Major League Baseball’s 2024 postseason began Tuesday with the first four games of a best-of-three wild-card series. The Detroit Tigers and Kansas City Royals started the playoffs with road wins over the Houston Astros and Baltimore Orioles, respectively. The Milwaukee Brewers vs. the New York Mets, and National League sides the San Diego Padres vs. the Atlanta Braves.
The team that loses on Tuesday will have their season on the line for Game 2 on Wednesday. The team that wins on Tuesday only needs one more win to advance to the next round.
The top two teams in each league received first-round byes. The New York Yankees, Cleveland Guardians, Los Angeles Dodgers, and Philadelphia Phillies all advanced to the League Division Series.
On Monday, the Mets and Braves clinched the final two spots in the postseason, knocking the Arizona Diamondbacks out of the playoff picture. The Mets clinched their spot with a close win in Game 1 of a crucial doubleheader in Atlanta. The Braves regrouped and won Game 2, becoming the 12th and final playoff team.
The Braves, Mets, and D-backs all finished with 89 wins and 73 losses. The Braves secured a tiebreaker with both teams and will be the fifth seed in the bracket. The Mets won the tiebreaker against Arizona and are now the No. 6 seed.
The Wild Card Series will be hosted entirely by the top seeds and concludes on Thursday, October 3rd. The LDS round begins on Saturday, October 5th. The League Championship Series begins on Sunday, October 13th. And then the World Series begins. It will be held on either Tuesday, October 22nd or Friday, October 25th (click here for the complete playoff schedule).
Let’s take a look at the full schedule for the 2024 MLB Playoffs. Game times for the Wild Card Series were announced Sunday night.
2024 MLB Playoffs Bracket
Keytron Jordan, CBS Sports
wild card series
(all eastern)
Tuesday, October 1st
AL Wild Card Series Game 1: Tigers 3, Astros 1 (Detroit leads 1-0)
AL Wild Card Series Game 1: Royals 1, Orioles 0 (Kansas City leads 1-0)
National League Wild Card Series Game 1: Brewers vs. Mets, 5:32 p.m., ESPN/fubo (Try it for free)
National League Wild Card Series Game 1: Padres vs. Braves, 8:38 p.m., ESPN/fubo (Try it for free)
Tuesday, October 2nd
AL Wild Card Series Game 2: Astros vs. Tigers, 2:32 p.m., ABC/Fubo (Try it for free)
AL Wild Card Series Game 2: Orioles vs. Royals, 4:38 p.m., ESPN/fubo (Try it for free)
National League Wild Card Series Game 2: Brewers vs. Mets, 7:38 p.m., ESPN/fubo (Try it for free)
National League Wild Card Series Game 2: Padres vs. Braves, 8:38 p.m., ESPN2/fubo (Try it for free)
Tuesday, October 3rd
*AL League Wild Card Series Game 3: Astros vs. Tigers, 2:32 p.m., ABC/Fubo (Free Trial)
*AL League Wild Card Series Game 3: Orioles vs. Royals, 4:08 p.m., ESPN/fubo (Try it for free)
*National League Wild Card Series Game 3: Padres vs. Braves, 7:08 p.m., ESPN/fubo (Try it for free)
*National League Wild Card Series Game 3: Brewers vs. Mets, 8:38 p.m., ESPN2/fubo (Try it for free)
*- if required
division series
Saturday, October 5th
ALDS Game 1: Guardians vs. TBD
ALDS Game 1: Yankees vs. TBD
NLDS Game 1: Phillies vs. TBD
NLDS Game 1: Dodgers vs. TBD
Sunday, October 6th
NLDS Game 2: Phillies vs. TBD
NLDS Game 2: Dodgers vs. TBD
Monday, October 7th
ALDS Game 2: Guardians vs. TBD
ALDS Game 2: Yankees vs. TBD
Tuesday, October 8th
NLDS Game 3: TBD vs. Phillies
NLDS Game 3: TBD vs. Dodgers
Wednesday, October 9th
ALDS Game 3: TBD vs. Guardians
ALDS Game 3: TBD vs. Yankees
NLDS Game 4: TBD vs. Phillies (if needed)
NLDS Game 4: TBD vs. Dodgers (if necessary)
Thursday, October 10th
ALDS Game 4: TBD vs. Guardians (if required)
ALDS Game 4: TBD vs. Yankees (if required)
Friday, October 11th
NLDS Game 5: Phillies vs. TBD (if required)
NLDS Game 5: Dodgers vs. TBD (if required)
Saturday, October 12th
ALDS Game 5: Guardians vs. TBD (if required)
ALDS Game 5: Yankees vs. TBD (if required)