MLB Playoffs 2022 Wild Card TV Schedule

The lockout gave the Major League Baseball season a rocky start. The new 12-team playoff system will make sure it finishes with a flourish.

The expanded playoffs begin Oct. 7, with a field consisting of three division winners and three wild-card entrants per league.

Tiebreaker games are gone, and the single-elimination wild-card games are replaced with the best-of-three-game Wild Card Series, in which the No. 3 seed faces the No. 6 seed, and the No. 4 seed faces the No. 5 seed. Games take place at the higher seed’s home park, and air on ESPN, ESPN2 and ABC.

The top two seeds in each league get a bye and automatically advance to the best-of-five-game Division Series. The League Championship Series and World Series remain in their traditional best-of-seven format. World Series Game 7, if needed, is scheduled for November 5, the latest calendar date ever for a World Series.

The Seattle Mariners (21 years) and Philadelphia Phillies (11 years) both snapped long postseason droughts with wild-card berths.

Here’s a look at the MLB playoff seeds and Wild Card Series TV schedule:

2022 MLB Playoff Seeds

American League
1. Houston Astros
2. New York Yankees
3. Cleveland Guardians
4. Toronto Blue Jays
5. Seattle Mariners
6. Tampa Bay Rays

National League
1. Los Angeles Dodgers
2. Atlanta Braves
3. St. Louis Cardinals
4. New York Mets
5. San Diego Padres
6. Philadelphia Phillies

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2022 MLB Playoffs Wild Card Series Schedule

All times Eastern/Central. *If necessary

AL Wild Card
Tampa Bay Rays at Cleveland Guardians
Game 1: Friday, October 7: Tampa Bay at Cleveland, 12:07/11:07a c, ESPN
Game 2: Saturday, October 8: Tampa Bay at Cleveland, 12:07/11:07a c, ESPN2
Game 3*: Sunday, October 9: Tampa Bay at Cleveland, 4:07/3:07c, ESPN

AL Wild Card
Seattle Mariners at Toronto Blue Jays
Game 1: Friday, October 7: Seattle at Toronto, 4:07/3:07c, ESPN
Game 2: Saturday, October 8: Seattle at Toronto, 4:07/3:07c, ESPN
Game 3*: Sunday, October 9: Seattle at Toronto, 2:07/1:07c, ABC

NL Wild Card
San Diego Padres at New York Mets
Game 1: Friday, October 7: San Diego at New York, 8:07/7:07c, ESPN
Game 2: Saturday, October 8: San Diego at New York, 7:37/6:37c, ESPN
Game 3*: Sunday, October 9: San Diego at New York, 7:37/6:37c, ESPN

NL Wild Card
Philadelphia Phillies at St. Louis Cardinals
Game 1: Friday, October 7: Philadelphia at St. Louis, 2:07/1:07c, ABC
Game 2: Saturday, October 8: Philadelphia at St. Louis, 8:37/7:37c, ESPN2
Game 3*: Sunday, October 9: Philadelphia at St. Louis, 8:37/7:37c, ESPN

MLB Postseason Schedule At A Glance

AL & NL Wild Card Series, beginning Oct. 7, ESPN
AL & NL Division Series, beginning Oct. 11, FS1, Fox & TBS
NL Championship Series, beginning Oct. 18, FS1 & Fox
AL Championship Series, beginning Oct. 19, TBS
World Series, beginning Oct. 28, Fox