The 2026 MLB Division Series begin Saturday, October 3, with all four best of five series opening that day. The top two seeds in each league, the Rays and Guardians in the AL and the Brewers and Dodgers in the NL, have been off since the regular season ended and will host Games 1 and 2, with the Wild Card Series winners filling in the bracket by Thursday, October 1. AL games are on TBS, truTV and HBO Max; NL games are on FOX, FS1 and FOX One.
Division Series Matchups
| Series | Higher seed | Opponent | TV |
|---|---|---|---|
| ALDS A | No. 1 Rays | Winner of Red Sox vs. Yankees | TBS, truTV, HBO Max |
| ALDS B | No. 2 Guardians | Winner of White Sox vs. Astros | TBS, truTV, HBO Max |
| NLDS A | No. 1 Brewers | Winner of Cubs vs. Padres | FOX, FS1, FOX One |
| NLDS B | No. 2 Dodgers | Winner of Phillies vs. Braves | FOX, FS1, FOX One |
There is no reseeding. The No. 1 seed plays the winner of the No. 4 vs. No. 5 series, and the No. 2 seed plays the winner of the No. 3 vs. No. 6 series, whichever team wins.
Division Series Schedule
| Date | Games | Site |
|---|---|---|
| Saturday, Oct. 3 | ALDS Game 1s and NLDS Game 1s | Higher seed |
| Sunday, Oct. 4 | NLDS Game 2s | Higher seed |
| Monday, Oct. 5 | ALDS Game 2s | Higher seed |
| Tuesday, Oct. 6 | NLDS Game 3s | Lower seed |
| Wednesday, Oct. 7 | ALDS Game 3s; NLDS Game 4s if needed | Lower seed |
| Thursday, Oct. 8 | ALDS Game 4s if needed | Lower seed |
| Friday, Oct. 9 | NLDS Game 5s if needed | Higher seed |
| Saturday, Oct. 10 | ALDS Game 5s if needed | Higher seed |
Game times are announced once the Wild Card Series end. Series use a 2, 2, 1 format: the higher seed hosts Games 1, 2 and 5, and the lower seed hosts Games 3 and 4.
What Comes Next
The NLCS starts Sunday, October 11, and the ALCS starts Monday, October 12, both best of seven. The World Series opens Friday, October 23, on FOX, with home field going to the pennant winner with the better regular season record. The full bracket is on our MLB playoff bracket.
Related
Wild Card Series schedule · MLB playoffs TV schedule · When do the Dodgers play next · MLB playoff bracket
Dates and networks are from MLB.com’s 2026 postseason schedule.