Rays, Brewers and Dodgers set for 2026 MLB playoff run
The 2026 MLB postseason starts Tuesday, Sept. 29, with four Wild Card Series played Tuesday through Thursday.
The format is best-of-three, meaning the first team to two wins advances. The matchups run Sept. 29-Oct. 1, according to MLB.com.
The Tampa Bay Rays open as the team to catch. They won the American League East with 98 wins and were listed as No. 1 in MLB.com's 2026 postseason field, according to MLB.com. Kevin Cash is still the manager. The Rays added pitcher Freddy Peralta from the New York Mets at the trade deadline, the cutoff point when contenders can still acquire players.
The Milwaukee Brewers are right behind them. They were listed as No. 2 in that same MLB.com field. Milwaukee bypassed the Wild Card Series and watched it from afar, with a bye straight to the next round.
The Los Angeles Dodgers were listed as No. 3. They arrive with mileage. Los Angeles had an average roster age of 31 in 2026, the oldest team in baseball, and had played an extra 31 games over the prior two postseasons entering this October, according to The Guardian. The New York Yankees and Atlanta Braves were listed as No. 4 and No. 5.
The Cleveland Guardians took a very different road. They entered as the American League No. 2 seed after winning their division with 85 wins. The numbers show a thin margin: a plus-11 run differential, which is runs scored minus runs allowed, and no batter with 20 home runs on the season.
The Chicago Cubs bring balance. They entered the playoffs with the best offense in baseball by runs per game and the best defense by Defensive Runs Saved, a count of runs saved compared to an average defense. Pete Crow-Armstrong and Alex Bregman played for Chicago in 2026. Pete Alonso hit 43 home runs on the season.
Seattle is in a stranger spot. The Mariners posted a 76-86 record in 2026. Julio Rodriguez, Cal Raleigh and Randy Arozarena were in the lineup. Seattle remains the only active MLB team never to have appeared in a World Series.
What makes this stand out is how little October follows the script. Tampa Bay knows that well. On September 28, 2011, the Rays came from behind to snatch the AL wild-card place while the Boston Red Sox were foiled at the last.
For fans, this means check the listings. MLB.com labels its 2026 postseason schedule as tentative, and notes that games marked with an asterisk are played only if necessary. The early plan lists Game 1 on Tuesday, Sept. 29 on Peacock and Game 2 on Wednesday, Sept. 30 on Peacock, with a conditional Game 3 on Thursday, Oct. 1 on Peacock. A later round is set to start Saturday, Oct. 3 on FOX/FS1.
