2024 MLB playoffs bracket: Wild Card Series schedule, postseason matchups as October baseball gets started

Major League Baseball’s 2024 postseason got going on Tuesday with four Game 1s in the 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. It’s the Milwaukee Brewers vs. New York Mets and the San Diego Padres vs. Atlanta Braves on the National League side of the bracket.

Whoever loses on Tuesday will have their season on the line in Wednesday’s Game 2. Whoever wins on Tuesday will be one win away from moving on.

Four teams — the top two teams in each league — earned first-round byes. The New York Yankees, Cleveland Guardians, Los Angeles Dodgers and Philadelphia Phillies are all through to the League Division Series.

The Mets and Braves claimed the final two postseason spots on Monday, leaving the Arizona Diamondbacks on the outside of the playoff picture. The Mets won a wild Game 1 of a crucial doubleheader in Atlanta to clinch their spot. The Braves regrouped and won Game 2 to become the 12th and final playoff team.

The Braves, Mets and D-backs all finished with 89-73 records. The Braves secured the tiebreaker against both teams and will be the No. 5 seed in the bracket. The Mets won the tiebreaker against Arizona and are the No. 6 seed.

The Wild Card Series are all hosted by the higher seeds and will wrap up by Thursday, Oct. 3. The LDS round starts Saturday, Oct. 5. The League Championship Series begin on Sunday, Oct. 13. And the World Series will begin either on Tuesday, Oct. 22 or Friday, Oct. 25. (You can click here to check out the full playoff schedule.) 

Here’s a look at the full 2024 MLB playoff bracket. Game times for the Wild Card Series were announced Sunday night.

2024 MLB playoffs bracket

Wild Card Series

(All times Eastern)

Tuesday, Oct. 1
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)
NL Wild Card Series Game 1: Brewers vs. Mets, 5:32 p.m., ESPN/fubo (try for free)
NL Wild Card Series Game 1: Padres vs. Braves, 8:38 p.m., ESPN/fubo (try for free)

Tuesday, Oct. 2
AL Wild Card Series Game 2: Astros vs. Tigers, 2:32 p.m., ABC/fubo (try for free)
AL Wild Card Series Game 2: Orioles vs. Royals, 4:38 p.m, ESPN/fubo (try for free)
NL Wild Card Series Game 2: Brewers vs. Mets, 7:38 p.m., ESPN/fubo (try for free)
NL Wild Card Series Game 2: Padres vs. Braves, 8:38 p.m., ESPN2/fubo (try for free)

Tuesday, Oct. 3
*AL Wild Card Series Game 3: Astros vs. Tigers, 2:32 p.m., ABC/fubo (try for free)
*AL Wild Card Series Game 3: Orioles vs. Royals, 4:08 p.m., ESPN/fubo (try for free)
*NL Wild Card Series Game 3: Padres vs. Braves, 7:08 p.m., ESPN/fubo (try for free)
*NL Wild Card Series Game 3: Brewers vs. Mets, 8:38 p.m., ESPN2/fubo (try for free)
*-if necessary

Division Series

Saturday, Oct. 5
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, Oct. 6
NLDS Game 2: Phillies vs. TBD
NLDS Game 2: Dodgers vs. TBD

Monday, Oct. 7
ALDS Game 2: Guardians vs. TBD
ALDS Game 2: Yankees vs. TBD

Tuesday, Oct. 8
NLDS Game 3: TBD vs. Phillies
NLDS Game 3: TBD vs. Dodgers

Wednesday, Oct. 9
ALDS Game 3: TBD vs. Guardians
ALDS Game 3: TBD vs. Yankees
NLDS Game 4: TBD vs. Phillies (if necessary)
NLDS Game 4: TBD vs. Dodgers (if necessary)

Thursday, Oct. 10
ALDS Game 4: TBD vs. Guardians (if necessary)
ALDS Game 4: TBD vs. Yankees (if necessary)

Friday, Oct. 11
NLDS Game 5: Phillies vs. TBD (if necessary)
NLDS Game 5: Dodgers vs. TBD (if necessary)

Saturday, Oct. 12
ALDS Game 5: Guardians vs. TBD (if necessary)
ALDS Game 5: Yankees vs. TBD (if necessary)