2024 MLB Playoffs schedule: Postseason dates, game times, matchups, teams as bracket is finalized

Major League Baseball’s 2024 regular season will conclude in the next 36 hours (the Braves and Mets are currently scheduled to play a potentially pivotal doubleheader on Monday). The playoff picture is mostly formed as 10 of the 12 teams in the postseason field have secured their spots. The Braves, Mets and Diamondbacks will clinch two of the final three spots and then the 2024 MLB postseason begins.

Fittingly, the baseball playoffs begin on October 1st this year. The four best-of-three Wild Card Series take place this week, and the League Division Series quartet begins on Saturday, October 5th. We know the four teams that will host the Wild Card Series: the Astros, Orioles, Brewers and Padres. And we know the four teams that bowed out for the LDS round: the Yankees, Guardians, Dodgers and Phillies. However, none of the Wild Card Series matchups have been decided yet and we will at least know the full AL seeds by Sunday night.

As a reminder, the 12-team playoff round is divided into four rounds. Eight teams will play in the best-of-three wild card series, with the No. 3 and No. 4 seeds in each league hosting the No. 6 and No. 5 teams. The numbers 1 and 2 in each league will receive byes into the League Division Series, which begins on Saturday, October 5th.

The 2024 World Series begins on either Friday, October 25th or Tuesday, October 22nd. The start date will be moved up if both the ALCS and NLCS finish in five games or fewer.

Got it? Good. Below is the complete schedule for the 2024 postseason. MLB should announce the game times for the Wild Card Series either Sunday night or Monday.

Wild Card Series

Tuesday, October 1st
AL Wild Card Series Game 1: Astros vs. Royals/Tigers, time to be announced
AL Wild Card Series Game 1: Orioles vs. Royals/Tigers, time to be announced
NL Wild Card Series Game 1: Brewers vs. Braves/Mets/D-backs, time to be announced
NL Wild Card Series Game 1: Padres vs. Braves/Mets-D-backs, time to be announced

Tuesday, October 2nd
AL Wild Card Series Game 2: Astros vs. Royals/Tigers, time to be announced
AL Wild Card Series Game 2: Orioles vs. Royals/Tigers, time to be announced
NL Wild Card Series Game 2: Brewers vs. Braves/Mets/D-backs, time to be announced
NL Wild Card Series Game 2: Padres vs. Braves/Mets-D-backs, time to be announced

Tuesday, October 3rd
AL Wild Card Series Game 3: Astros vs. Royals/Tigers, time to be announced (if required)
AL Wild Card Series Game 3: Orioles vs. Royals/Tigers, time to be announced (if required)
NL Wild Card Series Game 3: Brewers vs. Braves/Mets/D-backs, time to be announced (if required)
NL Wild Card Series Game 3: Padres vs. Braves/Mets-D-backs, time to be announced (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 required)
NLDS Game 4: TBD vs. Dodgers (if required)

Thursday, October 10th
ALDS Game 4: TBD vs. Guardians (if necessary)
ALDS Game 4: TBD vs. Yankees (if required)

Friday, October 11th
NLDS Game 5: Phillies vs. TBD (if necessary)
NLDS Game 5: Dodgers vs. TBD (if necessary)

Saturday, October 12th
ALDS Game 5: Guardians vs. TBD (if necessary)
ALDS Game 5: Yankees vs. TBD (if necessary)

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 necessary)

Monday, October 21st
ALCS Game 6: TBD vs. TBD (if required)
NLCS Game 7: TBD vs. TBD (if necessary)

Tuesday, October 22nd
ALCS Game 7: TBD vs. TBD (if necessary)

World Series

(The 2024 World Series schedule is subject to change. Each game would be moved forward three days if both the ALCS and NLCS finish in five games or fewer.)

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 necessary)

Saturday November 2nd
World Series Game 7: TBD vs. TBD (if necessary)