Where to watch Orioles vs. Royals: MLB Wild Card schedule, TV channel, postseason baseball stream

The 2024 MLB postseason began this week with the best-of-three Wild Card Series. The No. 4 Baltimore Orioles host the No. 5 Kansas City Royals at Camden Yards. The winner of this series will play in the best-of-five ALDS against the New York Yankees. This is Baltimore’s second straight postseason berth and Kansas City’s first since 2015. The Royals held off the Orioles and won 1-0 in Game 1 on Tuesday thanks to an RBI single by Bobby Witt Jr. Baltimore will try to keep its season alive on Wednesday.

The complete 2024 MLB playoff round can be found here. And here is the Wild Card Series schedule:

Game 1	Tuesday, October 1st	KC 1, BAL 0	ESPN2/fubo (try for free)
Game 2	Wed, Oct 2nd	4:38 p.m. ET	ESPN/fubo (try for free)
Game 3 (if necessary)	Thu., Oct. 3	4:08 p.m. ET	ESPN/fubo (try for free)

Where can you watch Game 2?

Date: Wednesday, Oct. 2 | Time: 4:38 p.m. ET
Location: Camden Yards (Baltimore)
Channel: ESPN | Electricity: Fubo (Try for free)
Likely throwers: RHP Seth Lugo (16-9, 3.00 ERA) vs. RHP Zach Eflin (10-9, 3.59 ERA)
Opportunities: BAL-160 | KC +135; over/under: 7.5

The Royals will turn to workhorse Seth Lugo to try and get them to the ALDS. He had a 2.28 ERA in September and allowed just one home run in 27 2/3 innings. The Orioles, with their season on the line, will counter with Zach Eflin, who they added at the trade deadline. After the trade, Eflin was dominant, posting a 2.60 ERA in 55 1/3 innings. He did not allow more than three runs in any of his nine starts for Baltimore.

Here’s what you need to know about each team competing in the Wild Card Series.

Oriole: To be honest, this was a disappointing season for the O’s. They’re in the postseason, so it’s not like it is bad season, but after winning 101 games last year and boasting the best farm system in the game, they were expected to take a step forward, or at least be among the game’s truly elite teams. Additionally, the Os’ were swept out of the ALDS last year by the eventual World Series champion Texas Rangers, which had to leave a bad taste in the mouth. Instead of building on last season, Baltimore posted a 91-71 record and finished second to the Yankees in the AL East.

However, things are back on track in the postseason, and the O’s enter the postseason with a strong one-two punch at the top of the rotation (Burnes and Eflin) and one of the deepest lineups in the game. Eight Orioles have batted at least 400 times this season and all eight had at least an OPS+ of 106. Jordan Westburg recovered from a broken hand late in the regular season and his presence is transforming the offense. Baltimore scored 56 runs in its last 10 games. With a shaky bullpen and some rotation questions behind Burnes and Eflin, the offense will have to lead the way for Baltimore.

Royals: A year ago, Kansas City lost 106 games, the most in franchise history. Now they are a postseason team. The Royals become the third team in the expansion era (since 1961) to reach the postseason a year after losing 100 games, joining the 2017 Minnesota Twins and 2020 Miami Marlins in the COVID-shortened season. This is their first postseason berth since their World Series championship year in 2015. Heck, it’s the first time since then that the Royals have a winning record.

Led by the incomparable Bobby Witt Jr. – seriously, what’s his fault? – The Royals have stolen the third-most bases among postseason teams, which they may be able to take advantage of against the Orioles. Baltimore had a slightly below league average 20% caught stealing rate. Kansas City will lean on Witt, Salvador Perez and the one-two punch of Ragans and Lugo. Both are expected to finish in the top five in the Cy Young voting.