Major League Baseball’s 2020 season is on to the division round after the Wild Card series ended on Friday. Eight teams are left in the playoff bracket, and each game for the rest of October will be played in a neutral place. The Yankees will face the brilliant top rays, while the Astros will retire from athletics in the American League. In the National League, the startup Padres will take on division rival Dodgers, and the Braves go up against the Marlins.
These playoffs are unlike any other in the history of the sport. The extended mail season originally contained 16 teams. MLB will now hold the final three rounds of the 16-team 2020 record season - the Division Series, League Championship Series and World Series - in places in neutral placement.
Below you will find the schedule for the division series, as well as results from the Wild Card Series:
League Division Series (best-of-five)
| DATED | SERIES / GAMES | MATCHUP | TIME (ET) | TV | COME |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
Mon October 5th |
ALDS Game 1 |
A’s vs. Astros |
16.00 |
TBS |
San Diego |
|
ALDS Game 1 |
Yankees vs. Rays |
20.00 |
TBS |
Los Angeles |
|
|
Tir. October 6 |
ALDS Game 2 |
Yankees vs. Rays |
TBD |
TBS |
San Diego |
|
ALDS Game 2 |
A’s vs. Astros |
TBD |
TBS |
Los Angeles |
|
|
NLDS Game 1 |
Dodgers vs. Padres |
TBD |
FS1 / MLBN |
Arlington |
|
|
NLDS Game 1 |
Braves vs. Marlins |
TBD |
FS1 / MLBN |
Houston |
|
|
Wednesday, October 7 |
ALDS Game 3 |
Rays Vs. Yankees |
TBD |
TBS |
San Diego |
|
ALDS Game 3 |
A’s vs. Astros |
TBD |
TBS |
Los Angeles |
|
|
NLDS Game 2 |
Dodgers vs. Padres |
TBD |
FS1 / MLBN |
Arlington |
|
|
NLDS Game 2 |
Braves vs. Marlins |
TBD |
FS1 / MLBN |
Houston |
|
|
Tors. October 8 |
ALDS Game 4 * |
Rays Vs. Yankees |
TBD |
TBS |
San Diego |
|
ALDS Game 4 * |
A’s vs. Astros |
TBD |
TBS |
Los Angeles |
|
|
NLDS Game 3 |
Dodgers vs. Padres |
TBD |
FS1 / MLBN |
Arlington |
|
|
NLDS Game 3 |
Braves vs. Marlins |
TBD |
FS1 / MLBN |
Houston |
|
|
Friday 9. October |
ALDS Game 5 * |
Yankees vs. Rays |
TBD |
TBS |
San Diego |
|
ALDS Game 5 * |
A’s vs. Astros |
TBD |
TBS |
Los Angeles |
|
|
NLDS Game 4 * |
Dodgers vs. Padres |
TBD |
FS1 |
Arlington |
|
|
NLDS Game 4 * |
Braves vs. Marlins |
TBD |
FS1 |
Houston |
|
|
Saturday, October 10th |
NLDS Game 5 * |
Dodgers vs. Padres |
TBD |
FS1 |
Arlington |
|
NLDS Game 5 * |
Braves vs. Marlins |
TBD |
FS1 |
Houston |
* - if necessary
Wild Card Series (Best of Three)
| DATED | SERIES / GAMES | MATCHUP | TIME (ET) | TV | COME |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
Mon October 5th |
ALDS Game 1 |
A’s vs. Astros |
16.00 |
TBS |
San Diego |
|
ALDS Game 1 |
Yankees vs. Rays |
20.00 |
TBS |
Los Angeles |
|
|
Tir. October 6 |
ALDS Game 2 |
Yankees vs. Rays |
TBD |
TBS |
San Diego |
|
ALDS Game 2 |
A’s vs. Astros |
TBD |
TBS |
Los Angeles |
|
|
NLDS Game 1 |
Dodgers vs. Padres |
TBD |
FS1 / MLBN |
Arlington |
|
|
NLDS Game 1 |
Braves vs. Marlins |
TBD |
FS1 / MLBN |
Houston |
|
|
Wednesday, October 7 |
ALDS Game 3 |
Rays Vs. Yankees |
TBD |
TBS |
San Diego |
|
ALDS Game 3 |
A’s vs. Astros |
TBD |
TBS |
Los Angeles |
|
|
NLDS Game 2 |
Dodgers vs. Padres |
TBD |
FS1 / MLBN |
Arlington |
|
|
NLDS Game 2 |
Braves vs. Marlins |
TBD |
FS1 / MLBN |
Houston |
|
|
Tors. October 8 |
ALDS Game 4 * |
Rays Vs. Yankees |
TBD |
TBS |
San Diego |
|
ALDS Game 4 * |
A’s vs. Astros |
TBD |
TBS |
Los Angeles |
|
|
NLDS Game 3 |
Dodgers vs. Padres |
TBD |
FS1 / MLBN |
Arlington |
|
|
NLDS Game 3 |
Braves vs. Marlins |
TBD |
FS1 / MLBN |
Houston |
|
|
Friday 9. October |
ALDS Game 5 * |
Yankees vs. Rays |
TBD |
TBS |
San Diego |
|
ALDS Game 5 * |
A’s vs. Astros |
TBD |
TBS |
Los Angeles |
|
|
NLDS Game 4 * |
Dodgers vs. Padres |
TBD |
FS1 |
Arlington |
|
|
NLDS Game 4 * |
Braves vs. Marlins |
TBD |
FS1 |
Houston |
|
|
Saturday, October 10th |
NLDS Game 5 * |
Dodgers vs. Padres |
TBD |
FS1 |
Arlington |
|
NLDS Game 5 * |
Braves vs. Marlins |
TBD |
FS1 |
Houston |
Postseason format, dates, locations
This year’s mail season will look different for a number of reasons. The 2020 playoffs will consist of an expanded field of 16 teams, for one. There will be eight teams from each league - more than half of MLB as playoffs. The division winners, second place and then two teams with the best records beyond the six clubs, regardless of their division line-up or their position in these divisions.
But after the first Wild Card series, the remaining eight teams will play a more traditional post-season format.
Here are key dates and parentheses for the 2020 post season:
- September 29: The Wild Card series begins
- September 30: Eight-game day with each Wild Card series in action
- October 5: ALDS begins
- October 6: ALCS begins
- October 11: ALCS begins
- October 12: NLCS begins
- October 17: ALCS Game 7 (if needed)
- October 18: NLCS Game 7 (if needed)
- October 20: World Series begins
- October 28: World Series Game 7 (if necessary)