The 2026 MLB postseason field is officially set, with 12 teams beginning their pursuit of the World Series. The Wild Card Series start Tuesday, September 29, with four best-of-three series.
American League
No. 1 Tampa Bay Rays — Bye
Tampa Bay won the AL East and earned the league’s top seed and a first-round bye. The Rays will await the winner of the Yankees–Red Sox series.
No. 2 Cleveland Guardians — Bye
Cleveland captured the AL Central and also advances directly to the AL Division Series.
No. 3 Houston Astros vs. No. 6 Chicago White Sox
Wild Card Series
Houston won the AL West on the final day of the regular season, earning home field against Chicago. The White Sox enter as the sixth seed.
Game 1: Tuesday, Sept. 29
Game 2: Wednesday, Sept. 30
Game 3: Thursday, Oct. 1, if necessary
No. 4 New York Yankees vs. No. 5 Boston Red Sox
One of baseball’s biggest rivalries gets an October showdown. New York hosts all three potential games. The Yankees won the regular-season series 7–6, while both clubs finished among MLB’s strongest pitching teams.
Player to watch: Aaron Judge. His availability and health will be an important storyline heading into the series.
National League
No. 1 Milwaukee Brewers — Bye
Milwaukee won the NL Central and finished with 100 victories, earning the NL’s top seed and a Division Series bye.
No. 2 Los Angeles Dodgers — Bye
The defending champions captured the NL West and earned another first-round bye. The Dodgers have now reached the postseason in 14 consecutive seasons.
No. 3 Atlanta Braves vs. No. 6 Philadelphia Phillies
Wild Card Series
Atlanta hosts Philadelphia in an NL East matchup.
The Phillies secured the final NL playoff berth on the final day with a 7–3 victory over Tampa Bay
No. 4 San Diego Padres vs. No. 5 Chicago Cubs
San Diego hosts Chicago in what should be an intriguing matchup between two clubs that secured their postseason positions late in the season.
The Padres feature Fernando Tatis Jr., while Chicago brings a balanced roster into October.
2026 Wild Card Schedule
Series
Game 1
Game 2
Game 3*
White Sox @ Astros
Sept. 29
Sept. 30
Oct. 1 *
Red Sox @ Yankees
Sept. 29
Sept. 30
Oct. 1*
Phillies @ Braves
Sept. 29
Sept. 30
Oct. 1*
Cubs @ Padres
Sept. 29
Sept. 30
Oct. 1*
Road to the World Series
Wild Card Series: Sept. 29–Oct. 1
ALDS: Oct. 3–10
NLDS: Oct. 3–9
ALCS: Oct. 12–20
NLCS: Oct. 11–19
World Series: Oct. 23–31
