Each team in the Liga Mexicana de Beisbol has six games remaining in the 93-game regular season, and 15 of 20 teams are still alive for the 12 playoff spots available. Below, separated by division and standings, are each team’s playoff possibilities as the regular season draws to a close.
Zona Norte
1. Toros de Tijuana (56-29) – The Toros have clinched the Zona Norte regular season title and trail the Diablos Rojos del Mexico by 3 1/2 games for home field advantage throughout the playoffs. They host Monclova this weekend and visit Durango for the final series of the season Tuesday through Thursday.
2. Caliente de Durango (49-37) – With Thursday’s win, Durango clinched a playoff spot for the first time since 1978, though LMB baseball had been absent from 1979 to 2017. The Caliente are 5 1/2 games ahead of Monterrey and Monclova, and one more win or a loss by both teams will clinch the second seed. Durango goes to Jalisco this weekend before hosting Tijuana to finish the regular season.
T3. Acereros de Monclova, Sultanes de Monterrey (44-43) – Monclova and Monterrey are tied for the final home playoff berth and should make the playoffs barring a total collapse. The best either team is likely to finish is third, and while an eighth-place finish is unlikely for either team, it is still possible. Monclova’s six remaining games are on the road, first at Tijuana and then at Aguascalientes, while Monterrey hosts Chihuahua and Dos Laredos to finish out the schedule.
5. Charros de Jalisco (43-43) – The Charros are just a half-game behind Monclova and Monterrey, and can finish anywhere from third to eighth. Benji Gil’s club hosts Durango and then visits Chihuahua to close out the regular season.
6. Algodoneros de Union Laguna (42-45) – Union Laguna holds the final playoff spot in the Zona Norte, and they’re three games behind Monclova and Monterrey for the final home playoff spot. More likely is a finish between fourth and sixth place, though a stumble down the stretch could drop them out of the playoffs. They’ll travel to Aguascalientes for a series that could potentially decided the playoff fate of both teams before hosting Saltillo to finish the schedule.
7. Rieleros de Aguascalientes (39-44) – One game out of a playoff spot, the Rieleros will host the Algodoneros in a three-game weekend series that should be appointment viewing for LMB fans. Third place is still on the table for Aguascalientes, though a tad unlikely, but a series win or sweep against Union Laguna could get the Rieleros into the playoffs and potentially avoid a first round series against Tijuana. After facing Union Laguna, they’ll finish the season at home against Monclova.
8. Saraperos de Saltillo (37-50) – The Saraperos have gotten hot late, taking a four-game winning streak into this weekend’s series against Dos Laredos. The playoffs are possible, though highly unlikely, as the Saraperos will likely need to sweep their final two series against Dos Laredos and Union Laguna to make the postseason.
9. Dorados de Chihuahua (35-52) – The Dorados didn’t strike playoff gold this season.
10. Tecolotes de los Dos Laredos (33-54) – Yogi Berra called. He said, “It ain’t over until it’s over, but really, the season’s over.”
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Zona Sur
1. Diablos Rojos del Mexico (59-28) – The Diablos have clinched the Zona Sur regular season title and lead the Toros de Tijuana by 3 1/2 games for home field advantage through the playoffs.
2. Olmecas de Tabasco (51-35) – A win or a loss by Campeche will clinch the No. 2 seed in the south for Tabasco. They’ll host Leon before hitting the road to Campeche for their final series of the regular season.
3. Piratas de Campeche (47-39) – The Piratas have made a late run that has gotten them into third place, where they’re a half game ahead of Puebla. They could finish as high as second, which is unlikely, or as low as eighth, depending upon the results of a home series against Queretaro and the season finale against Tabasco, also at home.
4. Pericos de Puebla (46-39) – Puebla, the last team besides the Diablos to win an LMB title, is a half-game behind Campeche and a game ahead of Leon and Oaxaca, with a finish between third and eighth place still possible. They’ll face the last-place Leones de Yucatan on the road before hosting Veracruz to finish the season, giving them a very favorable schedule for the final stretch.
T5. Bravos de Leon, Guerreros de Oaxaca (46-41) – The Bravos and Guerreros hold the last two playoff spots in the Zona Sur. They’re one game behind Puebla and 1 1/2 games behind Campeche, which means that a finish between third and eighth is possible. The Bravos will go on the road to face second-place Tabasco before finishing the season at home against Queretaro. Oaxaca heads to Mexico City to face the Diablos before finishing the season at home against last place Yucatan.
7. Tigres de Quintana Roo (43-44) – The Tigres have lost their last six games and fallen out of playoff position, but they, like most of the teams still alive in the south, can finish between third and eighth. They’ll head to Veracruz before hosting their long-time rival, the Diablos, to finish the season. Four wins in the final six games might get them into the playoffs, while five wins would likely get the job done, but is it really possible given the recent skid? Time to shake the Magic 8-Ball.
8. El Aguila de Veracruz (39-48) – El Aguila is still in flight, though they’re going to need to win all six of their remaining games to make the playoffs. They’ll host Quintana Roo, which has lost seven of their last 10 and six in a row, before finishing the season at Puebla. Is it possible? Sure. Is it likely? No.
9. Conspiradores de Queretaro (34-52) – The Conspiradores didn’t take many overt actions to further their conspiracy to win the Zona Sur, and soon they’ll be watching the playoff on tv.
10. Leones de Yucatan (29-55) – Four years removed from winning the Serie del Rey, the Leones had great pitching but zero offense this year. The result was the league’s worst record. Hopefully Hensley Meulens can turn the franchise around in the offseason.
The LMB’s Unique Playoff Format – The LMB playoffs start with the top six teams in both the Zona Norte and Zona Sur making the playoffs. The first round is seeded as you would expect, with the regular season division winner facing the sixth-place team, the second-place club facing the fifth-place club, and the third and fourth-place teams each meeting in a best-of-seven series.
That, of course, means that three teams advance by winning the first-round series. It also means that a fourth team is needed for the second round, so the team that loses a first-round series but wins the most games also advances to the second round, where the top remaining seed plays the series loser that advanced. The other two series winners face off, again in a best-of-seven series.
Last season provided a good example of how the system works. The sixth-seeded Charros de Jalisco upset the Zona Norte regular season champion Sultanes de Monterrey twice, beating them four games to three in the first round. The Sultanes advanced because they won three games in the first round and finished ahead of the Acereros de Monclova, who also won three games in the first round but lost their series in the regular season. The Sultanes won their second round series, sweeping the Tecolotes de los Dos Laredos, then faced the Charros again, falling four games to one as the Charros advanced to the Serie del Rey.
The winners face off in the Serie Campeonato, which determines the division’s representative in the Serie del Rey, the league’s championship series.
Where to Watch – All Liga Mexicana de Beisbol games are streamed live with a subscription on LMB TV, and a season subscription is on sale for MX$799 (about US$46) until April 30. Select games are streamed live on the YouTube page for Latin American network Claro Sports.
Photo: The Caliente de Durango clinched the city’s first LMB playoff berth since 1978. Who will join them in the playoffs? (Photo courtesy of the Caliente de Durango)
