2026 MLB Postseason Bracket Is Set: Four Wild Card Series Begin Tuesday
The 2026 MLB postseason starts September 29. See all four Wild Card matchups, Game 1 times, first-round byes and the road to the World Series.
World Baseball News Editorial Team , 2 min read 
The 2026 MLB postseason begins Tuesday, September 29, with four best-of-three Wild Card Series. Philadelphia claimed the last available berth with a 7-3 win over Tampa Bay in Sunday’s regular-season finale, completing a 12-team field that sends the Phillies to Atlanta and sets up a Red Sox–Yankees series in New York.
Each Wild Card series is played entirely at the higher seed’s ballpark. The Brewers, Dodgers, Rays and Guardians have first-round byes and will begin their Division Series on October 3.
2026 MLB Wild Card matchups and Game 1 times
- Phillies at Braves: Tuesday, September 29, 2 p.m. ET.
- White Sox at Astros: Tuesday, September 29, 5 p.m. ET.
- Red Sox at Yankees: Tuesday, September 29, 8 p.m. ET.
- Cubs at Padres: Tuesday, September 29, 10 p.m. ET.
Game 2 of each series is scheduled for Wednesday, September 30, at the same start time. Deciding Game 3s, if needed, follow on Thursday, October 1. The division winners waiting for the Wild Card survivors are Tampa Bay and Cleveland in the American League, and Milwaukee and Los Angeles in the National League.
Philadelphia’s escape completes the field
The Phillies’ place remained unsettled until Game 162. After losing four straight while Arizona won four straight, Philadelphia needed to beat the Rays on Sunday to keep control of the National League’s final spot. Zack Wheeler allowed one run over six innings in the 7-3 victory, and Bryce Harper homered as the Phillies secured a fifth consecutive postseason appearance.
That late scramble changes the immediate pitching picture for Philadelphia. The club had planned to start Wheeler in Game 1 against Atlanta, but used him to secure its berth. The Phillies now travel to face an NL East champion Braves team that earned home-field advantage in the opening round.
In the American League, Houston hosts a Chicago White Sox club making its first playoff appearance since 2021. The Astros won the AL West at 81-81 after a 20-31 start, while the other AL series revives the Boston–New York rivalry. San Diego hosts the Cubs in the remaining NL matchup.
The four Wild Card winners advance to Division Series beginning Saturday, October 3. The World Series is scheduled to open Friday, October 23, with a potential Game 7 on October 31.
