Major League Baseball (MLB) has officially announced its schedule for the 2024 playoffs, laying out a detailed roadmap from the end of the regular season through the World Series. The updates bring excitement and new format changes that promise to enhance the competitive atmosphere of the postseason.
Regular Season Conclusion
The 2024 MLB regular season is set to conclude on Sunday, Sept. 29. As the final games wrap up, teams will be battling for their spots in the newly formatted playoff structure, which eliminates the traditional one-game playoffs, bringing about significant changes to the early rounds.
Wild Card Series
Kicking off on Tuesday, Oct. 1, the Wild Card Series ushers in a new era with its three-game format that eliminates travel between games. This setup ensures a concentrated burst of high-stakes baseball, intensifying the pressure right from the outset. The third division winner and the top Wild Card team in each league will host these series, which continue on Wednesday, Oct. 2. Any necessary Game 3s will take place on Thursday, Oct. 3, ensuring a swift progression to the next stage.
Division Series
Advancing to the Division Series, the matchups begin on Saturday, Oct. 5. The format grants the top two division winners in each league the advantage of hosting Games 1, 2, and, if necessary, Game 5. The National League Division Series (NLDS) Game 2 is slated for Sunday, Oct. 6, while the American League Division Series (ALDS) Game 2 follows on Monday, Oct. 7. Fans can look forward to NLDS Game 3 on Tuesday, Oct. 8, and ALDS Game 3 alongside potential NLDS Game 4 on Wednesday, Oct. 9. The ALDS Game 4 will take place on Thursday, Oct. 10, and if needed, NLDS Game 5 will be held on Friday, Oct. 11, with ALDS Game 5 on Saturday, Oct. 12.
League Championship Series
The National League Championship Series (NLCS) will commence on Sunday, Oct. 13. Following closely, NLCS Game 2 and the American League Championship Series (ALCS) Game 1 are scheduled for Monday, Oct. 14. The ALCS Game 2 is on Tuesday, Oct. 15, with NLCS Game 3 on Wednesday, Oct. 16. Both NLCS Game 4 and ALCS Game 3 are set for Thursday, Oct. 17. Potential ALCS Game 4 and NLCS Game 5 could occur on Friday, Oct. 18. Should the series extend further, ALCS Game 5 is on Saturday, Oct. 19, potential 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 on Tuesday, Oct. 22.
World Series
The culmination of the MLB postseason, the World Series, will start according to one of two schedules. If the League Championship Series conclude by Saturday, Oct. 19, Game 1 of the World Series begins on Tuesday, Oct. 22. Otherwise, the more likely scheduled start is Friday, Oct. 25. Following this timeline, Game 2 will be played on Saturday, Oct. 26. A travel day will precede Games 3 and 4, scheduled for Monday, Oct. 28, and Tuesday, Oct. 29, respectively. A potential World Series Game 5 could take place on Wednesday, Oct. 30. If the series extends to the full seven games, fans will experience the excitement stretching into November, with Game 6 on Friday, Nov. 1, and the decisive Game 7 on Saturday, Nov. 2. The team with the superior regular-season record will host Games 1, 2, and, if necessary, Games 6 and 7, offering a crucial advantage in the bid for championship glory.
This detailed schedule sets the stage for a thrilling 2024 MLB postseason, where traditional formats meet new innovations, promising to captivate baseball fans until the final pitch is thrown.