Major League Baseball fans, mark your calendars. The highly anticipated 2024 playoff schedule has been revealed, promising a thrilling journey leading up to the World Series.
The postseason action kicks off on October 1 with the start of the Wild Card Series. This round will feature eight teams engaged in a best-of-three format, battling for a place in the League Division Series (LDS). The No. 3 and No. 4 seeds in each league will host the No. 6 and No. 5 seeds, respectively, making for some intense early matchups.
Among the notable teams clinching the final playoff spots are the New York Mets and Atlanta Braves. The Mets will head to Milwaukee to face the Brewers, while the Braves will travel west to meet the San Diego Padres. Other Wild Card matchups include the Baltimore Orioles hosting the Kansas City Royals and the Houston Astros taking on the Detroit Tigers.
Game 1 for all Wild Card matchups is set for October 1, followed by Game 2 on October 2. If any series requires a decisive third game, it will be played on October 3.
Once the Wild Card dust settles, the League Division Series will commence on October 5. The Los Angeles Dodgers, Philadelphia Phillies, New York Yankees, and Cleveland Guardians have earned byes directly to this round. The Guardians and Yankees, along with the Phillies and Dodgers, will begin their postseason journeys on October 5.
Game 2 for the Phillies and Dodgers is scheduled for October 6, while the Guardians and Yankees will play their second games on October 7. If the series extend to a decisive Game 5, these will be held on October 11 and 12 for the National and American League Divisions, respectively.
The excitement then escalates with the League Championship Series, which kicks off on October 13 for the National League and on October 14 for the American League. Game 2 of the NLCS will follow on October 14, with the ALCS Game 2 on October 15. Should the series extend to seven games, the NLCS will conclude on October 21, followed by the ALCS on October 22.
The crescendo of the MLB postseason, the World Series, is tentatively set to start on October 25. However, if both the ALCS and NLCS conclude in five games or fewer, the World Series could be moved up to October 22. Game 2 is scheduled for October 26, with subsequent games planned for October 28 and October 29. If necessary, Game 6 will be on November 1 and the potential Game 7 on November 2.
Fans can expect maximum excitement, with the stage set for epic matchups, potential upsets, and ultimately, the crowning of the next World Series victor. As the dates approach, the anticipation builds, signaling another unforgettable chapter in Major League Baseball's storied history.