Major League Baseball has officially announced its much-anticipated schedule for the 2024 playoffs, setting the stage for what promises to be another thrilling postseason. The regular season will wrap up on Sunday, Sept. 29, and fans won't have to wait long for the postseason action to begin.
New Postseason Format
One of the most significant changes this year is the elimination of the one-game playoffs, making way for the Wild Card Series to kick off on Tuesday, Oct. 1. This series format will now feature a three-game face-off with no travel involved, a shift that aims to add further intensity and strategy to the initial round of the playoffs. The third division winner and the top Wild Card team in each league will have the home-field advantage to host their Wild Card Series matchups.
The Wild Card Series will proceed seamlessly with games continuing on Wednesday, Oct. 2, and any necessary Game 3s being played on Thursday, Oct. 3. This tight schedule ensures that momentum remains a key factor from the regular season straight through to the early postseason rounds.
Division Series Highlights
The Division Series is set to begin on Saturday, Oct. 5. For this round, the top two division winners in each league will helm Games 1, 2, and, if needed, Game 5, offering these teams a crucial advantage. The National League Division Series (NLDS) Game 2 is scheduled for Sunday, Oct. 6, while American League Division Series (ALDS) Game 2 will take place on Monday, Oct. 7.
Continuing with the Division Series, NLDS Game 3 is slated for Tuesday, Oct. 8, and both ALDS Game 3 and potential NLDS Game 4s will occur on Wednesday, Oct. 9. Should the series extend, ALDS Game 4 will be on Thursday, Oct. 10, followed by NLDS Game 5 on Friday, Oct. 11, if necessary. Any decisive ALDS Game 5s will be played on Saturday, Oct. 12, adding even more excitement to the playoff calendar.
Championship Series Anticipation
The National League Championship Series (NLCS) is set to begin on Sunday, Oct. 13. The NLCS Game 2 and American League Championship Series (ALCS) Game 1 will both take place on Monday, Oct. 14, marking the start of another chapter in postseason drama. ALCS Game 2 is scheduled for Tuesday, Oct. 15, while NLCS Game 3 will be held on Wednesday, Oct. 16.
As the series progresses, NLCS Game 4 and ALCS Game 3 are lined up for Thursday, Oct. 17, with any potential ALCS Game 4 and NLCS Game 5 happening on Friday, Oct. 18. Should the matchups continue further, we could see ALCS Game 5 on Saturday, Oct. 19, NLCS Game 6 on Sunday, Oct. 20, and both potential ALCS Game 6 and NLCS Game 7 on Monday, Oct. 21.
If necessary, ALCS Game 7 will be played on Tuesday, Oct. 22. These potential extended series highlight the unpredictability and high stakes that fans have come to love about October baseball.
World Series Timeline
The culmination of the postseason, the World Series, promises to be a spectacular event. If the League Championship Series concludes by Saturday, Oct. 19, the first game of the World Series will commence on Tuesday, Oct. 22. However, should the games run their course as scheduled, Game 1 will be on Friday, Oct. 25.
World Series Game 2 is scheduled for Saturday, Oct. 26, followed by a travel day before switching venues for Games 3 and 4 on Monday, Oct. 28, and Tuesday, Oct. 29, respectively. A potential World Series Game 5 could be on Wednesday, Oct. 30.
If the contest stretches to the maximum seven games, fans will see intense matchups into November, with World Series Game 6 scheduled for Friday, Nov. 1, and the decisive Game 7 on Saturday, Nov. 2. In a fitting tradition, the team boasting the superior regular-season record will host Games 1, 2, and, if necessary, Games 6 and 7.
This year's playoff schedule is meticulously crafted to ensure minimal downtime, keeping the excitement and competitive spirit at an all-time high. As teams and fans alike prepare for the postseason, the sense of anticipation only continues to build for what promises to be an electrifying conclusion to the 2024 baseball season.