4
New York Yankees1
New York Yankees15
Boston Red Sox0
Boston Red Sox0Yankees lead 1-0 · Game 2 · Wed, Sep 30, 20:00 ET
MLB Playoff Bracket 2026
Twelve teams and four rounds, from the best-of-three Wild Card Series to the World Series: every series as it stands, and every game with its start time in US Eastern.
American League
Wild Card SeriesBest of 3
3
Houston Astros0
Houston Astros06
Chicago White Sox1
Chicago White Sox1White Sox lead 1-0 · Game 2 · Wed, Sep 30, 17:00 ET
Division SeriesBest of 5
1
Tampa Bay Rays
Tampa Bay RaysYankees/Red Sox
Game 1 · Sat, Oct 3, 18:30 ET
2
Cleveland Guardians
Cleveland GuardiansAstros/White Sox
Game 1 · Sat, Oct 3, 13:00 ET
Championship SeriesBest of 7
TBD
TBD
Game 1 · Mon, Oct 12
National League
Wild Card SeriesBest of 3
4
San Diego Padres1
San Diego Padres15
Chicago Cubs0
Chicago Cubs0Padres lead 1-0 · Game 2 · Wed, Sep 30, 22:00 ET
3
Atlanta Braves1
Atlanta Braves16
Philadelphia Phillies0
Philadelphia Phillies0Braves lead 1-0 · Game 2 · Wed, Sep 30, 14:00 ET
Division SeriesBest of 5
1
Milwaukee Brewers
Milwaukee BrewersPadres/Cubs
Game 1 · Sat, Oct 3
2
Los Angeles Dodgers
Los Angeles DodgersBraves/Phillies
Game 1 · Sat, Oct 3
Championship SeriesBest of 7
TBD
TBD
Game 1 · Sun, Oct 11
World Series Best of 7
TBD
TBD
Game 1 · Fri, Oct 23
Playoff schedule and results
MLB playoffs schedule, September 2026
Tuesday 29 September
Final
Atlanta Braves
5–3
Philadelphia PhilliesTruist Park
Final
Houston Astros
3–6
Chicago White SoxDaikin Park
Final
New York Yankees
9–0
Boston Red SoxYankee Stadium
Final
San Diego Padres
8–0
Chicago CubsPetco Park
Wednesday 30 September
NLWC · G2
Atlanta Braves
Philadelphia PhilliesTruist Park
ALWC · G2
Houston Astros
Chicago White SoxDaikin Park
ALWC · G2
New York Yankees
Boston Red SoxYankee Stadium
NLWC · G2
San Diego Padres
Chicago CubsPetco Park
MLB playoffs schedule, October 2026
Thursday 1 October
NLWC · G3
Atlanta Braves
Philadelphia PhilliesIf necessary · Truist Park
ALWC · G3
Houston Astros
Chicago White SoxIf necessary · Daikin Park
ALWC · G3
New York Yankees
Boston Red SoxIf necessary · Yankee Stadium
NLWC · G3
San Diego Padres
Chicago CubsIf necessary · Petco Park
About the MLB playoffs
This page follows the 2026 MLB postseason series by series. The bracket at the top shows every matchup with its seeds and the series score, and the schedule below lists each game with its first-pitch time in US Eastern and, once it is over, the final score.
Twelve teams qualify, six from each league: the three division winners and three wild cards. The two division winners with the best records skip the first round, while the third-best division winner hosts the sixth seed and the fourth seed hosts the fifth, in best-of-three Wild Card Series played entirely at the higher seed's park.
The 2026 postseason began on Tuesday, September 29. The Division Series open on Saturday, October 3, the NL Championship Series on October 11, the AL Championship Series on October 12 and the World Series on Friday, October 23.
How to use the MLB playoffs
- Read the bracket from left to right: Wild Card Series, Division Series and Championship Series for each league, with the World Series at the bottom.
- Every series shows the two seeds, the wins so far and the next game, and once a team has the wins it needs, who went through.
- A slot still to be filled names the two teams that can reach it, such as the winner of a Wild Card Series.
- The schedule under the bracket lists every game with both teams set; a game marked If necessary is played only if its series is still alive.
- Regular-season results, night by night, are on the MLB schedule.
MLB playoffs FAQ
How many teams make the MLB playoffs?
Twelve, six in each league: the three division winners and the three best records among the other clubs, the wild cards. In each league the top two division winners are seeded first and second and go straight to the Division Series.
How long is each round of the MLB playoffs?
The Wild Card Series is best of three and the Division Series best of five. The League Championship Series and the World Series are both best of seven.
Is the MLB playoff bracket reseeded?
No. It is fixed from the start: the winner of the fourth and fifth seeds meets the No. 1 seed in the Division Series, the winner of the third and sixth seeds meets the No. 2 seed, and the two Division Series winners in each league meet in its Championship Series.
How often do wild cards win the World Series?
Eight times from 1995 to 2025, most recently the 2023 Texas Rangers. Our study of wild card champions lists all eight and compares them with what a coin flip would give.
From the blog
- The Best Record in Baseball Now Wins the World Series About One Year in FourThe team with MLB's best record has won the World Series in 53 of 121 seasons, but only 8 of 31 since 1995. The history by era, 100-win teams and 2026.
- Winning Game 1 Has Led to a World Series Title 76 Times in 120The Game 1 winner has won the World Series 76 times in 120, or 63 percent, since 1903. What 2-0, 3-1 and 3-2 leads are worth, plus sweeps and Game 7 records.
- Eight Wild Cards Have Won the World Series, About What a Coin Flip Would Give ThemEight wild card teams have won the World Series since 1995, 8 of 31, almost exactly what a coin-flip bracket predicts. The list and the 2026 wild cards.