The 2026 MLB postseason bracket is set following a dramatic final day of the regular season, which saw the Philadelphia Phillies secure the final National League Wild Card spot and the Houston Astros clinch the American League West title. With the 162-game schedule concluded, the field of 12 teams now prepares for the Wild Card Series, which begins this Tuesday.
American League Playoff Path
The American League bracket features the Tampa Bay Rays and Cleveland Guardians as the top two seeds, both earning first-round byes. The Rays captured the AL East title, while the Guardians secured the AL Central crown. They await the winners of the Wild Card round to begin their respective Divisional Series on October 3.
In the Wild Card round, the No. 3 seed Houston Astros, who clinched the West after the Texas Rangers fell 6-4 to the Minnesota Twins, will host the No. 6 seed Chicago White Sox. Meanwhile, the No. 4 seed New York Yankees will host the No. 5 seed Boston Red Sox. These series are best-of-three, with the winners advancing to face Tampa Bay and Cleveland.
National League Playoff Path
In the National League, the Milwaukee Brewers and Los Angeles Dodgers secured the top two seeds and automatic berths into the Divisional Series. The Brewers claimed the NL Central, while the Dodgers took the NL West title. They are scheduled to start their series on October 3, awaiting the results from the opening round.
The National League Wild Card matchups feature the No. 3 seed Atlanta Braves hosting the No. 6 seed Philadelphia Phillies. The Phillies punched their ticket on the final day of the season with a 7-3 victory over the Tampa Bay Rays, successfully holding off a late-season surge from the Arizona Diamondbacks. The other NL Wild Card series pits the No. 4 seed San Diego Padres against the No. 5 seed Chicago Cubs, with the Padres holding home-field advantage.
Postseason Schedule and Format
The postseason opens Tuesday with four simultaneous Wild Card series. These rounds are structured as a best-of-two-to-advance format. Per the schedule, the American League Divisional Series will conclude by October 9, while the National League Divisional Series is set to finish by October 10.
Following the Divisional round, the League Championship Series are scheduled to begin on October 11 for the National League and October 12 for the American League. The current bracket projects these series to conclude by October 19 and October 20, respectively. The 2026 World Series is slated to take place from October 23 through October 31.
Wild Card Series Start Times
The Wild Card round schedule features games throughout the day on Tuesday and Wednesday, with a potential decisive third game on Thursday if necessary. In the American League, the Red Sox-Yankees series is scheduled for 8:00 PM ET, while the White Sox-Astros matchup begins at 5:00 PM ET. In the National League, the Phillies-Braves series opens at 2:00 PM ET, and the Cubs-Padres series is set for 10:00 PM ET.
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