The expanded MLB playoff format created a wild race to the finish but now that the dust is settled, the wild card round matchups are now set.
The 2020 season, already unique due to the COVID-19 pandemic delaying the start of play, will feature 16 teams instead of the usual 10 and begin with eight best-of-three series. All three games in each series will be played on consecutive days and be hosted by the team with the higher seed, with one playing eight, two playing seven and so on.
The wild card matchups are as follows:
American League
Tampa Bay Rays (1) vs. Toronto Blue Jays (8)
Oakland Athletics (2) vs. Chicago White Sox (7)
Minnesota Twins (3) vs. Houston Astros (6)
Cleveland Indians (4) vs. New York Yankees (5)
National League
Los Angeles Dodgers (1) vs. Milwaukee Brewers (8)
Atlanta Braves (2) vs. Cincinnati Reds (7)
Chicago Cubs (3) vs. Miami Marlins (6)
San Diego Padres (4) vs. St. Louis Cardinals (5)
All games involving the Blue Jays can be seen exclusively on Sportsnet and SN Now. Coverage of Game 1 between the Blue Jays and Rays will begin at 4 p.m. ET/ 1 p.m. PT with a special one-hour Blue Jays Central pre-game show before first pitch at 5 p.m. ET/ 2 p.m. PT. Coverage of Game 2 will begin at 3:30 p.m. ET/ 12:30 p.m. PT with first pitch at 4 p.m. ET/ 1 p.m. PT.
Former Blue Jays pitcher John Axford joins Sportsnet’s Jamie Campbell and Pat Tabler for the special one-hour Blue Jays Central pre-game show, featuring a musical opening by The Arkells and a video essay from Stephen Brunt that explores the Blue Jays extraordinary 2020 season.
After the wild card round, the playoffs will continue in the traditional format with the best-of-five division series, best-of-seven league championship round and best-of-seven World Series.
The division series will pit the winners of the one/eight matchups against the winners of the four/five matchups and the winners of the two/seven matchups against the winners of the three/six matchups.
MLB is adopting a bubble format for the post-season following the success of the NHL and NBA's playoffs.
As a result, the American League division series will be played in San Diego and Los Angeles and the championship series will be played in San Diego. The National League division series will be played in Houston and Arlington, Texas. Arlington will also host the NL championship series and the World Series at Globe Life Park, the newly opened home of the Texas Rangers.
Below is the full schedule for the MLB playoffs. All times Eastern.
WILD CARD SERIES (BEST OF THREE)
| DATE | GAME | TIME | CHANNEL |
|---|---|---|---|
| Tuesday, Sept. 29 | Rays (1) vs. Blue Jays (8), Game 1 | 5 p.m. | SN |
| Athletics (2) vs. White Sox (7), Game 1 | 3 p.m. | SN360 | |
| Twins (3) vs. Astros (6), Game 1 | 2 p.m. | SN1 | |
| Indians (4) vs. Yankees (5), Game 1 | 7 p.m. | SN1 | |
| Wednesday, Sept. 30 | Rays (1) vs. Blue Jays (8), Game 2 | 4 p.m. | SN |
| Athletics (2) vs. White Sox (7), Game 2 | 3 p.m. | SN360 | |
| Twins (3) vs. Astros (6), Game 2 | 1 p.m. | SN1 | |
| Indians (4) vs. Yankees (5), Game 2 | 7 p.m. | SN1 | |
| Dodgers (1) vs. Brewers (8), Game 1 | 10 p.m. | SN360 | |
| Braves (2) vs. Reds (7), Game 1 | Noon | SN & SN360 | |
| Cubs (3) vs. Marlins (6), Game 1 | 2 p.m. | SN NOW | |
| Padres (4) vs. Cardinals (5), Game 1 | 5 p.m. | SN NOW | |
| Thursday, Oct. 1 | Rays (1) vs. Blue Jays (8), Game 3 | TBD | |
| Athletics (2) vs. White Sox (7), Game 3 | TBD | ||
| Twins (3) vs. Astros (6), Game 3 | TBD | ||
| Indians (4) vs. Yankees (5), Game 3 | TBD | ||
| Dodgers (1) vs. Brewers (8), Game 2 | TBD | ||
| Braves (2) vs. Reds (7), Game 2 | TBD | ||
| Cubs (3) vs. Marlins (6), Game 2 | TBD | ||
| Padres (4) vs. Cardinals (5), Game 2 | TBD | ||
| Friday, Oct. 2 | Dodgers (1) vs. Brewers (8), Game 3 | TBD | |
| Braves (2) vs. Reds (7), Game 3 | TBD | ||
| Cubs (3) vs. Marlins (6), Game 3 | TBD | ||
| Padres (4) vs. Cardinals (5), Game 3 | TBD |
DIVISION SERIES (BEST OF FIVE)
| DATE | ROUND | GAME | SITE |
|---|---|---|---|
| Monday, Oct. 5 | AL Division Series A | Game 1 | San Diego, (1/8 vs. 4/5 winners) |
| AL Division Series B | Game 1 | Los Angeles (2/7 vs. 3/6 winners) | |
| Tuesday, Oct. 6 | AL Division Series A | Game 2 | San Diego, (1/8 vs 4/5 winners) |
| AL Division Series B | Game 2 | Los Angeles (2/7 vs. 3/6 winners) | |
| NL Division Series A | Game 1 | Arlington (1/8 vs. 4/5 winners) | |
| NL Division Series B | Game 1 | Houston (2/7 vs. 3/6 winners) | |
| Wednesday, Oct. 7 | AL Division Series A | Game 3 | San Diego, (1/8 vs 4/5 winners) |
| AL Division Series B | Game 3 | Los Angeles (2/7 vs. 3/6 winners) | |
| NL Division Series A | Game 2 | Arlington (1/8 vs. 4/5 winners) | |
| NL Division Series B | Game 2 | Houston (2/7 vs. 3/6 winners) | |
| Thursday, Oct. 8 | AL Division Series A | Game 4 | San Diego, (1/8 vs 4/5 winners) |
| AL Division Series B | Game 4 | Los Angeles (2/7 vs. 3/6 winners) | |
| NL Division Series A | Game 3 | Arlington (1/8 vs. 4/5 winners) | |
| NL Division Series B | Game 3 | Houston (2/7 vs. 3/6 winners) | |
| Friday, Oct. 9 | AL Division Series A | Game 5 | San Diego, (1/8 vs 4/5 winners) |
| AL Division Series B | Game 5 | Los Angeles (2/7 vs. 3/6 winners) | |
| NL Division Series A | Game 4 | Arlington (1/8 vs. 4/5 winners) | |
| NL Division Series B | Game 4 | Houston (2/7 vs. 3/6 winners) | |
| Saturday, Oct. 10 | NL Division Series A | Game 5 | Arlington (1/8 vs. 4/5 winners) |
| NL Division Series B | Game 5 | Houston (2/7 vs. 3/6 winners) |
LEAGUE CHAMPIONSHIP SERIES (BEST OF SEVEN)
| DATE | ROUND | GAME | SITE |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sunday, Oct. 11 | ALCS | Game 1 | San Diego |
| Monday, Oct. 12 | ALCS | Game 2 | San Diego |
| NLCS | Game 1 | Arlington | |
| Tuesday, Oct. 13 | ALCS | Game 3 | San Diego |
| NLCS | Game 2 | Arlington | |
| Wednesday, Oct. 14 | ALCS | Game 4 | San Diego |
| NLCS | Game 3 | Arlington | |
| Thursday, Oct. 15 | ALCS | Game 5 | San Diego |
| NLCS | Game 4 | Arlington | |
| Friday, Oct. 16 | ALCS | Game 6 | San Diego |
| NLCS | Game 5 | Arlington | |
| Saturday, Oct. 17 | ALCS | Game 7 | San Diego |
| NLCS | Game 6 | Arlington | |
| Sunday, Oct. 18 | NLCS | Game 7 | Arlington |
WORLD SERIES (BEST OF SEVEN)
| DATE | ROUND | GAME | SITE |
|---|---|---|---|
| Tuesday, Oct. 20 | World Series | Game 1 | Arlington |
| Wednesday, Oct. 21 | World Series | Game 2 | Arlington |
| Thursday, Oct. 22 | OFF DAY | ||
| Friday, Oct. 23 | World Series | Game 3 | Arlington |
| Saturday, Oct. 24 | World Series | Game 4 | Arlington |
| Sunday, Oct. 25 | World Series | Game 5 | Arlington |
| Monday, Oct. 26 | OFF DAY | ||
| Tuesday, Oct. 27 | World Series | Game 6 | Arlington |
| Wednesday, Oct. 28 | World Series | Game 7 | Arlington |