We have made it to the final day of the Cape Cod Baseball League regular season! Every team is off on Monday, with the playoffs beginning on Tuesday.
The top four teams from each division will make the playoffs. Playoff rules are as such: The first place and fourth place teams in each division will play in a best-of-three series. Same applies for teams placed second and third in their divisions. Higher seeded teams will receive home field advantage. Winners of each first round will then play the other remaining team from their division to crown playoff division champions. Division champions will face off in the finals, with a champion being crowned on August 12th or August 13th. Every playoff series is a best of three with the higher seeded team hosting games one and three, and the lower seeded team hosting game two. The team with the better regular season record will have home-field advantage in the finals.
With one game left to go in the regular season, let’s take a look at playoff clinching scenarios ahead of Sunday’s action.
Sunday Schedule:
4 pm Orleans Firebirds @ Brewster Whitecaps
6 pm Yarmouth-Dennis Red Sox @ Bourne Braves
6 pm Wareham Gatemen @ Hyannis Harbor Hawks
6 pm Cotuit Kettleers @ Falmouth Commodores
7 pm Harwich Mariners @ Chatham Anglers
East:
Orleans Firebirds (22-15-2, 46 points):
The Orleans Firebirds hold possession of the best record in the CCBL and first place in the East entering Sunday. The team has won seven straight and if they can defeat the Whitecaps today, they will finish as winners of the division and with the best record on the Cape. However, an Orleans loss combined with a Harwich win would mean the Firebirds dropping to second in the division.
Harwich Mariners (21-15-3, 45 points):
The Harwich Mariners are in the inverse position of the Firebirds. If they can beat the Anglers in their season finale, and get help from Brewster by beating Orleans, Harwich will finish the summer atop the East with the best record in the CCBL. Either a Harwich loss or Orleans win would mean the Mariners finishing second in the division.
Brewster Whitecaps (21-17-1, 43 points):
After losing to the Mariners last night, the Brewster Whitecaps find themselves locked into third place in the East. They can relax in their season finale against Orleans, knowing it will not affect their playoff positioning. The Whitecaps will face either the Firebirds or Mariners in round one.
Yarmouth-Dennis Red Sox (19-17-3, 41 points):
Following their loss to the Chatham Anglers last night, the Y-D Red Sox are locked into the fourth seed in the playoffs. It remains unclear who will win the East, but what’s certain is that Y-D will face the top team in the division in round one. Depending on Sunday’s results, Y-D will face either Orleans or Harwich. The team can now focus on playoffs as they head to Bourne for their final regular season game on Sunday.
Chatham Anglers (16-20-3, 35 points):
The Chatham Anglers were eliminated from the playoffs on Wednesday and will finish the summer fifth in the West. Chatham will finish out their season at home as they host Harwich.
West:
Bourne Braves (19-18-2, 40 points):
It took them until the final weekend of the season, but Bourne took over first place last night for the first time in 2025, following their win in Cotuit last night. If Bourne can beat Y-D today, they will win the West and earn the top seed in the division. However, a Bourne loss combined with a Wareham win would relegate the Braves down to the two seed.
Wareham Gatemen (19-20, 38 points):
Opposite of the Braves is the Gatemen, who fell out of first place after losing to Falmouth last night. Wareham plays Hyannis to finish out the regular season. A Wareham win combined with a Bourne loss would result in the Gatemen winning the West. If Bourne wins or Wareham loses today, the Gatemen will finish in second place.
Cotuit Kettleers (16-20-3, 35 points):
The math is pretty simple for the Kettleers. If they win today against Falmouth, they are in. If they lose, they will need Hyannis to lose to clinch the final playoff spot in the West. With a win over Falmouth tomorrow, Cotuit would finish third in the West. However, if Cotuit loses and Hyannis wins today, the Kettleers will miss the playoffs.
Hyannis Harbor Hawks (15-20-4, 34 points):
Hyannis has two paths to making the playoffs entering Sunday. Hyannis controls their own destiny and can clinch their spot with a win over Wareham. They can also clinch a playoff spot if Falmouth defeats Cotuit. However, the Harbor Hawks are hoping to do it themselves with a win over the Gatemen today. A Hyannis loss combined with a Falmouth win would result in the Harbor Hawks missing the playoffs.
Falmouth Commodores (16-22-1, 33 points):
The Falmouth Commodores have the simplest path to the playoffs entering Sunday. A win equals a playoff berth. A loss to Cotuit means Jarrod Saltalamacchia and his team will miss the playoffs and finish fifth in the West. Falmouth could finish as high as third if they beat Cotuit and Hyannis loses today. Unlike Cotuit, Falmouth does not have the luxury of possibly making the playoffs even if they lose tomorrow, as they are currently behind Hyannis in the West.
