Major League Baseball has rolled out the schedule for the highly anticipated 2024 playoffs, laying down a detailed path to the Fall Classic. As the regular season officially concludes on Sunday, Sept. 29, fans can gear up for an exciting and revamped postseason journey.
The Wild Card Series: A New Era
The playoffs will kick off with the Wild Card Series on Tuesday, Oct. 1, introducing a significant change to the format. Gone are the one-game playoffs, replaced with a three-game face-off without any travel, ensuring a more robust competition. The third division winner and the top Wild Card team in each league will have the advantage of hosting these crucial games.
The Wild Card Series will continue on Wednesday, Oct. 2, with any necessary Game 3s scheduled for Thursday, Oct. 3. This change promises to deliver more drama and excitement as teams battle it out in a best-of-three format right from the start.
Division Series: Hosting Privileges
The Division Series is set to begin on Saturday, Oct. 5. In this stage, the top two division winners in each league will host Games 1, 2, and, if necessary, Game 5. These teams will have the home-field advantage, which could prove decisive in tight matchups.
The National League Division Series (NLDS) Game 2 is slated for Sunday, Oct. 6, followed by the American League Division Series (ALDS) Game 2 on Monday, Oct. 7. As the series progresses, NLDS Game 3 will occur on Tuesday, Oct. 8, while ALDS Games 3 and potential NLDS Game 4s are scheduled for Wednesday, Oct. 9. The sequence wraps up with ALDS Game 4 on Thursday, Oct. 10, and if necessary, NLDS Game 5 on Friday, Oct. 11, and ALDS Game 5 on Saturday, Oct. 12.
League Championship Series: The Final Countdown
The excitement ramps up with the National League Championship Series (NLCS) beginning on Sunday, Oct. 13. NLCS Game 2 and ALCS Game 1 will follow on Monday, Oct. 14, with ALCS Game 2 on Tuesday, Oct. 15. As both series progress, fans can expect high-stakes action with NLCS Game 3 on Wednesday, Oct. 16, and both NLCS Game 4 and ALCS Game 3 on Thursday, Oct. 17.
The potential ALCS Game 4 and NLCS Game 5 are marked for Friday, Oct. 18, and ALCS Game 5 is set for Saturday, Oct. 19. If the series extend to their full lengths, potential NLCS Game 6 is scheduled for Sunday, Oct. 20, while ALCS Game 6 and NLCS Game 7 are aligned for Monday, Oct. 21. Potential ALCS Game 7 will conclude the series on Tuesday, Oct. 22.
The World Series: October Glory
If the League Championship Series wrap up by Saturday, Oct. 19, the 2024 World Series will commence on Tuesday, Oct. 22. Otherwise, the first pitch of the World Series is set for Friday, Oct. 25, marking the beginning of the battle for baseball’s ultimate prize.
World Series Game 2 will be held the following day, Saturday, Oct. 26, with a travel day preceding Games 3 and 4 on Monday, Oct. 28, and Tuesday, Oct. 29, respectively. Should the series extend, a potential Game 5 is penciled in for Wednesday, Oct. 30.
If the World Series pushes to the full seven games, Game 6 will take place on Friday, Nov. 1, and the winner-take-all Game 7 will crown the champion on Saturday, Nov. 2. The team with the superior regular-season record in each league will host Games 1, 2, and, if necessary, Games 6 and 7, providing a potentially crucial home-field edge in the pursuit of baseball glory.
The 2024 MLB postseason promises to be a thrilling ride from start to finish, with revamped formats and high-stakes games that are bound to captivate fans around the globe. Whether it’s the strategic moves in the Wild Card Series or the electrifying atmosphere of the World Series, baseball enthusiasts have much to look forward to in this meticulously planned postseason schedule.