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.
The 12-team playoff field is set
Jeff Passan’s 2023 MLB playoff preview — and World Series prediction
Best-of-three series
All times Eastern
Detroit Tigers at Houston Astros
*if necessary
Kansas City Royals at Baltimore Orioles
*if necessary
Best-of-three series
New York Mets at Milwaukee Brewers
*if necessary
Atlanta Braves at San Diego Padres
*if necessary
Best-of-five series
Cleveland Guardians vs. winner of Tigers-Astros
*if necessary
New York Yankees vs. winner of Royals-Orioles
*if necessary
Best-of-five series
Philadelphia Phillies vs. winner of Mets-Brewers
*if necessary
Los Angeles Dodgers vs. winner of Braves-Padres
*if necessary
Best-of-seven series
*if necessary
Best-of-seven series
*if necessary
Best-of-seven series
*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