2024 MLB playoffs: Schedule, postseason bracket, standings

The 2024 MLB playoffs are finally here after the season wrapped up with a doubleheader of playoff-impacting baseball on Monday.

For the third year, the 12-team postseason will kick off with an action-packed wild-card round that starts Tuesday on ESPN, featuring eight teams battling for four spots to advance to the eight-team division series.

The American League playoff picture was wrapped up when the regular season was supposed to end on Sunday, with the Yankees and Guardians taking the top two spots. But the playoff picture in the National League — where the Phillies and Dodgers claimed the top seeds — wasn’t set until the Mets and Braves finished up their two games on Monday. New York and Atlanta split their doubleheader to each clinch a playoff spot (officially eliminating Arizona), and they will head to their respective wild-card opponents in a quick turnaround before Tuesday. What a way to start postseason baseball!

From the first pitch of the wild-card games to the last out of the World Series, we’ve got you covered with the postseason bracket, schedules, results and how to watch every game this October.

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American League Wild Card Series

Best-of-three series

All times Eastern

Detroit Tigers at Houston Astros

• Game 1: Tuesday at 2:30 p.m. (ABC)

• Game 2: Wednesday at 2:30 p.m. (ABC)

• Game 3*: Thursday at 2:30 p.m. (ABC)

*if necessary

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Kansas City Royals at Baltimore Orioles

• Game 1: Tuesday at 4 p.m. (ESPN2)

• Game 2: Wednesday at 4:30 p.m. (ESPN)

• Game 3*: Thursday at 4 p.m. (ESPN)

*if necessary

National League Wild Card Series

Best-of-three series

New York Mets at Milwaukee Brewers

• Game 1: Tuesday at 5:30 p.m. (ESPN)

• Game 2: Wednesday at 7:30 p.m. (ESPN)

• Game 3*: Thursday at 7 p.m. (ESPN)

*if necessary

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Atlanta Braves at San Diego Padres

• Game 1: Tuesday at 8:30 p.m. (ESPN)

• Game 2: Wednesday at 8:30 p.m. (ESPN2)

• Game 3*: Thursday at 8:30 p.m. (ESPN2)

*if necessary

American League Division Series

Best-of-five series

Cleveland Guardians vs. winner of Tigers-Astros

• Game 1: TBD at Guardians, Saturday, Oct. 5 (TBS)

• Game 2: TBD at Guardians, Monday, Oct. 7 (TBS)

• Game 3: Guardians at TBD, Wednesday, Oct. 9 (TBS)

• Game 4*: Guardians at TBD, Thursday, Oct. 10 (TBS)

• Game 5*: TBD at Guardians, Saturday, Oct. 12 (TBS)

*if necessary

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New York Yankees vs. winner of Royals-Orioles

• Game 1: TBD at Yankees, Saturday, Oct. 5 (TBS)

• Game 2: TBD at Yankees, Monday, Oct. 7 (TBS)

• Game 3: Yankees at TBD, Wednesday, Oct. 9 (TBS)

• Game 4*: Yankees at TBD, Thursday, Oct. 10 (TBS)

• Game 5*: TBD at Yankees, Saturday, Oct. 12 (TBS)

*if necessary

National League Division Series

Best-of-five series

Philadelphia Phillies vs. winner of Mets-Brewers

• Game 1: TBD at Phillies, Saturday, Oct. 5 (FOX/FS1)

• Game 2: TBD at Phillies, Sunday, Oct. 6 (FOX/FS1)

• Game 3: Phillies at TBD, Tuesday, Oct. 8 (FOX/FS1)

• Game 4*: Phillies at TBD, Wednesday, Oct. 9 (FOX/FS1)

• Game 5*: TBD at Phillies, Friday, Oct. 11 (FOX/FS1)

*if necessary

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Los Angeles Dodgers vs. winner of Braves-Padres

• Game 1: TBD at Dodgers, Saturday, Oct. 5 (FOX/FS1)

• Game 2: TBD at Dodgers, Sunday, Oct. 6 (FOX/FS1)

• Game 3: Dodgers at TBD, Tuesday, Oct. 8 (FOX/FS1)

• Game 4*: Dodgers at TBD, Wednesday, Oct. 9 (FOX/FS1)

• Game 5*: TBD at Dodgers, Friday, Oct. 11 (FOX/FS1)

*if necessary

American League Championship Series

Best-of-seven series

• Game 1: Monday, Oct. 14 (TBS)

• Game 2: Tuesday, Oct. 15 (TBS)

• Game 3: Thursday, Oct. 17 (TBS)

• Game 4: Friday, Oct. 18 (TBS)

• Game 5*: Saturday, Oct. 19 (TBS)

• Game 6*: Monday, Oct. 21 (TBS)

• Game 7*: Tuesday, Oct. 22 (TBS)

*if necessary

National League Championship Series

Best-of-seven series

• Game 1: Sunday, Oct. 13 (FOX/FS1)

• Game 2: Monday, Oct. 14 (FOX/FS1)

• Game 3: Wednesday, Oct. 16 (FOX/FS1)

• Game 4: Thursday, Oct. 17 (FOX/FS1)

• Game 5*: Friday, Oct. 18 (FOX/FS1)

• Game 6*: Sunday, Oct. 20 (FOX/FS1)

• Game 7*: Monday, Oct. 21 (FOX/FS1)

*if necessary

World Series

Best-of-seven series

• Game 1: Friday, Oct. 25 (FOX)

• Game 2: Saturday, Oct. 26 (FOX)

• Game 3: Monday, Oct. 28 (FOX)

• Game 4: Tuesday, Oct. 29 (FOX)

• Game 5*: Wednesday, Oct. 30 (FOX)

• Game 6*: Friday, Nov. 1 (FOX)

• Game 7*: Saturday, Nov. 2 (FOX)

*if necessary

Note: If both league championship series end by Oct. 19 — meaning neither series lasts longer than five games — the World Series will begin on Tuesday, Oct. 22