When Do the Major League Baseball Playoffs Start? Full MLB Schedule Guide
As the Major League Baseball regular season reaches its conclusion, attention quickly shifts to the postseason — a high-intensity stretch where every game carries enormous significance. For fans, understanding when the MLB playoffs begin and how the schedule progresses is key to following baseball’s most exciting period of the year.
The MLB playoffs typically begin in late September or the first days of October, immediately after the regular season ends. The postseason starts with the Wild Card Series, followed by the Division Series, the League Championship Series, and finally the World Series in late October. While exact dates may vary slightly each year, the overall structure and timing of the playoffs remain consistent, delivering a full month of championship-level baseball.
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End of the Regular Season and Playoff Transition
Major League Baseball’s regular season consists of 162 games per team and usually runs from late March or early April through late September. Once the final regular-season games are completed and postseason teams are determined, there is little downtime before playoff action begins.
This quick transition keeps momentum high and allows fans to move seamlessly from the long grind of the regular season into the pressure-filled environment of October baseball.
Wild Card Series: The Playoffs Begin
The MLB postseason opens with the Wild Card Series, which generally starts at the very end of September or the beginning of October. This round features teams that qualified for the playoffs but did not secure the top division seeds.
The Wild Card Series is played in a short, best-of-three format, creating an immediate sense of urgency. With little margin for error, this opening round often produces dramatic moments and early postseason surprises.
Division Series: Early October Matchups
Following the Wild Card round, the remaining teams advance to the Division Series, typically held in early October. These series are played in a best-of-five format and include the highest-seeded teams, some of whom receive byes past the opening round.The Division Series often showcases intense rivalries and elite pitching matchups, making it one of the most competitive phases of the postseason.
League Championship Series: Mid-October Drama
The next step is the League Championship Series, where the final teams in the American League and National League compete for their league titles. These best-of-seven series usually begin in mid-October. Winning the League Championship Series earns a team a place in the World Series, adding immense pressure and significance to every pitch, at-bat, and managerial decision.
World Series: The Final Stage
The World Series generally begins in late October and can extend into early November if the series goes the full seven games. This final round determines the MLB champion and represents the peak of the baseball season.
With a best-of-seven format, the World Series delivers some of the sport’s most iconic moments and cements legacies for players, teams, and franchises.
Typical MLB Playoff TimelineA standard MLB postseason schedule follows this general outline:
● Late September / Early October: Wild Card Series
● Early October: Division Series
● Mid-October: League Championship Series
● Late October – Early November: World SeriesThis structure ensures a steady build-up of intensity as the postseason progresses toward its championship conclusion.
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Why the MLB Playoffs Are So ImportantThe MLB playoffs represent the ultimate test after a long regular season. Teams must adapt quickly to short series, heightened pressure, and elite competition.For fans, October baseball delivers unforgettable moments, dramatic finishes, and championship-defining performances, making the MLB postseason one of the most anticipated events in the sports calendar each year.
