The MLB postseason officially opens up with the American League Wild Card Game on Tuesday, between the Oakland Athletics and the Kansas City Royals. The very next day, the San Francisco Giants will take on the Pittsburgh Pirates, in the National League Wild Card Game. Once two of these four teams are knocked out, there will only be eight teams left out of the ten that made it to this year's postseason.

The Division Series for each league follows a five-game series format, with the two ALDS series starting up Thursday and the two NLDS series starting up Friday. Once each is completed, the Championship Series, which decides which team from each league goes to the World Series, starts up. The ALCS opens up on October 10th and the NLCS opens up on October 11th. Once we find out which teams have won their respective pennants, the World Series starts rather late on October 21st. This year, the American League will have homefield advantage in the World Series due to the fact that they won this year's All-Star Game.

Schedule (all times are Eastern)

Tuesday, September 30th:

AL Wild Card Game: Oakland Athletics 8 vs. Kansas City Royals 9, 8:07 pm, TBS (Preview, LIVE, Recap)

Wednesday, October 1st:

NL Wild Card Game: San Francisco Giants 8 vs. Pittsburgh Pirates 0, 8:07 pm, ESPN (Preview, LIVE, Recap)

Thursday, October 2nd:

ALDS Game 1: Kansas City Royals vs. Los Angeles Angels, 9:07 pm, TBS (Preview, LIVE)

ALDS Game 1: Detroit Tigers vs. Baltimore Orioles, 5:37 pm, TBS (Preview, LIVE, Recap)

Friday, October 3rd:

ALDS Game 2: Kansas City Royals vs. Los Angeles Angels, 9:37 pm, TBS 

ALDS Game 2: Detroit Tigers vs. Baltimore Orioles, 12:07 pm, TBS (Preview)

NLDS Game 1: San Francisco Giants vs. Washington Nationals, 3:07 pm, FS1

NLDS Game 1: St. Louis Cardinals vs. Los Angeles Dodgers, 6:37 pm, FS1

Saturday, October 4th

NLDS Game 2: San Francisco Giants vs. Washington Nationals, 9:37 pm, FS1 or MLBN

NLDS Game 2: St. Louis Cardinals vs. Los Angeles Dodgers, 5:37 pm, FS1 or MLBN

Sunday, October 5th:

ALDS Game 3: Los Angeles Angels vs. Kansas City Royals, 3:37 pm, TBS

ALDS Game 3: Baltimore Orioles vs. Detroit Tigers, 7:37 pm, TBS

Monday, October 6th:

ALDS Game 4: Los Angeles Angels vs. Kansas City Royals, TBD, TBS*

ALDS Game 4: Baltimore Orioles vs. Detroit Tigers, TBD, TBS*

NLDS Game 3: Washington Nationals vs. San Francisco Giants, TBD, FS1 or MLBN

NLDS Game 3: Los Angeles Dodgers vs. St. Louis Cardinals, TBD, FS1 or MLBN

Tuesday, October 7th:

NLDS Game 4: Washington Nationals vs. San Francisco Giants, TBD, FS1 or MLBN*

NLDS Game 4: Los Angeles Dodgers vs. St. Louis Cardinals, TBD, FS1 or MLBN*

Wednesday, October 8th:

ALDS Game 5: Kansas City Royals vs. Los Angeles Angels, TBD, TBS*

ALDS Game 5: Detroit Tigers vs. Baltimore Orioles, TBD, TBS*

Thursday, October 9th:

NLDS Game 5: San Francisco Giants vs. Washington Nationals, TBD, FS1*

NLDS Game 5: St. Louis Cardinals vs. Los Angeles Dodgers, TBD, FS1*

Friday, October 10th:

ALCS Game 1: AL Lower Seed vs. AL Higher Seed, TBD, TBS

Saturday, October 11th:

NLCS Game 1: NL Lower Seed vs. NL Higher Seed, TBD, FOX

ALCS Game 2: AL Lower Seed vs. AL Higher Seed, TBD, TBS

Sunday, October 12th:

NLCS Game 2: NL Lower Seed vs. NL Higher Seed, TBD, FS1

Monday, October 13th:

ALCS Game 3: AL Higher Seed vs. AL Lower Seed, TBD, TBS

Tuesday, October 14th:

NLCS Game 3: NL Higher Seed vs. NL Lower Seed, TBD, FS1

ALCS Game 4: AL Higher Seed vs. AL Lower Seed, TBD, TBS

Wednesday, October 15th:

NLCS Game 4: NL Higher Seed vs. NL Lower Seed, TBD, FS1

ALCS Game 5: AL Higher Seed vs. AL Lower Seed, TBD, TBS*

Thursday, October 16th:

NLCS Game 5: NL Higher Seed vs. NL Lower Seed, TBD, FS1*

Friday, October 17th:

ALCS Game 6: AL Lower Seed vs. AL Higher Seed, TBD, TBS*

Saturday October 18th:

NLCS Game 6: NL Lower Seed vs. NL Higher Seed, TBD, FOX*

ALCS Game 7: AL Lower Seed vs. AL Higher Seed, TBD, TBS*

Sunday, October 19th:

NLCS Game 7: NL Lower Seed vs. NL Higher Seed, TBD, FS1*

Tuesday, October 21st:

World Series Game 1: NL Champion vs. AL Champion, TBD, FOX

Wednesday, October 22nd:

World Series Game 2: NL Champion vs. AL Champion, TBD, FOX

Friday, October 24th:

World Series Game 3: AL Champion vs. NL Champion, TBD, FOX

Saturday, October 25th:

World Series Game 4: AL Champion vs. NL Champion, TBD, FOX

Sunday, October 26th:

World Series Game 5: AL Champion vs. NL Champion, TBD, FOX*

Tuesday, October 28th:

World Series Game 6: NL Champion vs. AL Champion, TBD, FOX*

Wednesday, October 29th:

World Series Game 7: NL Champion vs. AL Champion, TBD, FOX*

*if necessary

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About the author
Max Wildstein
I cover the latest in Major League Baseball news and rumors for VAVEL USA. I also am a member of the Internet Baseball Writers Association of America (IBWAA). Follow me on Twitter at @MaxWildstein for updates on the happenings in the baseball world.