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

Nine teams are left in the postseason field, and the ALDS and NLDS matchups will both be set by Thursday night

Major League Baseball's 2024 postseason is underway, and the Detroit Tigers, Kansas City Royals and San Diego Padres all moved on in the playoff bracket on Wednesday. There is one spot in the divisional round still up for grabs, and it will be settled Thursday night as the Milwaukee Brewers host the New York Mets in a decisive Wild Card Series Game 3. 

In the American League, the Tigers knocked out the Houston Astros, while the Royals eliminated the Baltimore Orioles, with both AL Central underdogs winning the best-of-three series in two-game sweeps on the road. The Tigers are moving on for an ALDS matchup against the Cleveland Guardians, their AL Central rival. The Royals will face Aaron Judge, Juan Soto and the New York Yankees in the next wound. The Astros saw their streak of seven consecutive ALCS appearances come to an end, while the Orioles are now 0-5 in the playoffs in the last two seasons.

Over in the National League, the Padres took care of business and swept the Atlanta Braves to secure their NLDS berth, where they'll play the NL West rival Dodgers. The winner of Brewers-Mets, meanwhile, will head to Philadelphia to face the Phillies in the NLDS.

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: Mets 8, Brewers 4 (New York leads 1-0)
NL Wild Card Series Game 1: Padres 4, Braves 0 (San Diego leads 1-0)

Tuesday, Oct. 2
AL Wild Card Series Game 2: Tigers 5, Astros 2 (Detroit wins 2-0)
AL Wild Card Series Game 2: Royals 2, Orioles 1 (Kansas City wins 2-0)
NL Wild Card Series Game 2: Brewers 5, Mets 3 (Series tied 1-1)
NL Wild Card Series Game 2: Padres 5, Braves 4 (San Diego wins 2-0)

Tuesday, Oct. 3
NL Wild Card Series Game 3: Brewers vs. Mets, 7:08 p.m., ESPN, Fubo (Try for free)

Division Series

Saturday, Oct. 5
ALDS Game 1: Guardians vs. Tigers, 1:08 p.m., TBS
NLDS Game 1: Phillies vs. Brewers/Mets, 4:08 p.m., Fox, Fubo (Try for free)
ALDS Game 1: Yankees vs. Royals, 6:38 p.m., TBS
NLDS Game 1: Dodgers vs. Padres, 8:38 p.m., Fox, Fubo (Try for free)

Sunday, Oct. 6
NLDS Game 2: Phillies vs. Brewers/Mets, 4:08 p.m., FS1, Fubo (Try for free)
NLDS Game 2: Dodgers vs. Padres, 8:03 p.m., FS1, Fubo (Try for free)

Monday, Oct. 7
ALDS Game 2: Guardians vs. Tigers, 4:08 p.m., TBS
ALDS Game 2: Yankees vs. Royals, 7:38 p.m., TBS

Tuesday, Oct. 8
NLDS Game 3: Brewers/Mets vs. Phillies
NLDS Game 3: Padres vs. Dodgers

Wednesday, Oct. 9
ALDS Game 3: Tigers vs. Guardians
ALDS Game 3: Royals vs. Yankees
*NLDS Game 4: Brewers/Mets vs. Phillies
*NLDS Game 4: Padres vs. Dodgers

Thursday, Oct. 10
*ALDS Game 4: Tigers vs. Guardians
*ALDS Game 4: Royals vs. Yankees

Friday, Oct. 11
*NLDS Game 5: Phillies vs. Brewers/Mets 
*NLDS Game 5: Dodgers vs. Padres

Saturday, Oct. 12
*ALDS Game 5: Guardians vs. Tigers
*ALDS Game 5: Yankees vs. Royals
*-if necessary

Championship Series

Sunday, Oct. 13
NLCS Game 1: TBD vs. TBD

Monday, Oct. 14
ALCS Game 1: TBD vs. TBD
NLCS Game 2: TBD vs. TBD

Tuesday, Oct. 15
ALCS Game 2: TBD vs. TBD

Wednesday, Oct. 16
NLCS Game 3: TBD vs. TBD

Thursday, Oct. 17
ALCS Game 3: TBD vs. TBD
NLCS Game 4: TBD vs. TBD

Friday, Oct. 18
ALCS Game 4: TBD vs. TBD
*NLCS Game 5: TBD vs. TBD

Saturday, Oct. 19
*ALCS Game 5: TBD vs. TBD

Sunday, Oct. 20
*NLCS Game 6: TBD vs. TBD

Monday, Oct 21
*ALCS Game 6: TBD vs. TBD 
*NLCS Game 7: TBD vs. TBD

Tuesday, Oct. 22
*ALCS Game 7: TBD vs. TBD
*-if necessary

World Series

(The 2024 World Series schedule is subject to change. Every game would be moved up by three days if both the ALCS and NLCS end in five games or less.)

Friday, Oct. 25
World Series Game 1: TBD vs. TBD

Saturday, Oct. 26
World Series Game 2: TBD vs. TBD

Monday, Oct. 28
World Series Game 3: TBD vs. TBD

Tuesday, Oct. 29
World Series Game 4: TBD vs. TBD

Wednesday, Oct. 30
*World Series Game 5: TBD vs. TBD

Friday, Nov. 1
*World Series Game 6: TBD vs. TBD

Saturday, Nov. 2
*World Series Game 7: TBD vs. TBD
*-if necessary