Welcome baseball enthusiasts to the 2026 MLB postseason! The playoffs kicked off Tuesday with four Game 1 contests in the best-of-three Wild Card Series. On Wednesday, the Phillies managed to avoid elimination by defeating the Braves in an intense extra-innings Game 2, setting up a decisive Game 3 clash on Thursday. Meanwhile, the White Sox swept the Astros in two games to advance to the ALDS, where they will face the Guardians—a milestone marking their first playoff series win since the 2005 World Series.
Tuesday’s action saw the Braves defeat the Phillies in Game 1, the White Sox easily overcoming the Astros, and the Yankees dominating the Red Sox with substantial contributions from Cam Schlittler and Ben Rice. Later, Michael King nearly threw a no-hitter before the seventh inning in the Padres’ commanding win against the Cubs.
In these brief series, teams that win Game 1 are just one win away from advancing to the LDS, while those who lose are one loss away from elimination. The Rays, Guardians, Brewers, and earned first-round byes and are awaiting their opponents. The Rays, as the top seed in the American League, will face a divisional rival in the ALDS, potentially the Yankees or Red Sox. Despite an 85-77 record, the Guardians secured the AL’s No. 2 seed and will meet the 84-win White Sox next.
On the National League side, the Brewers and both surpassed 100 wins in the regular season and will host the NLDS openers on Saturday. The Brewers will welcome the winner of the Padres-Cubs series, while the , defending two-time champions, will face off against the Braves or Phillies.
Below is the complete 2026 MLB playoff bracket along with the detailed schedule:
2026 MLB Wild Card Series (Best-of-Three)
Wednesday, Sept. 30
- NL Game 2: Phillies 4, Braves 3 (10 innings) — Series tied 1-1
- AL Game 2: White Sox 7, Astros 3 (White Sox win series 2-0)
- AL Game 2: Red Sox at Yankees, 8 p.m. (New York leads 1-0)
- NL Game 2: Cubs at Padres, 10 p.m. (San Diego leads 1-0)
Thursday, Oct. 1
- NL Game 3: Phillies at Braves, 2 p.m.
- AL Game 3*: Red Sox at Yankees, 8 p.m.
- NL Game 3: Cubs at Padres, 10 p.m.
(If necessary; times may shift based on Game 3 schedules)
Wild Card Series Results (Tuesday, Sept. 29)
- Braves 5, Phillies 3
- White Sox 6, Astros 3
- Yankees 9, Red Sox 0
- Padres 8, Cubs 0
Division Series Schedule
Saturday, Oct. 3
- ALDS Game 1: White Sox at Guardians, 1 p.m. (TBS, truTV, HBO Max)
- NLDS Game 1: Hosted by Brewers and (Fox, FS1, Fox Deportes, fubo)
Sunday, Oct. 4
- NLDS Game 2 (Same networks as above)
Monday, Oct. 5
- ALDS Game 2: White Sox at Guardians, 5 p.m.
Tuesday, Oct. 6
- NLDS Game 3
Wednesday, Oct. 7
- ALDS Game 3
- NLDS Game 4*
Thursday, Oct. 8
- ALDS Game 4*
Friday, Oct. 9
- NLDS Game 5*
Saturday, Oct. 10
- ALDS Game 5*
(*Denotes games played if necessary)
Championship Series Schedule
- NLCS begins Sunday, Oct. 11
- ALCS begins Monday, Oct. 12
- Both series continue through mid-October with potential Game 7s scheduled for Oct. 19-20
World Series Dates
- Starts Friday, Oct. 23
- Scheduled through October 31, with up to seven games to decide the champion
Fan Take: This year’s playoff bracket highlights a thrilling mix of powerhouse teams and underdog stories, promising compelling baseball action ahead. For fans, it’s a reminder of the unpredictability and excitement that make October baseball so magnetic, where every pitch can change a franchise’s destiny.
Source: www.cbssports.com
