The 2024 MLB playoffs begin on Tuesday, Oct. 1, with four games in the Wild Card series. Here is how the MLB playoff format works and other key postseason dates.
Playoff baseball has arrived.
The MLB postseason field is officially set after a hectic final few days of the 2024 regular season.
The Los Angeles Dodgers and New York Yankees are the top seeds in each league, but recent history has shown us that anyone can get to the World Series. The Philadelphia Phillies and Arizona Diamondbacks were the sixth and final NL seed and still advanced to the Fall Classic in 2022 and 2023, respectively.
Here's all the info ahead of the 2024 postseason:
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Who made the MLB playoffs?
Here's a look at the teams entering the postseason:
American League
MLB
No. 1 New York Yankees
No. 2 Cleveland Guardians
No. 3 Houston Astros
No. 4 Baltimore Orioles
No. 5 Kansas City Royals
No. 6 Detroit Tigers
National League
No. 1 Los Angeles Dodgers
No. 2 Philadelphia Phillies
No. 3 Milwaukee Brewers
No. 4 San Diego Padres
No. 5 Atlanta Braves
No. 6 New York Mets
What is the MLB playoff bracket 2024?
Here are the Wild Card Series matchups and who the winner will face:
American League
No. 3 Astros vs. No. 6 Tigers (winner faces the Guardians)
No. 4 Orioles vs. No. 5 Royals (winner faces the Yankees)
National League
No. 3 Brewers vs. No. 6 Mets (winner faces the Phillies)
No. 4 Padres vs. No. 5 Braves (winner faces the Dodgers)
How many games is the wild card round in MLB?
The Wild Card Series matchups will feature a best-of-three format with the better seed hosting every game.
When does the MLB playoffs start?
The Wild Card Series gets underway with all four matchups beginning on Tuesday, Oct. 1.
What is the full MLB playoff schedule 2024?
The postseason gets underway on Oct. 1 and could conclude as late as Nov. 2.
Here's the round-by-round schedule:
| Date | Series/Game | Matchup |
| Tuesday, Oct. 1 | AL Wild Card A, Game 1 | Tigers at Astros |
| Tuesday, Oct. 1 | AL Wild Card B, Game 1 | Royals at Orioles |
| Tuesday, Oct. 1 | NL Wild Card A, Game 1 | Mets at Brewers |
| Tuesday, Oct. 1 | NL Wild Card B, Game 1 | Braves at Padres |
| Wednesday, Oct. 2 | AL Wild Card A, Game 2 | Tigers at Astros |
| Wednesday, Oct. 2 | AL Wild Card B, Game 2 | Royals at Orioles |
| Wednesday, Oct. 2 | NL Wild Card A, Game 2 | Mets at Brewers |
| Wednesday, Oct. 2 | NL Wild Card A, Game 2 | Braves at Padres |
| Thursday, Oct. 3 | AL Wild Card A, Game 3 (if necessary) | Tigers at Astros |
| Thursday, Oct. 3 | AL Wild Card B, Game 3 (if necessary) | Royals at Orioles |
| Thursday, Oct. 3 | NL Wild Card A, Game 3 (if necessary) | Mets at Brewers |
| Thursday, Oct. 3 | NL Wild Card A, Game 3 (if necessary) | Braves at Padres |
| Date | Series/Game | Matchup |
| Saturday, Oct. 5 | ALDS A, Game 1 | Orioles/Royals at Yankees |
| Saturday, Oct. 5 | ALDS B, Game 1 | Astros/Tigers at Guardians |
| Saturday, Oct. 5 | NLDS A, Game 1 | Padres/Braves at Dodgers |
| Saturday, Oct. 5 | NLDS B, Game 1 | Brewers/Mets at Phillies |
| Sunday, Oct. 6 | NLDS A, Game 2 | Padres/Braves at Dodgers |
| Sunday, Oct. 6 | NLDS B, Game 2 | Brewers/Mets at Phillies |
| Monday, Oct. 7 | ALDS A, Game 2 | Orioles/Royals at Yankees |
| Monday, Oct. 7 | ALDS B, Game 2 | Astros/Tigers at Guardians |
| Tuesday, Oct. 8 | NLDS A, Game 3 | Dodgers at Padres/Braves |
| Tuesday, Oct. 8 | NLDS B, Game 3 | Phillies at Brewers/Mets |
| Wednesday, Oct. 9 | ALDS A, Game 3 | Yankees at Orioles/Royals |
| Wednesday, Oct. 9 | ALDS B, Game 3 | Guardians at Astros/Tigers |
| Wednesday, Oct. 9 | NLDS A, Game 4 (if necessary) | Dodgers at Padres/Braves |
| Wednesday, Oct. 9 | NLDS B, Game 4 (if necessary) | Phillies at Brewers/Mets |
| Thursday, Oct. 10 | ALDS A, Game 4 (if necessary) | Yankees at Orioles/Royals |
| Thursday, Oct. 10 | ALDS B, Game 4 (if necessary) | Guardians at Astros/Tigers |
| Friday, Oct. 11 | NLDS A, Game 5 (if necessary) | Padres/Braves at Dodgers |
| Friday, Oct. 11 | NLDS B, Game 5 (if necessary) | Brewers/Mets at Phillies |
| Saturday, Oct. 12 | ALDS A, Game 5 (if necessary) | Orioles/Royals at Yankees |
| Saturday, Oct. 12 | ALDS B, Game 5 (if necessary) | Astros/Tigers at Guardians |
| Date | Series/Game |
| Sunday, Oct. 13 | NLCS, Game 1 |
| Monday, Oct. 14 | ALCS, Game 1 |
| Monday, Oct. 14 | NLCS, Game 2 |
| Tuesday, Oct. 15 | ALCS, Game 2 |
| Wednesday, Oct. 16 | NLCS, Game 3 |
| Thursday, Oct. 17 | ALCS, Game 3 |
| Thursday, Oct. 17 | NLCS, Game 4 |
| Friday, Oct. 18 | ALCS, Game 4 |
| Friday, Oct. 18 | NLCS, Game 5 (if necessary) |
| Saturday, Oct. 19 | ALCS, Game 5 (if necessary) |
| Sunday, Oct. 20 | NLCS, Game 6 (if necessary) |
| Monday, Oct. 21 | ALCS, Game 6 (if necessary) |
| Monday, Oct. 21 | NLCS, Game 7 (if necessary) |
| Tuesday, Oct. 22 | ALCS, Game 7 (if necessary) |
| Date | Series/Game |
| Friday, Oct. 25 | World Series, Game 1 |
| Saturday, Oct. 26 | World Series, Game 2 |
| Monday, Oct. 28 | World Series, Game 3 |
| Tuesday, Oct. 29 | World Series, Game 4 |
| Wednesday, Oct. 30 | World Series, Game 5 (if necessary) |
| Friday, Nov. 1 | World Series, Game 6 (if necessary) |
| Saturday, Nov. 2 | World Series, Game 7 (if necessary) |
