Rays clinch AL East as Dodgers roll past Padres

Tampa Bay Rays clinched the American League East on Tuesday, while Los Angeles Dodgers strengthened their position in the National League with a dominant victory over the San Diego Padres.

The Rays beat the New York Yankees 6-1 at Yankee Stadium in the second meeting between the teams on Tuesday, securing their first AL East title since 2021. Tampa Bay also secured home-field advantage through the American League Championship Series.

Despite the loss, the Yankees secured home-field advantage for the American League Wild Card Series, adding another postseason milestone to a night dominated by the Rays' division-clinching celebration.

Dodgers shut out Padres

In Los Angeles, the Dodgers defeated the Padres 7-0, continuing their strong late-season run. The result came with both clubs already positioned for October baseball and added another significant chapter to their NL West rivalry.

The Dodgers entered Tuesday with a 96-60 record, while San Diego was 87-69.

Brewers fall to Phillies

The Milwaukee Brewers, one of the National League's top teams, lost 6-4 to the Philadelphia Phillies.

Milwaukee entered the game with a 98-58 record, while Philadelphia was 86-70. The result kept the Phillies focused on the postseason picture with the regular season approaching its conclusion.

Pete Alonso's power keeps Orioles alive

The Baltimore Orioles also remained in the postseason conversation after Pete Alonso hit his 39th and 40th home runs of the season in Monday's 4-3 comeback victory over Toronto. The Orioles and Blue Jays met again Tuesday with both teams facing a rapidly shrinking margin for error in the American League wild-card race.

Alonso's performance was particularly significant because his eighth-inning two-run homer gave Baltimore the lead in Monday's game. The Orioles entered Tuesday 4.5 games behind the Chicago White Sox for the final AL Wild Card position, while Toronto was 3.5 games back.

Astros make a statement in Seattle

The Houston Astros defeated the Seattle Mariners 7-0, producing one of Tuesday's biggest shutouts.

The Astros entered the game 77-79, while Seattle was 73-83. The result came as both clubs continued to navigate the final stretch of the regular season.

Other Tuesday MLB results

Nationals 3, Tigers 1

Pirates 2, Cardinals 0

Guardians 3, Red Sox 2

Reds 4, Braves 0

White Sox 14, Royals 11

Marlins 8, Cubs 2

Mets 6, Rangers 3

Diamondbacks 7, Rockies 2

Athletics 9, Angels 7

Twins 3, Giants 2

Several teams are now playing essentially must-win baseball 

With only a handful of regular-season games remaining, Tuesday's results further reshaped the American League wild-card race and the National League postseason picture. Several teams are now playing essentially must-win baseball as the regular season enters its final days.

MLB's regular season concludes on September 27, with the postseason following shortly afterward.