MLB Playoff Race Heats Up: wild Card Battles and Division Crowns on the Line
As September winds down, the Major League Baseball playoff picture is coming into sharper focus, but several key races remain fiercely contested. The fight for Wild Card berths in the National League is particularly tight, with the New York Mets, Arizona Diamondbacks, and Cincinnati Reds all vying for the final postseason spots. Together, the Los Angeles Dodgers are working to hold off the San Diego Padres in a compelling battle for the NL West division title.
This late-season drama impacts not only the participating teams and their fanbases but also shapes the entire postseason landscape. Securing a division title guarantees a team a higher seed and home-field advantage throughout the NLDS, while the Wild Card Series introduces a win-or-go-home element. Here’s a breakdown of the current scenarios, projected bracket, and the full playoff schedule as teams make their final push for October baseball.
Postseason Odds & Bracket Outlook
ESPN’s projections offer insight into each team’s chances of success as they navigate the playoff rounds. (See accompanying infographics for visual representations of NL Playoff chances and round-by-round probabilities.)
Key dates & Schedule
Wild Card Series (Best of three, all games at better seed’s stadium)
* Game 1: Tuesday, September 30
* Game 2: Wednesday, October 1
* Game 3: Thursday, October 2* (if necessary)
Division Series (Best of five)
ALDS
* Game 1: Saturday, October 4
* Game 2: Sunday, October 5
* Game 3: Tuesday, October 7
* Game 4: Wednesday, October 8* (if necessary)
* game 5: Friday, October 10* (if necessary)
NLDS
* Game 1: Saturday, October 4
* Game 2: Monday, October 6
* Game 3: Wednesday, October 8
* Game 4: Thursday, October 9* (if necessary)
* Game 5: Saturday, October 11* (if necessary)
League Championship Series (Best of seven)
ALCS
* Game 1: Sunday, October 12
* game 2: Monday, October 13
* Game 3: Wednesday, October 15
* Game 4: Thursday, October 16
* Game 5: Friday, October 17* (if necessary)
* Game 6: Sunday, October 19* (if necessary)
* Game 7: Monday, October 20* (if necessary)
NLCS
* Game 1: Monday, October 13
* Game 2: Tuesday, October 14
* Game 3: Thursday, October 16
* Game 4: Friday, October 17
* Game 5: Saturday, October 18* (if necessary)
* Game 6: Monday, October 20* (if necessary)
* Game 7: Tuesday, October 21* (if necessary)
World Series (Best of seven)
* Game 1: Friday, October 24
* game 2: Saturday, October 25
* Game 3: Monday, October 27
* Game 4: Tuesday, October 28
* Game 5: Wednesday, October 29* (if necessary)
* Game 6: Friday, October 31* (if necessary)
* Game 7: Saturday, November 1* (if necessary)
