Major League Baseball's 2024 playoff schedule has been revealed, setting the stage for what promises to be an electrifying postseason. The excitement will kick off on October 1 with the beginning of the Wild Card Series, marking the start of a month-long journey to the World Series.
Wild Card Series Begins
The Wild Card Series, featuring eight teams, will be a high-stakes affair as they compete in a best-of-three format. The winners will move on to the League Division Series (LDS).
For this round, the No. 3 and No. 4 seeds in each league will host the No. 6 and No. 5 teams, respectively. The New York Mets and Atlanta Braves secured the final two spots to join the playoff race. The Mets are set to head to Milwaukee to face the Brewers, while the Braves will travel west to meet the Padres.
In addition, the Baltimore Orioles will host the Kansas City Royals, and the Houston Astros are slated to take on the Detroit Tigers. Game 1 for all Wild Card matchups is scheduled for October 1, Game 2 will follow on October 2, and if needed, a decisive Game 3 will be played on October 3.
League Division Series Looms
The League Division Series will commence on October 5, with the Los Angeles Dodgers, Philadelphia Phillies, New York Yankees, and Cleveland Guardians having earned byes directly to this round. The Guardians and Yankees will face off in their series opener on October 5, alongside the Phillies and Dodgers who will also begin their postseason campaigns on the same day. While Games 2 for the Phillies and Dodgers are slated for October 6, the Guardians and Yankees will play their second games on October 7.
Decisive Game 5s, if necessary, are scheduled for October 11 for the National League and October 12 for the American League.
League Championship Series
The National League Championship Series (NLCS) will begin on October 13, with Game 2 following on October 14. The American League Championship Series (ALCS) starts on October 14, with Game 2 set for October 15. If either series extends to a full seven games, the NLCS will conclude on October 21, and the ALCS will wrap up on October 22.
World Series Schedule
The pinnacle of the postseason, the World Series, is tentatively set to start on October 25. However, if both the ALCS and NLCS conclude in five games or fewer, the World Series could be moved up to an earlier start date of October 22. Game 2 of the World Series is scheduled for October 26, with subsequent games planned for October 28 and 29. If the championship series stretches to six or seven games, they will be played on November 1 and 2, respectively.
As the postseason draws closer, baseball fans are readying themselves for thrilling matchups, potential upsets, and memorable moments that will define this year's playoff run. The journey to crown the next World Series victor is set to deliver maximum excitement, with every game carrying the weight of the season’s aspirations.