The 2021 Major League Baseball postseason is here, and the action kicks off on Tuesday night at Fenway Park. This year's playoffs mark a return to some sense of normalcy for the sport. Gone are the neutral sites, the fan-less games, and the 16-team format; the concepts of home-field advantage and sellouts are back, and so is the 10-team field. For a reminder on how the rounds typically work, here's a quick refresher:
Wild Card Game: Winner advancesDivision Series (two per league): Best-of-five seriesChampionship Series: Best-of-seven seriesWorld Series: Best-of-seven seriesThe Yankees and Red Sox clinched the final two spots in the playoff field on Sunday, fending off the Blue Jays and Mariners and denying fans the chaos of a Game 163 tiebreaker on Monday. The Giants also clinched the NL West on the regular season's final day, sending the Dodgers to the NL Wild Card Game in the process.
Please check the opt-in box to acknowledge that you would like to subscribe.
Thanks for signing up!
Keep an eye on your inbox.
Sorry!
There was an error processing your subscription.
So what does the MLB playoff bracket look like? Below you'll find the schedule and the results for all the rounds as they play out, beginning with the Wild Card Game, extending through the League Division and Championship Series, and concluding with -- what else -- the 2021 World Series.
2021 MLB playoff bracket
CBS Sports2021 MLB postseason schedule
All games on the ESPN networks, Fox, FS1 and MLB Network can be streamed via fuboTV (Try for free).
Former Marlins president David Samson discussed what to expect from the AL Wild Card Game matchup between the New York Yankees and Boston Red Sox on the latest episode of Nothing Personal with David Samson. Listen below:
Wild Card Games (single elimination)
Tues., Oct 5
Yankees at Red Sox (AL)
BOS 6-2
ESPN
Weds., Oct 6
Cardinals at Dodgers (NL)
8:10 p.m.
TBS
League Division Series (best-of-five)
Thurs., Oct. 7
ALDS Game 1
Astros vs. White Sox
4:07 p.m.
FS1
ALDS Game 1
Red Sox vs. Rays
8:07 p.m.
FS1
Fri., Oct. 8
ALDS Game 2
Astros vs. White Sox
2:07 p.m.
MLB Network
NLDS Game 1
Brewers vs. Braves
4:37 p.m.
TBS
ALDS Game 2
Red Sox vs. Rays
7:02 p.m.
FS1
NLDS Game 1
Giants vs. TBD
9:37 p.m.
TBS
Sat., Oct. 9
NLDS Game 2
Brewers vs. Braves
5:07 p.m.
TBS
NLDS Game 2
Giants vs. TBD
9:07 p.m.
TBS
Sun., Oct. 10
ALDS Game 3
Rays vs. Red Sox
4:07 p.m.
MLB Network
ALDS Game 3
White Sox vs. Astros
8:07 p.m.
FS1
Mon., Oct. 11
ALDS Game 4 (if nec.)
Rays vs. Red Sox
TBA
FS1 or MLB Network
ALDS Game 4 (if nec.)
White Sox vs. Astros
TBA
FS1 or MLB Network
NLDS Game 3
Braves vs. Brewers
TBA
TBS
NLDS Game 3
TBD vs. Giants
TBA
TBS
Tues., Oct. 12
NLDS Game 4 (if nec.)
Braves vs. Brewers
TBA
TBS
NLDS Game 4 (if nec.)
TBD vs. Giants
TBA
TBS
Weds., Oct. 13
ALDS Game 5 (if nec.)
Astros vs. White Sox
TBA
FS1
ALDS Game 5 (if nec.)
Red Sox vs. Rays
TBA
FS1
Thurs., Oct 14
NLDS Game 5 (if nec.)
Brewers vs. Braves
TBA
TBS
NLDS Game 5 (if nec.)
Giants vs. TBD
TBA
TBS
League Championship Series (best-of-seven)
Fri., Oct. 15
ALCS Game 1
TBD
TBA
Fox
Sat., Oct. 16
ALCS Game 2
TBD
TBA
Fox or FS1
NLCS Game 1
TBD
TBA
TBS
Sun., Oct. 17
NLCS Game 2
TBD
TBA
TBS
Mon., Oct. 18
ALCS Game 3
TBD
TBA
FS1
Tues., Oct. 19
ALCS Game 4
TBD
TBA
FS1
NLCS Game 3
TBD
TBA
TBS
Weds., Oct. 20
ALCS Game 5 (if nec.)
TBD
TBA
FS1
NLCS Game 4
TBD
TBA
TBS
Thurs., Oct. 21
NLCS Game 5 (if nec.)
TBD
TBA
TBS
Fri., Oct. 22
ALCS Game 6 (if nec.)
TBD
TBA
TBS
Sat., Oct. 23
ALCS Game 7 (if nec.)
TBD
TBA
Fox or FS1
NLCS Game 6 (if nec.)
TBD
TBA
TBS
Sun., Oct. 24
NLCS Game 7 (if nec.)
TBD
TBA
TBS
World Series (best-of-seven)
Tues., Oct. 26
Game 1
TBD
TBA
Fox
Weds., Oct. 27
Game 2
TBD
TBA
Fox
Fri., Oct. 29
Game 3
TBD
TBA
Fox
Sat., Oct. 30
Game 4
TBD
TBA
Fox
Sun., Oct. 31
Game 5 (if nec.)
TBD
TBA
Fox
Tues., Nov. 2
Game 6 (if nec.)
TBD
TBA
Fox
Weds., Nov. 3
Game 7 (if nec.)
TBD
TBA
Fox
2021 MLB postseason gear now available
The 2021 MLB Playoffs start Oct. 5 and 6 with the AL and NL Wild Card games. In celebration, 2021 MLB postseason gear is now available for select teams. Shop hoodies, shirts, and more here.
We may receive a commission for purchases made through these links.