the World Series in 2023.

Winner: The Phillies

Philly narrowly avoided one of the worst collapses in recent years by besting the Rays on Sunday. With the win, they clinched the third and final wild-card spot in the NL and will be a part of the playoffs for the fifth straight year. The offense finally woke up in Game 162, and Zack Wheeler spun a gem.

Loser: The Phillies

Yes, the Phillies are pulling winner-loser double duty. OK, yes, they punched their ticket to the postseason with their win over Tampa Bay in Game 162, but they took their sweet time clinching. Coming into Sunday's game, they'd lost four in a row and six of their last eight. By pushing matters until the final day of the regular season -- despite all those chances to wrap it up sooner -- they were forced to start one of their aces, Zack Wheeler, against the Rays. That, in turn, means they're not able to line up their rotation in ideal fashion for their upcoming Wild Card Series clash with the Braves. The Phillies were always going to be underdogs in that series, but being able to lean on their optimally lined-up rotation would've been a potential equalizer. Now that's unlikely to happen.

Winner: The Lottery winners

MLB of course has a draft lottery these days, and with the conclusion of the regular season, the Rockies, Angels, and A's secured the best odds at landing the No. 1 overall pick of the 2027 MLB Draft. Each of those three teams will have a 19.1% chance at landing the top selection and an 87.6% chance of picking within the top six, pending any adjustments. (Note that the next CBA could change these odds.)

Elsewhere, the Mets were lottery-related winners on Sunday. They finished the season in the fifth lottery spot, and by finishing that high in the lottery, they won't see their top pick dropped 10 spots on account of Competitive Balance Tax penalties. Instead, the Mets' second-highest pick will be dropped 10 spots, and that's a welcome wrinkle for the club.

Loser: Ketel Marte