The 2021 MLB playoffs are here, and we have you covered with all you need to know
2 min read
The 2021 Major League Baseball postseason field is set. This year’s playoffs mark a return to some sense of normalcy for the sport. Gone are the neutral sites, the fanless games, and the 16-team format; the concepts of home-field advantage and sellouts are back, and so is the 10-team field. For a reminder on how the rounds typically work, here’s a quick refresher:
- Wild Card Game: winner advances
- Division Series (two per league): best-of-five series
- Championship Series: best-of-seven series
- World Series: best-of-seven series
The Yankees and Red Sox clinched the final two spots in the playoff field on Sunday, fending off the Blue Jays and Mariners and denying fans the chaos of a Game 163 tiebreaker on Monday. The Giants also clinched the NL West on the regular season’s final day, sending the Dodgers to the NL Wild Card Game in the process.
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So what does the MLB playoff bracket look like? Below you’ll find the schedule and the results for all the rounds as they play out, beginning with the Wild Card Game, extending through the League Division and Championship Series, and concluding with — what else — the 2021 World Series.
2021 MLB playoff bracket
2021 MLB postseason schedule
Wild Card Games (single elimination)
| DATE | MATCHUP | START TIME (ET) | TV |
|---|---|---|---|
|
Tues., Oct 5 |
Yankees at Red sox (AL) |
8:08 p.m. |
ESPN |
|
Weds., Oct 6 |
Cardinals at Dodgers (NL) |
8:10 p.m. |
TBS |
League Division Series (best-of-five)
| DATE | SERIES/GAME | MATCHUP | START TIME (ET) | TV |
|---|---|---|---|---|
|
Thurs., Oct. 7 |
ALDS A Game 1 |
TBD |
TBA |
FS1 or MLBN |
|
ALDS B Game 1 |
TBD |
TBA |
FS1 or MLBN |
|
|
Fri., Oct. 8 |
ALDS A Game 2 |
TBD |
TBA |
FS1 or MLBN |
|
ALDS B Game 2 |
TBD |
TBA |
FS1 or MLBN |
|
|
NLDS A Game 1 |
TBD |
TBA |
TBS |
|
|
NLDS B Game 1 |
TBD |
TBA |
TBS |
|
|
Sat., Oct. 9 |
NLDS A Game 2 |
TBD |
TBA |
TBS |
|
NLDS B Game 2 |
TBD |
TBA |
TBS |
|
|
Sun., Oct. 10 |
ALDS A Game 3 |
TBD |
TBA |
FS1 or MLB |
|
ALDS B Game 3 |
TBD |
TBA |
FS1 or MLB |
|
|
Mon., Oct. 11 |
ALDS A Game 4 (if nec.) |
TBD |
TBA |
FS1 or MLBN |
|
ALDS B Game 4 (if nec.) |
TBD |
TBA |
FS1 or MLBN |
|
|
NLDS A Game 3 |
TBD |
TBA |
TBS |
|
|
NLDS B Game 3 |
TBD |
TBA |
TBS |
|
|
Tues., Oct. 12 |
NLDS A Game 4 (if nec.) |
TBD |
TBA |
TBS |
|
NLDS B Game 4 (if nec.) |
TBD |
TBA |
TBS |
|
|
Weds., Oct. 13 |
ALDS A Game 5 (if nec.) |
TBD |
TBA |
FS1 |
|
ALDS B Game 5 (if nec.) |
TBD |
TBA |
FS1 |
|
|
Thurs., Oct 14 |
NLDS A Game 5 (if nec.) |
TBD |
TBA |
TBS |
|
NLDS B Game 5 (if nec.) |
TBD |
TBA |
TBS |
League Championship Series (best-of-seven)
| DATE | SERIES/GAME | MATCHUP | START TIME (ET) | TV |
|---|---|---|---|---|
|
Fri., Oct. 15 |
ALCS Game 1 |
TBD |
TBA |
Fox |
|
Sat., Oct. 16 |
ALCS Game 2 |
TBD |
TBA |
Fox or FS1 |
|
NLCS Game 1 |
TBD |
TBA |
TBS |
|
|
Sun., Oct. 17 |
NLCS Game 2 |
TBD |
TBA |
TBS |
|
Mon., Oct. 18 |
ALCS Game 3 |
TBD |
TBA |
FS1 |
|
Tues., Oct. 19 |
ALCS Game 4 |
TBD |
TBA |
FS1 |
|
NLCS Game 3 |
TBD |
TBA |
TBS |
|
|
Weds., Oct. 20 |
ALCS Game 5 (if nec.) |
TBD |
TBA |
FS1 |
|
NLCS Game 4 |
TBD |
TBA |
TBS |
|
|
Thurs., Oct. 21 |
NLCS Game 5 (if nec.) |
TBD |
TBA |
TBS |
|
Fri., Oct. 22 |
ALCS Game 6 (if nec.) |
TBD |
TBA |
TBS |
|
Sat., Oct. 23 |
ALCS Game 7 (if nec.) |
TBD |
TBA |
Fox or FS1 |
|
NLCS Game 6 (if nec.) |
TBD |
TBA |
TBS |
|
|
Sun., Oct. 24 |
NLCS Game 7 (if nec.) |
TBD |
TBA |
TBS |
World Series (best-of-seven)
| DATE | GAME | MATCHUP | START TIME (ET) | TV |
|---|---|---|---|---|
|
Tues., Oct. 26 |
Game 1 |
TBD |
TBA |
Fox |
|
Weds., Oct. 27 |
Game 2 |
TBD |
TBA |
Fox |
|
Fri., Oct. 29 |
Game 3 |
TBD |
TBA |
Fox |
|
Sat., Oct. 30 |
Game 4 |
TBD |
TBA |
Fox |
|
Sun., Oct. 31 |
Game 5 (if nec.) |
TBD |
TBA |
Fox |
|
Tues., Nov. 2 |
Game 6 (if nec.) |
TBD |
TBA |
Fox |
|
Weds., Nov. 3 |
Game 7 (if nec.) |
TBD |
TBA |
Fox |
