2026 MLB Playoffs Open Sept. 29: Wild-Card Matchups, TV Channels and Schedule
The short version
- Wild-card series run Sept. 29-Oct. 1; the postseason ends with the World Series Oct. 23-31.
- AL matchups: Yankees-Red Sox and Astros-White Sox; the Rays and Guardians hold first-round byes.
- NL matchups: Padres-Cubs and Phillies-Braves; the Dodgers and Brewers hold first-round byes.
- Wild-card games air on NBC and NBCSN; later rounds on FOX, FS1 and TBS, with the World Series on FOX.
- Sling Orange + Blue carries FOX, TBS, FS1 and, in many areas, local NBC affiliates.
The MLB postseason begins Tuesday, Sept. 29, with Yankees-Red Sox, Astros-White Sox, Padres-Cubs and Phillies-Braves across NBC, NBCSN, FOX, FS1 and TBS.
The Major League Baseball regular season has come to a close, and the 2026 postseason opens this week with the wild-card round. Play begins Tuesday, Sept. 29, when eight clubs open four best-of-three series across the American and National Leagues. The full playoff calendar runs just over a month and ends with the World Series, scheduled for Oct. 23-31.
The American League wild-card series pit the New York Yankees against the Boston Red Sox and the Houston Astros against the Chicago White Sox. Each matchup is a best-of-three, with a Game 3 scheduled for Thursday, Oct. 1, only if necessary.
The National League bracket pairs the San Diego Padres with the Chicago Cubs and the Philadelphia Phillies with the Atlanta Braves. Those two series are also best-of-three and will be settled within the same three-day window, which closes Thursday, Oct. 1.
Elsewhere in the field, four clubs secured first-round byes as division winners and will not take the field until after the wild-card round. The Tampa Bay Rays and Cleveland Guardians hold the American League byes, while the Los Angeles Dodgers and Milwaukee Brewers claimed the two spots in the National League.
On television, the wild-card games will air on NBC and NBCSN. Coverage of the remaining postseason rounds will be spread across FOX, FS1 and TBS, and FOX will carry the entire World Series this year. Across the full playoff run, games will appear on five networks in total.
For viewers watching without cable, Sling's Orange + Blue package is one streaming route to the majority of this year's postseason games. The plan includes FOX, TBS and FS1 among more than 40 additional channels, and local NBC affiliates are available through the service in many areas.
The opening day slate on Tuesday, Sept. 29, features all four Game 1s, with every start time listed in Eastern. The Phillies and Braves begin at 2 p.m. on NBC, and the White Sox and Astros follow at 5 p.m. on NBCSN. The Red Sox and Yankees take the 8 p.m. window on NBC, with the Cubs and Padres closing the day at 10 p.m. on NBCSN.
Wednesday, Sept. 30, repeats the same arrangement for Game 2 of each series. The Phillies and Braves meet again at 2 p.m. on NBC, with the White Sox and Astros at 5 p.m. on NBCSN. The Red Sox and Yankees follow at 8 p.m. on NBC, and the Cubs and Padres finish the night at 10 p.m. on NBCSN.
If any series requires a Game 3, those contests would come Thursday, Oct. 1, at times still to be determined. Once the wild-card round wraps, the Division Series runs Oct. 3-10, the League Championship Series follows Oct. 11-20, and the World Series closes the postseason Oct. 23-31.
Games to watch
