After 162 regular-season games, MLB has officially decided the playoff field, with three division winners and three Wild Card teams advancing to the Wild Card Round. 12 teams will slug it out to determine who will win the World Series in October — and it all starts with four best-of-three Wild Card Round series.
The 2026 MLB Wild Card Round gets underway on Tuesday, September 28, with the Atlanta Braves hosting the Philadelphia Phillies at 2 p.m. ET on NBC to kick off the playoffs. Most notably, long-time rivals Boston Red
Below, we’ll explain how the 2026 MLB Wild Card Round works, including how many games are in the Wild Card round, the format, seeding, and the full schedule for each series.
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How Many Games Are In the MLB Wild Card Round?
Each MLB Wild Card Round series is a best-of-three format — so three games max. If one team wins both of the first two games, the series is over. The higher seed will host all three Wild Card games, even if a third game is necessary.
The games take place over three days to keep division winners with a bye in the Wild Card Round from waiting too long for their opponent. The winners advance to the Division Series, which is a best-of-five series.
How Are The Teams Seeded in the MLB Postseason?
The No. 1 seeds in each league are the teams that had the best record in their respective leagues during the regular season. The No. 2 seed is the second-best division winner, while the No. 3 seed is the division winner with the third-best record. No. 4-6 seeds are the three qualifying Wild Card teams, ranked by regular-season record.
The top two seeds in each league receive first-round byes and automatically advance to the Division Series. The No. 3 seed faces the No. 6 seed, and the No. 4 seed faces the No. 5 seed in each league.
For the Wild Card Series, the No. 3 seed will face the No. 6 seed, and the No. 4 seed will face the No. 5 seed.
2026 MLB Playoffs National League Seeding
- Milwaukee Brewers (103-59)
- Los Angeles Dodgers (100-62)
- Atlanta Braves (94-68)
- San Diego Padres (91-71)
- Chicago Cubs (89-73)
- Philadelphia Phillies (88-74)
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2026 MLB Playoffs American League Seeding
- Tampa Bay Rays (98-64)
- Cleveland Guardians (85-77)
- Houston Astros (81-81)
- New York Yankees (93-68)
- Boston Red Sox (87-75)
- Chicago White Sox (85-78)
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Are Teams Reseeded After The MLB Wild Card Round?
Teams are not reseeded after the Wild Card Round of the MLB playoffs. The winner of the No. 3 vs. No. 6 seed matchup will face the No. 2 seed in the Division Series in each league, while the winner of the No. 4 seed vs. No. 5 seed will take on the league’s No. 1 seed.
The Division Series is a best-of-five, in which teams play a 2-2-1 format. The higher seed will have home-field advantage in the Division Series.
2026 MLB Wild Card Round Schedule for Each Series
Here is the full MLB Wild Card Round schedule for the 2026 MLB Playoffs. The higher-seeded team will host all three games, regardless of series outcome.
Also included are the payouts for each team to win the Wild Card Round series via PrizePicks Team Picks under the MLB Series tab; for example, 2x multiplier on a $100 entry would net $200.
No. 6 Philadelphia Phillies vs. No. 3 Atlanta Braves: NL Wild Card Schedule
Payouts to Win the Series: Atlanta 1.69x | Philadelphia 2.12x
- Game 1: Tuesday, September 29 (2 p.m. ET on NBC)
- Game 2: Wednesday, September 30 (2 p.m. ET on NBC)
- Game 3: Thursday, October 1 (2 p.m. ET on NBC)*
No. 5 Chicago Cubs vs. No. 4 San Diego Padres: NL Wild Card Schedule
Payouts to Win the Series: San Diego 1.69x | Chicago Cubs 2.04x
- Game 1: Tuesday, September 29 (10 p.m. ET on Peacock)
- Game 2: Wednesday, September 30 (10 p.m. ET on Peacock)
- Game 3: Thursday, October 1 (10 p.m. ET on Peacock)
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No. 6 Chicago White Sox vs. No. 3 Houston Astros: AL Wild Card Schedule
Payouts to Win the Series: Houston 1.63x | Chicago White Sox 2.17x
- Game 1: Tuesday, September 29 (5 p.m. ET on Peacock)
- Game 2: Wednesday, September 30 (5 p.m. ET on Peacock)
- Game 3: Thursday, October 1 (5 p.m. ET on Peacock)*
No. 5 Boston Red Sox vs. No. 4 New York Yankees: AL Wild Card Schedule
Payouts to Win the Series: New York 1.63x | Boston 2.17x
- Game 1: Tuesday, September 29 (8 p.m. ET on NBC)
- Game 2: Wednesday, September 30 (8 p.m. ET on NBC)
- Game 3: Thursday, October 1 (8 p.m. ET on NBC)*
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Make MLB World Series Predictions on PrizePicks
The Wild Card Round of the MLB postseason begins Tuesday, September 29, and will feature a best-of-three format for each series. Which teams will achieve postseason glory in 2026?
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