(Getty)
Major League Baseball begins Year No. 3 of its expanded postseason Tuesday with the American League Wild Card game. The National League Wild Card game takes place a day later, then it’s on to the Division Series in each league.
Here are the dates, times and channels you need to follow every pitch.
Wild Card Playoff Schedule
The Pirates host the National League Wild Card game on Wednesday. (Getty)
The Kansas City Royals, making their first playoff appearance in 28 years, will host the American League Wild Card game Tuesday night against the Oakland A’s. The winner of the game will travel to Anaheim to take on the A.L. West champion Angels in the American League Division series.
Another team that went through a long playoff drought — the Pittsburgh Pirates — host the National League Wild Card game on Wednesday against the San Francisco Giants. Before winning one of the Wild Card spots last year, the Bucs hadn’t been to the postseason since Barry Bonds led them there in 1992. The winner of the game will travel to Washington to take on the Nationals, who capped their N.L. East-winning regular season Sunday with a no-hitter by Jordan Zimmerman.
Fist pitch Wednesday is set for 8:07 p.m. Eastern time, with TV coverage on ESPN.
American League Division Series Schedules
(Getty)
The Angels will host the winner of the Wild Card game to begin one American League Division Series, while the A.L. East champion Baltimore Orioles will host the Central division champion Tigers to begin the other series.
Here are the schedules for each series:
Wild Card Winner vs. Angels: All Games on TBS, All Times TBD
GAME 1: October 2 at Angels
GAME 2: October 3 at Angels
GAME 3: October 5 at Wild Card winner
GAME 4: October 6 at Wild Card winner, if necessary
GAME 5: October 8 at Angels, if necessary
Tigers vs. Orioles: All Games on TBS, All Times TBD
GAME 1: October 2 at Orioles
GAME 2: October 3 at Orioles
GAME 3: October 5 at Tigers
GAME 4: October 6 at Tigers, if necessary
GAME 5: October 8 at Orioles, if necessary
National League Division Series Schedules
Nationals Park will be packed for the National League Division Series. (Getty)
The Nationals will host the Giants or Pirates in the beginning of one National League Division Series, while the N.L. West champion Dodgers will host the N.L. Central champion Cardinals — the defending N.L. champions — in the start of the other series.
Wild Card Winner vs. Nationals: All Games on Fox Sports 1 or MLB Network; All Times TBD
GAME 1: October 3 at Nationals
GAME 2: October 4 at Nationals
GAME 3: October 6 at Wild Card winner
GAME 4: October 7 at Wild Card winner, if necessary
GAME 5: October 9 at Nationals, if necessary
Cardinals vs. Dodgers: All Games on Fox Sports 1 or MLB Network; All Times TBD
GAME 1: October 3 at Dodgers
GAME 2: October 4 at Dodgers
GAME 3: October 6 at Cardinals
GAME 4: October 7 at Cardinals, if necessary
GAME 5: October 9 at Dodgers, if necessary
American League Championship Series Schedule
Adam Jones and the Orioles are champions of the A.L. East for the first time since 1997. (Getty)
As the owners of the best record in the American League, the Angels will host Game 1 of the ALCS if they make it that far. The Orioles are next in the home-field pecking order, followed by the Tigers.
All Games on TBS; All Times TBD
GAME 1: October 10 at higher seed
GAME 2: October 11 at higher seed
GAME 3: October 13 at lower seed
GAME 4: October 14 at lower seed
GAME 5: October 15 at lower seed, if necessary
GAME 6: October 17 at higher seed, if necessary
GAME 7: October 18 at higher seed, if necessary
National League Championship Schedule
Matt Kemp and the Dodgers are looking for their second straight trip to the NLCS. (Getty)
The Nationals are the top seed in the National League, followed by the Dodgers and Cardinals.
All Games on Fox or Fox Sports 1; All Times TBD
GAME 1: October 11 at higher seed
GAME 2: October 12 at higher seed
GAME 3: October 14 at lower seed
GAME 4: October 15 at lower seed
GAME 5: October 16 at lower seed, if necessary
GAME 6: October 17 at higher seed, if necessary
GAME 7: October 18 at higher seed, if necessary
World Series Schedule
The Red Sox won’t be back to defend their World Series title, but the Cardinals, who lost to the Sox in six games, might be. (Getty)
Thanks to the American League’s in the All-Star Game, the A.L. champ will have home-field advantage.
All Games on Fox; All Times TBD
GAME 1: October 21 at A.L. champion
GAME 2: October 22 at A.L. champion
GAME 3: October 24 at N.L. champion
GAME 4: October 25 at N.L. champion
GAME 5: October 26 at N.L. champion, if necessary
GAME 6: October 28 at A.L. champion, if necessary
GAME 7: October 29 at A.L. champion, if necessary