As the 2023 baseball season winds down, Major League Baseball (MLB) has officially unveiled the 2024 playoff schedule, igniting excitement among fans and teams alike. With a reimagined format eliminating the one-game playoffs, the new structure promises a more intense and predictable journey to the World Series.
End of Regular Season
The conclusion of the regular season is set for Sunday, September 29. Teams will finalize their standings on this day, setting the stage for the postseason. The new format ensures that fans and teams can prepare in advance, knowing there will be no one-game playoffs this year.
Wild Card Series
The postseason will kick off with the Wild Card Series on Tuesday, October 1. In this initial round, fans will witness a three-game face-off format with no travel days, providing a concentrated and thrilling start to the playoffs. The third division winner and the top Wild Card team in each league will have the advantage of hosting these games. The series will continue on Wednesday, October 2, with any necessary Game 3s slated for Thursday, October 3.
Division Series
The intensity ramps up as the Division Series begins on Saturday, October 5. The top two division winners in each league will host Games 1, 2, and, if necessary, Game 5. This offers a significant home-field advantage for these teams. Sunday, October 6, will feature National League Division Series (NLDS) Game 2, followed by American League Division Series (ALDS) Game 2 on Monday, October 7. The sequence continues with NLDS Game 3 on Tuesday, October 8, and both ALDS Game 3 and potential NLDS Game 4s on Wednesday, October 9.
As the Division Series progresses, ALDS Game 4 is scheduled for Thursday, October 10. Then, if necessary, NLDS Game 5 will be held on Friday, October 11, with ALDS Game 5 on Saturday, October 12.
Championship Series
The drama of the MLB playoffs reaches its peak with the League Championship Series. The National League Championship Series (NLCS) begins on Sunday, October 13, with Game 2 following on Monday, October 14, coinciding with American League Championship Series (ALCS) Game 1. ALCS Game 2 is set for Tuesday, October 15.
Fans can mark their calendars for NLCS Game 3 on Wednesday, October 16, and both NLCS Game 4 and ALCS Game 3 on Thursday, October 17. The potential for more nail-biting moments arises with ALCS Game 4 and NLCS Game 5 scheduled for Friday, October 18, and ALCS Game 5 on Saturday, October 19.
As the series nears its conclusion, potential NLCS Game 6 will be played on Sunday, October 20. Should the series stretch further, ALCS Game 6 and NLCS Game 7 are slated for Monday, October 21, with a potential ALCS Game 7 on Tuesday, October 22.
The World Series
The culmination of the MLB season, the World Series, is a spectacle that captures the collective attention of baseball fans worldwide. If both League Championship Series conclude by Saturday, October 19, the World Series will commence on Tuesday, October 22. However, if schedules align as initially planned, the first pitch of the World Series is set for Friday, October 25. Game 2 is scheduled for Saturday, October 26, with a travel day preceding Games 3 and 4 on Monday, October 28, and Tuesday, October 29, respectively. A potential Game 5 could take place on Wednesday, October 30.
Should the competition extend to the full seven games, fans are in for a treat with Game 6 on Friday, November 1, and Game 7 on Saturday, November 2. Notably, the team boasting the superior regular-season record in each league will host Games 1, 2, and, if required, Games 6 and 7, giving them a home-field advantage on the biggest stage.
The newly announced schedule and format promise an exhilarating and methodical progression through the postseason, with each game holding significant weight. As teams prepare for the final stretch of the regular season and the challenging road ahead in the playoffs, fans can look forward to an autumn of captivating baseball action.