There can only be one: Phillies, Dodgers, Yankees... the favorite teams to win MLB

Seven months of uninterrupted competition, from March to October and 162 games. That is the time the 30 Major League teams have to qualify for the final stretch of the season.

They can do so in two ways: either directly by being the top-ranked team in their division, or by earning a Wild-Card by having a good enough record to earn one of the coveted playoff tickets.

The MLB is separated into two leagues: the National League and the American League, and within them there are three divisions: the West, the Central and the North, each composed of five teams.

The top teams in each automatically advance to the post-season bracket, while the remaining 12 teams compete against each other for the three wild-card spots awarded by each league to the best second-place finishers.

The top two from each side automatically advance to the American Division Series, while the third-best division leader will have to play a game against one of the wild-card entrants.

American League Contenders

New York Yankees (85-62, 1st AL East)

The Yankees currently lead the AL East but are closely followed by the Baltimore Orioles, just 1.5 games behind with 15 to go. Led by Aaron Judge and newly signed Juan Soto, the Yankees have strengthened their squad this season, making them one of the most feared teams in the league.

Cleveland Guardians (84-63, 1st AL Central)

Cleveland leads the AL Central, four games ahead of the Kansas City Royals. They've already sured last season's win total of 76, thanks to stars like José Ramírez and Josh Naylor. The Guardians seem poised for a postseason spot without needing the Wild-Card.

Houston Astros (78-68, 1st AL West)

Despite a rough start, the Astros have turned their season around and now lead the AL West. Key performances by Yordan Álvarez and recent addition Yusei Kikuchi have been vital. The defending champions, Texas Rangers, have struggled, trailing Houston by 7.5 games.

Baltimore Orioles (83-64, 2nd AL East)

The Orioles are on the brink of securing a playoff berth but will need to overtake the Yankees to avoid a Wild-Card matchup. Players like Gunnar Henderson and Anthony Santander are crucial to Baltimore's hopes.

Kansas City Royals (80-67, 2nd AL Central)

Led by Bobby Witt Jr., the Royals are chasing the Guardians and are in a tight race to hold off the Minnesota Twins. Witt has been a standout player, leading in home runs, hits, and on-base percentage for Kansas City.

Minnesota Twins (78-68, 3rd AL Central)

Minnesota is fighting for the final Wild-Card spot, currently ahead of the Boston Red Sox and Seattle Mariners by four games. Willi Castro and Carlos Santana are key contributors, while Pablo López leads the pitching staff.

National League Contenders

Philadelphia Phillies (88-58, 1st NL East)

The Phillies are looking strong, just three wins shy of their best record in over a decade. Led by Kyle Schwarber and Bryce Harper, they currently have the best record in the National League.

Milwaukee Brewers (84-62, 1st NL Central)

The Brewers have been one of the surprises of the season, comfortably leading the NL Central by nine games. Willy Adames and William Contreras are driving forces as the team prepares for the playoffs.

Los Angeles Dodgers (87-59, 1st NL West)

The Dodgers made waves by g Shohei Ohtani, and they've been the first team to reach 80 wins this season. Ohtani's performance, along with Teoscar Hernández, has kept the Dodgers ahead of the Arizona Diamondbacks.

Arizona Diamondbacks (82-64, 2nd NL West)

Last year's runners-up, the Diamondbacks, are right behind the Dodgers and are hoping to make another deep playoff run. Ketel Marte and Eugenio Suárez lead the charge.

San Diego Padres (82-65, 3rd NL West)

The Padres are locked in a tight race with the Diamondbacks, just half a game behind. Manny Machado and Jurickson Profar will be key players as San Diego seeks a playoff spot.

New York Mets (80-66, 2nd NL East)

The Mets have won eight of their last ten games, overtaking the Atlanta Braves for the final Wild-Card spot. Francisco Lindor and Pete Alonso are leading the charge for New York.

With just a few weeks left, the MLB playoff picture is taking shape, but many races are still too close to call, promising a thrilling end to the season.