Major League Baseball fans can mark their calendars for October 1, as the much-anticipated 2024 playoff schedule has been officially announced. This year’s postseason promises an action-packed journey, starting with the Wild Card Series and culminating in the crowning of the next World Series champion.
Wild Card Battles Set to Ignite
The playoff festivities kick off with the Wild Card Series on October 1. This initial round features eight teams competing in a best-of-three format to secure their spots in the League Division Series (LDS). The matchups are set, with the No. 3 and No. 4 seeds in each league hosting the No. 6 and No. 5 teams, respectively.
The New York Mets and Atlanta Braves have clinched the final two spots in the postseason. The Mets are set to face the Brewers in Milwaukee, while the Braves will travel west to take on the Padres. Both teams hope to carry their regular-season momentum into this fiercely competitive series.
Meanwhile, the Baltimore Orioles will host the Kansas City Royals in another eagerly awaited Wild Card matchup. On the other side of the bracket, the Houston Astros are poised to take on the Detroit Tigers. With Game 1 scheduled for October 1 and Game 2 on October 2, the excitement is palpable. If any series requires a decisive Game 3, it will be played on October 3.
League Division Series Awaits
The League Division Series is set to begin on October 5. Notably, the Los Angeles Dodgers, Philadelphia Phillies, New York Yankees, and Cleveland Guardians have earned byes directly to this round, avoiding the initial Wild Card battles. This advantage gives them extra time to rest and strategize, as they prepare for the challenges ahead.
Both the Guardians and Yankees will commence their LDS campaigns on October 5. The Phillies and Dodgers are also slated to start their postseason journeys on the same day. Game 2 for the Phillies and Dodgers will follow on October 6, while the Guardians and Yankees will play their second games on October 7. If the series are extremely tight, decisive Game 5s are scheduled for October 11 and 12 for the National and American League Divisions, respectively.
League Championship Showdowns
The battle intensifies with the League Championship Series (LCS), beginning on October 13 for the National League and October 14 for the American League. This round determines which teams will compete in the ultimate showdown of the season – the World Series.
Game 2 of the NLCS is set for October 14, followed by Game 2 of the ALCS the next day. The series could extend to a full seven games, with the NLCS wrapping up on October 21 if necessary, and the ALCS concluding on October 22 under similar circumstances.
World Series on the Horizon
The pinnacle of MLB’s postseason excitement, the World Series, is tentatively scheduled to begin on October 25. However, if both the ALCS and NLCS conclude in five games or fewer, the start of the World Series could be advanced to October 22, adding an element of uncertainty and anticipation for fans and teams alike.
Game 2 of the World Series will take place on October 26, with subsequent games planned for October 28 and October 29. If the competition is particularly fierce, Game 6 is slotted for November 1, and a decisive Game 7, if necessary, will occur on November 2.
This year’s MLB postseason promises to deliver maximum excitement, with fans eagerly awaiting the epic matchups and potential upsets that characterize the road to the World Series. The stage is set, the teams are ready, and the pursuit of baseball glory is about to begin. Let the games commence.