cbssports
Sunday marked the conclusion of the 2026 Major League Baseball regular season, with all 30 teams taking the field for Game 162. As has become tradition, every game started at the same time or within minutes of each other, creating a frantic, scoreboard-watching atmosphere as playoff spots hung in the balance.
The day delivered plenty of drama, from season-saving victories to historic lows. Here are the biggest winners and losers from the final day of the regular season.
Winner: Houston Astros
When the standings align, Game 162 can be a last-chance opportunity to snatch a playoff berth. The Astros did exactly that, holding off the Texas Rangers to claim the AL West crown and secure their ninth postseason appearance in the last ten years. Houston will now face the Chicago White Sox in the Wild Card Series. Though the team's championship window may be closing, Sunday's result ensured they have at least one more shot at a deep run.
Loser: The AL West
While the Astros celebrated, the division as a whole should feel a sense of embarrassment. The 2026 AL West was historically bad, producing the first-ever playoff team with a sub-.500 record and seeing all five teams finish with a negative run differential. By any objective measure, none of the division's teams deserved a postseason berth, yet the Astros are in.
Winner: Justin Verlander
Technically, this happened on Saturday, but it's worth including. Verlander, a future first-ballot Hall of Famer and arguably the greatest pitcher of his generation, made the final start of his 21-year career against the Pirates. The 43-year-old right-hander allowed two runs on five innings, striking out six and walking one. The real moment came when the Tigers gave him a send-off he'll never forget, as his daughter ran onto the field. "The way it went, with Genevieve running out, I had no clue," Verlander said. "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." It was a fitting farewell for one of the all-time greats.
Loser: Yordan Alvarez
It's tough to label a potential AL MVP a loser, but Alvarez fell just short of history on Sunday. He finished the season with the league lead in batting average, but he trailed Pete Alonso by one home run and also finished second to Alonso in RBI. Had it not been for Alonso, Alvarez would have become just the sixth player since 1947 to win the Triple Crown, joining Miguel Cabrera (2012) as the most recent. Still, Alvarez led the majors in OPS, OPS+, and walks, and topped the AL in total bases, capping a remarkable season.
Winner: Pete Alonso
Alonso's Orioles may not have made the playoffs, but he did everything he could. He played all 162 games for the third consecutive season and led the AL with 43 home runs. More impressively, he became the first player since RBI became an official stat in 1920 to lead both leagues in the category. Alonso finished with 113 RBI, leading the AL, after previously leading the NL in 2022 with the Mets. No player had ever accomplished that feat. His first season in Baltimore was a resounding individual success.
Loser: Los Angeles Angels
The Angels can no longer claim to be the only franchise without a 100-loss season. Their loss on Sunday dropped them to 62-100, the first 100-loss campaign in team history. Before this year, their worst season was a 99-loss effort in 2024. Having the two worst seasons in franchise history within a three-year span is hardly a positive, though perhaps brighter days lie ahead.
Winner: Max Scherzer
Not to be outdone by his longtime teammate Justin Verlander, Scherzer turned in a vintage performance on short rest, striking out seven over seven innings of one-run ball against the Reds. Blue Jays manager John Schneider came to the mound to remove him in the seventh, but Scherzer refused to leave. He 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: Texas Rangers and Arizona Diamondbacks
Both teams entered Sunday with playoff hopes and ended the day eliminated. Arizona has now narrowly missed the postseason in three of the last four years, while Texas hasn't returned to the playoffs since winning the World Series in 2023.
Winner: Philadelphia Phillies
Philadelphia avoided what could have been one of the worst collapses in recent memory by defeating the Rays on Sunday. The win clinched the third and final NL wild card spot, sending the Phillies to the playoffs for the fifth straight year. The offense finally came alive in Game 162, and Zack Wheeler delivered a stellar performance.
Loser: Philadelphia Phillies
Yes, the Phillies are both winners and losers. They clinched a playoff berth, but they took their time doing it. Entering Sunday, they had lost four straight and six of their last eight. By waiting until the final day, they were forced to start Wheeler against the Rays, which means they can't align their rotation optimally for their Wild Card Series against the Braves. The Phillies were always going to be underdogs in that series, but a well-rested rotation could have been an equalizer. Now that seems unlikely.
Winner: MLB Draft Lottery hopefuls
With the regular season over, the Rockies, Angels, and Athletics have secured the best odds for the No. 1 overall pick in the 2027 MLB Draft. Each team has a 19.1% chance at the top selection and an 87.6% chance of picking in the top six, pending adjustments. The next CBA could alter these odds. Meanwhile, the Mets were also lottery winners: by finishing in the fifth spot, they avoided having their top pick dropped 10 spots due to Competitive Balance Tax penalties. Instead, their second-highest pick will be penalized, a welcome outcome for the club.
Loser: Ketel Marte
Marte's mysterious absence in August is worth revisiting now that the Diamondbacks have missed the playoffs by a narrow margin. Arizona went 7-6 while Marte was away, but his replacements at second base batted a combined .151/.164/.208. Had Marte played those 13 games, the Diamondbacks might have extended their season. Instead, they're left wondering what could have been.
Originally reported by cbssports.