In September, Major League Baseball formally announced its plans for this fall’s postseason. These playoffs were already going to be unprecedented because of their expanded nature — 16 teams, or more than half the league, will gain entrance — but the addition of neutral-site bubbles for the Division, Championship, and World Series rounds is a new, if expected wrinkle.
Here’s how the expanded postseason will work. Each of the first- and second-place division finishers will qualify, along with the two teams with the next-best records. The teams will then be paired off based on seeding (No. 1 vs. No. 8 and so on), after which they’ll play a best-of-three series in the higher seed’s ballpark. The winner will then advance to the traditional best-of-five Division Series. Unlike in years past, that series will remain in place at a neutral site.
In the American League, the two Division Series will be hosted in California. The winners of the first-round matchups between the Nos. 1 and 8 and the Nos. 4 and 5 series will play in PETCO Park, home of the San Diego Padres. The winners of the first-round matchups between the Nos. 2 and 7 and the Nos. 3 and 6 matchups will play at Dodger Stadium in Los Angeles.
Over in the National League, the Division Series will be hosted in Texas. The winners of the first-round matchups between the Nos. 1 and 8 and the Nos. 4 and 5 series will play at Globe Life Park, home of the Texas Rangers. The winners of the first-round matchups between the Nos. 2 and 7 and the Nos. 3 and 6 matchups will play at Minute Maid Park in Houston.
PETCO Park will serve as the host for the AL Championship Series, while Globe Life Park will host both, the NL Championship Series and the World Series.
Wild Card Series (best-of-three)
| DATE | SERIES/GAME | MATCHUP | TIME (ET) | TV | VENUE |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Tue., Sept. 29 | AL Game 1 | No. 1 vs. No. 8 | TBD | TBD | TBD |
| AL Game 1 | No. 2 vs. No. 7 | TBD | TBD | TBD | |
| AL Game 1 | No. 3 vs. No. 6 | TBD | TBD | TBD | |
| AL Game 1 | No. 4 vs. No. 5 | TBD | TBD | TBD | |
| Wed., Sept. 30 | AL Game 2 | No. 1 vs. No. 8 | TBD | TBD | TBD |
| AL Game 2 | No. 2 vs. No. 7 | TBD | TBD | TBD | |
| AL Game 2 | No. 3 vs. No. 6 | TBD | TBD | TBD | |
| AL Game 2 | No. 4 vs. No. 5 | TBD | TBD | TBD | |
| NL Game 1 | No. 1 vs. No. 8 | TBD | TBD | TBD | |
| NL Game 1 | No. 2 vs. No. 7 | TBD | TBD | TBD | |
| NL Game 1 | No. 3 vs. No. 6 | TBD | TBD | TBD | |
| NL Game 1 | No. 4 vs. No. 5 | TBD | TBD | TBD | |
| Thurs., Oct. 1 | AL Game 3* | No. 1 vs. No. 8 | TBD | TBD | TBD |
| AL Game 3* | No. 2 vs. No. 7 | TBD | TBD | TBD | |
| AL Game 3* | No. 3 vs. No. 6 | TBD | TBD | TBD | |
| AL Game 3* | No. 4 vs. No. 5 | TBD | TBD | TBD | |
| NL Game 2 | No. 1 vs. No. 8 | TBD | TBD | TBD | |
| NL Game 2 | No. 2 vs. No. 7 | TBD | TBD | TBD | |
| NL Game 2 | No. 3 vs. No. 6 | TBD | TBD | TBD | |
| NL Game 2 | No. 4 vs. No. 5 | TBD | TBD | TBD | |
| Fri., Oct. 2 | NL Game 3* | No. 1 vs. No. 8 | TBD | TBD | TBD |
| NL Game 3* | No. 2 vs. No. 7 | TBD | TBD | TBD | |
| NL Game 3* | No. 3 vs. No. 6 | TBD | TBD | TBD | |
| NL Game 3* | No. 4 vs. No. 5 | TBD | TBD | TBD |
*- if necessary
League Division Series (best-of-five)
| DATE | SERIES/GAME | MATCHUP | TIME (ET) | TV | VENUE |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Mon., Oct. 5 | ALDS Game 1 | 1/8 vs. 4/5 | TBD | TBS | San Diego |
| ALDS Game 1 | 2/7 vs. 3/6 | TBD | TBS | Los Angeles | |
| Tue., Oct. 6 | ALDS Game 2 | 1/8 vs. 4/5 | TBD | TBS | San Diego |
| ALDS Game 2 | 2/7 vs. 3/6 | TBD | TBS | Los Angeles | |
| NLDS Game 1 | 1/8 vs. 4/5 | TBD | FS1/MLBN | Arlington | |
| NLDS Game 1 | 2/7 vs. 3/6 | TBD | FS1/MLBN | Houston | |
| Wed., Oct. 7 | ALDS Game 3 | 1/8 vs. 4/5 | TBD | TBS | San Diego |
| ALDS Game 3 | 2/7 vs. 3/6 | TBD | TBS | Los Angeles | |
| NLDS Game 2 | 1/8 vs. 4/5 | TBD | FS1/MLBN | Arlington | |
| NLDS Game 2 | 2/7 vs. 3/6 | TBD | FS1/MLBN | Houston | |
| Thurs., Oct. 8 | ALDS Game 4* | 1/8 vs. 4/5 | TBD | TBS | San Diego |
| ALDS Game 4* | 2/7 vs. 3/6 | TBD | TBS | Los Angeles | |
| NLDS Game 3 | 1/8 vs. 4/5 | TBD | FS1/MLBN | Arlington | |
| NLDS Game 3 | 2/7 vs. 3/6 | TBD | FS1/MLBN | Houston | |
| Fri., Oct. 9 | ALDS Game 5* | 1/8 vs. 4/5 | TBD | TBS | San Diego |
| ALDS Game 5* | 2/7 vs. 3/6 | TBD | TBS | Los Angeles | |
| NLDS Game 4* | 1/8 vs. 4/5 | TBD | FS1 | Arlington | |
| NLDS Game 4* | 2/7 vs. 3/6 | TBD | FS1 | Houston | |
| Sat., Oct. 10 | NLDS Game 5* | 1/8 vs. 4/5 | TBD | FS1 | Arlington |
| NLDS Game 5* | 2/7 vs. 3/6 | TBD | FS1 | Houston |
*- if necessary
League Championship Series (best-of-seven)
| DATE | SERIES/GAME | MATCHUP | TIME (ET) | TV | VENUE |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sun., Oct. 11 | ALCS Game 1 | TBD | TBD | TBS | San Diego |
| Mon., Oct. 12 | ALCS Game 2 | TBD | TBD | TBS | San Diego |
| NLCS Game 1 | TBD | TBD | Fox/FS1 | Arlington | |
| Tue., Oct. 13 | ALCS Game 3 | TBD | TBD | TBS | San Diego |
| NLCS Game 2 | TBD | TBD | Fox/FS1 | Arlington | |
| Wed., Oct. 14 | ALCS Game 4 | TBD | TBD | TBS | San Diego |
| NLCS Game 3 | TBD | TBD | Fox/FS1 | Arlington | |
| Thurs., Oct. 15 | ALCS Game 5* | TBD | TBD | TBS | San Diego |
| NLCS Game 4 | TBD | TBD | Fox/FS1 | Arlington | |
| Fri., Oct. 16 | ALCS Game 6* | TBD | TBD | TBS | San Diego |
| NLCS Game 5* | TBD | TBD | Fox/FS1 | Arlington | |
| Sat., Oct. 17 | ALCS Game 7* | TBD | TBD | TBS | San Diego |
| NLCS Game 6* | TBD | TBD | Fox/FS1 | Arlington | |
| Sun., Oct. 18 | NLCS Game 7* | TBD | TBD | Fox/FS1 | Arlington |
*- if necessary
2020 World Series (best-of-seven)
| DATE | GAME | MATCHUP | TIME (ET) | TV | SITE |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Tue., Oct. 20 | Game 1 | AL champ vs. NL champ | TBD | Fox | Arlington |
| Wed., Oct. 21 | Game 2 | AL champ vs. NL champ | TBD | Fox | Arlington |
| Fri., Oct. 23 | Game 3 | AL champ vs. NL champ | TBD | Fox | Arlington |
| Sat., Oct. 24 | Game 4 | AL champ vs. NL champ | TBD | Fox | Arlington |
| Sun., Oct. 25 | Game 5* | AL champ vs. NL champ | TBD | Fox | Arlington |
| Tue., Oct. 27 | Game 6* | AL champ vs. NL champ | TBD | Fox | Arlington |
| Wed., Oct. 28 | Game 7* | AL champ vs. NL champ | TBD | Fox | Arlington |
*- if necessary