Three Wild Card sweeps have set most of the Division Series field, and Thursday night’s Phillies-Braves Game 3 will fill the last spot.
That winner heads to Los Angeles to face the two-time defending champion Dodgers on Saturday. A Phillies win sets up a rematch of last year’s NLDS, while a Braves win sends Atlanta to its first Division Series since 2023, according to CBS Sports‘ playoff bracket.
| 2026 MLB DIVISION SERIES (ALDS/NLDS) — BROADCAST SCHEDULE | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Presented by Booking.com • Subject to Change |
| SATURDAY, OCTOBER 3 — GAME 1 | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Matchup | Series | Time (ET / Site) | Networks |
| No. 6 White Sox @ No. 2 Guardians | ALDS | 1 p.m. | TBS / truTV / HBO Max |
| Braves-Phillies winner @ No. 2 Dodgers | NLDS | 4 p.m. / 1 p.m. | Fox / FOX Deportes / FOX One |
| No. 4 Yankees @ No. 1 Rays | ALDS | 6:30 p.m. | TBS / truTV / HBO Max |
| No. 4 Padres @ No. 1 Brewers | NLDS | 8:30 p.m. / 7:30 p.m. | FS1 / FOX Deportes / FOX One |
| SUNDAY, OCTOBER 4 — GAME 2 | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Matchup | Series | Time (ET / Site) | Networks |
| No. 4 Padres @ No. 1 Brewers | NLDS | 4 p.m. / 3 p.m. | FS1 / FOX Deportes / FOX One |
| Braves-Phillies winner @ No. 2 Dodgers | NLDS | 8 p.m. / 5 p.m. | FS1 / FOX Deportes / FOX One |
| MONDAY, OCTOBER 5 — GAME 2 | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Matchup | Series | Time (ET / Site) | Networks |
| No. 6 White Sox @ No. 2 Guardians | ALDS | 5 p.m. | TBS / truTV / HBO Max |
| No. 4 Yankees @ No. 1 Rays | ALDS | 8 p.m. | TBS / truTV / HBO Max |
| TUESDAY, OCTOBER 6 — GAME 3 | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Matchup | Series | Time (ET / Site) | Networks |
| No. 2 Dodgers @ Braves-Phillies winner | NLDS | 6 p.m. | FS1 / FOX Deportes / FOX One |
| No. 1 Brewers @ No. 4 Padres | NLDS | 9:30 p.m. / 6:30 p.m. | FS1 / FOX Deportes / FOX One |
| WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 7 — ALDS GAME 3 / NLDS GAME 4 (IF NECESSARY) | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Matchup | Series | Time (ET / Site) | Networks |
| No. 2 Guardians @ No. 6 White Sox | ALDS | 4 p.m. / 3 p.m. | TBS / truTV / HBO Max |
| No. 2 Dodgers @ Braves-Phillies winner | NLDS | 6 p.m. | FS1 / FOX Deportes / FOX One |
| No. 1 Rays @ No. 4 Yankees | ALDS | 8 p.m. | TBS / truTV / HBO Max |
| No. 1 Brewers @ No. 4 Padres | NLDS | 10 p.m. / 7 p.m. | FS1 / FOX Deportes / FOX One |
| THURSDAY, OCTOBER 8 — GAME 4 (IF NECESSARY) | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Matchup | Series | Time (ET / Site) | Networks |
| No. 2 Guardians @ No. 6 White Sox | ALDS | 5 p.m. / 4 p.m. | TBS / truTV / HBO Max |
| No. 1 Rays @ No. 4 Yankees | ALDS | 8 p.m. | TBS / truTV / HBO Max |
| Potential Oct. 8 ALDS slide: if there is only one ALDS Game 4, it will begin at 8 p.m. ET. | |||
| FRIDAY, OCTOBER 9 — GAME 5 (IF NECESSARY) | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Matchup | Series | Time (ET / Site) | Networks |
| No. 4 Padres @ No. 1 Brewers | NLDS | 4:30 p.m. / 3:30 p.m. | FS1 / FOX Deportes / FOX One |
| Braves-Phillies winner @ No. 2 Dodgers | NLDS | 8 p.m. / 5 p.m. | Fox / FOX Deportes / FOX One |
| Potential Oct. 9 NLDS slide: if there is only one NLDS Game 5, it will begin at 8 p.m. ET on Fox. | |||
| SATURDAY, OCTOBER 10 — GAME 5 (IF NECESSARY) | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Matchup | Series | Time (ET / Site) | Networks |
| No. 6 White Sox @ No. 2 Guardians | ALDS | 5 p.m. | TBS / truTV / HBO Max |
| No. 4 Yankees @ No. 1 Rays | ALDS | 8 p.m. | TBS / truTV / HBO Max |
| Potential Oct. 10 ALDS slide: if there is only one ALDS Game 5, it will begin at 8 p.m. ET. All schedules subject to change. | |||
Wild Card Series Recap: Sweeps Almost Everywhere
The White Sox became the postseason’s first series winner, beating the Astros 6-3 and 7-3 in Houston. Kyle Teel and Chase Meidroth, both acquired in the Garrett Crochet trade with the Boston Red Sox, drove in four of Chicago’s seven runs in Game 2, according to CBS Sports.
The Yankees routed the Red Sox 9-0 and 9-2, the largest run differential for any series in the current Wild Card format. Luis García Jr. homered to open the scoring in Game 2. Aaron Judge’s right calf remains a question heading into the ALDS, according to ESPN‘s postseason preview.
San Diego outscored the Cubs 12-1 over two games. Fernando Tatis Jr. led off Game 1 with a home run, after a final month with a 1.066 OPS and eight homers, according to MLB.com‘s Wild Card Series matchups.
Philadelphia and Atlanta split the first two games. Austin Riley homered in Atlanta’s 5-3 win, and Alec Bohm homered to save the series in a 4-3 Phillies victory in 10 innings. Aaron Nola starts Game 3 for Philadelphia against Atlanta’s Ray Kerr, who opens.
ALDS and NLDS Schedule, Series Previews
All four Division Series are best-of-five, with Games 1 and 2 hosted by the higher seed, Games 3 and 4 at the lower seed and Game 5 back at the higher seed’s park, according to MLB.com‘s official postseason info. The AL airs on TBS, truTV and HBO Max, the NL on Fox, FS1 and FOX One. All times are Eastern and subject to change.
Saturday brings the White Sox at the Guardians (1 p.m.), the Phillies-Braves winner at the Dodgers (4 p.m.), the Yankees at the Rays (6:30 p.m.) and the Padres at the Brewers (8:30 p.m.), according to MLB.com‘s full postseason schedule page. NLDS Game 2s follow Sunday, ALDS Game 2s Monday.
Guardians vs. White Sox — Chicago won the season series 7-6, with six games decided by a single run. The White Sox hit 211 home runs, fifth in the majors, while Cleveland hit 162, 27th. Cleveland’s edge is its rotation: Parker Messick, Gavin Williams and Foster Griffin, plus closer Cade Smith. José Ramírez posted a .598 OPS with two homers after returning from hamate surgery, according to MLB.com‘s Division Series matchups preview.
Rays vs. Yankees — Tampa Bay won the 2020 ALDS in five games, sealed by Mike Brosseau’s eighth-inning homer off Aroldis Chapman. The Rays went 55-26 at Tropicana Field, the best home record in baseball.
Brewers vs. Padres — Milwaukee went 103-59, the best record in the majors, according to Sporting News‘s standings. Jacob Misiorowski leads the NL Cy Young race with an ERA near 1.80. San Diego won four of six against the Brewers, and closer Mason Miller anchors its bullpen.
MLB Announces ALDS and NLDS Full Schedules: Start Times, TV Channels, Streaming