Major League Baseball’s 2024 postseason begins. Fittingly, baseball’s playoffs begin October 1st this year. Four best-of-three Wild Card Series will be held this week (Tigers vs. Astros, Royals vs. Orioles, Mets vs. Brewers, and Braves vs. Padres), with the four-game League Division Series kicking off on Saturday, Oct. 5.
The playoff spots were finalized on Monday, with the Mets and Braves splitting a doubleheader in Atlanta to claim the final two spots. The Mets play the Brewers in Milwaukee this week, while the Braves head west for a game against the Padres. Orioles vs. Royals and Astros vs. Tigers are the two wild card series in the American League. The Dodgers, Phillies, Yankees and Guardians all have byes into the LDS round, and their opponents will be known by Thursday night.
The 12-team playoff bracket is divided into four rounds. Eight teams will play in a best-of-three wild-card series, with the third and fourth seeds in each league hosting the sixth and fifth-seeded teams, respectively. The No. 1 and No. 2 seeds in each league will earn byes to the League Division Series, which begins Saturday, Oct. 5.
The 2024 World Series will begin either Friday, October 25th or Tuesday, October 22nd. If both the ALCS and NLCS end within five games or less, the start date will be moved up.
Understood? good. Below is bracket and the complete 2024 postseason schedule. MLB announced game times for the Wild Card Series on Sunday night.
Keytron Jordan, CBS Sports
wild card series
Tuesday, October 1st
AL Wild Card Series Game 1: Astros vs. Tigers, 2:32 p.m., ABC/Fubo (Try it for free)
AL Wild Card Series Game 1: Orioles vs. Royals, 4:08 p.m., ESPN2/fubo (Try it for free)
National League Wild Card Series Game 1: Brewers vs. Mets, 5:32 p.m., ESPN/fubo (Try it for free)
National League Wild Card Series Game 1: Padres vs. Braves, 8:38 p.m., ESPN/fubo (Try it for free)
Wednesday, October 2nd
AL Wild Card Series Game 2: Astros vs. Tigers, 2:32 p.m., ABC/Fubo (Try it for free)
AL Wild Card Series Game 2: Orioles vs. Royals, 4:38 p.m., ESPN/fubo (Try it for free)
National League Wild Card Series Game 2: Brewers vs. Mets, 7:38 p.m., ESPN/fubo (Try it for free)
National League Wild Card Series Game 2: Padres vs. Braves, 8:38 p.m., ESPN2/fubo (Try it for free)
Thursday, October 3rd
*AL League Wild Card Series Game 3: Astros vs. Tigers, 2:32 p.m., ABC/Fubo (Free Trial)
*AL League Wild Card Series Game 3: Orioles vs. Royals, 4:08 p.m., ESPN/fubo (Try it for free)
*National League Wild Card Series Game 3: Padres vs. Braves, 7:08 p.m., ESPN/fubo (Try it for free)
*National League Wild Card Series Game 3: Brewers vs. Mets, 8:38 p.m., ESPN2/fubo (Try it for free)
*- if required
division series
Saturday, October 5th
ALDS Game 1: Guardians vs. TBD
ALDS Game 1: Yankees vs. TBD
NLDS Game 1: Phillies vs. TBD
NLDS Game 1: Dodgers vs. TBD
Sunday, October 6th
NLDS Game 2: Phillies vs. TBD
NLDS Game 2: Dodgers vs. TBD
Monday, October 7th
ALDS Game 2: Guardians vs. TBD
ALDS Game 2: Yankees vs. TBD
Tuesday, October 8th
NLDS Game 3: TBD vs. Phillies
NLDS Game 3: TBD vs. Dodgers
Wednesday, October 9th
ALDS Game 3: TBD vs. Guardians
ALDS Game 3: TBD vs. Yankees
NLDS Game 4: TBD vs. Phillies (if needed)
NLDS Game 4: TBD vs. Dodgers (if necessary)
Thursday, October 10th
ALDS Game 4: TBD vs. Guardians (if required)
ALDS Game 4: TBD vs. Yankees (if required)
Friday, October 11th
NLDS Game 5: Phillies vs. TBD (if required)
NLDS Game 5: Dodgers vs. TBD (if required)
Saturday, October 12th
ALDS Game 5: Guardians vs. TBD (if required)
ALDS Game 5: Yankees vs. TBD (if required)
championship series
Sunday, October 13th
NLCS Game 1: TBD vs. TBD
Monday, October 14th
ALCS Game 1: TBD vs. TBD
NLCS Game 2: TBD vs. TBD
Tuesday, October 15th
ALCS Game 2: TBD vs. TBD
Wednesday, October 16th
NLCS Game 3: TBD vs. TBD
Thursday, October 17th
ALCS Game 3: TBD vs. TBD
NLCS Game 4: TBD vs. TBD
Friday, October 18th
ALCS Game 4: TBD vs. TBD
NLCS Game 5: TBD vs. TBD (if required)
Saturday, October 19th
ALCS Game 5: TBD vs. TBD (if required)
Sunday, October 20th
NLCS Game 6: TBD vs. TBD (if required)
Monday, October 21st
ALCS Game 6: TBD vs. TBD (if required)
NLCS Game 7: TBD vs. TBD (if required)
Tuesday, October 22nd
ALCS Game 7: TBD vs. TBD (if required)
world series
(The 2024 World Series schedule is subject to change. If both the ALCS and NLCS end within five games, all games will be moved up three days.)
Friday, October 25th
World Series Game 1: TBD vs. TBD
Saturday, October 26th
World Series Game 2: TBD vs. TBD
Monday, October 28th
World Series Game 3: TBD vs. TBD
Tuesday, October 29th
World Series Game 4: TBD vs. TBD
Wednesday, October 30th
World Series Game 5: TBD vs. TBD (if required)
Friday, November 1st
World Series Game 6: TBD vs. TBD (if required)
Saturday, November 2nd
World Series Game 7: TBD vs. TBD (if required)
