MLB Playoff schedule 2016: Wild Card round set
By Mike Dyce
Here is the bracket and schedule for the 2016 MLB Playoffs as the Chicago Cubs look to end their World Series drought.
The MLB season has come to an end and the playoff picture is set. On the American League side of the bracket, the Texas Rangers finished with the best record and the top-seed. They’ll face the winner of the Wild Card showdown between a pair of AL East rivals, the Toronto Blue Jays and Baltimore Orioles.
A Blue Jays win in the Wild Card round would set up a rematch of the 2015 ALDS series with Rangers that ended in dramatic fashion as tempers flared. The Cleveland Indians got the second-seed and will host the Boston Red Sox in the ALDS.
The Chicago Cubs cruised to the too-seed in the National League and face the winner of a wild card pairing between the New York Mets and San Francisco Giants. The Mets eliminated the Cubs in the 2015 NLCS, and could create an intriguing rematch in the ALDS if they defeat the Giants.
The second-seeded Washington Nationals take on the Los Angeles Dodgers in the ALDS.
See the playoff bracket below.
Here is the full playoff schedule
Wild-card round
| DATE | GAME | TV |
|---|---|---|
| TUES., OCT. 4 | Baltimore at Toronto | TBS |
| WED., OCT. 5 | San Francisco at New York Mets | ESPN |
Division Series
| DATE | SERIES | TV |
|---|---|---|
| THURS., OCT. 6 | Boston at Cleveland | TBS |
| THURS., OCT. 6 | AL Wild Card at Texas | TBS |
| FRI., OCT. 7 | Boston at Cleveland | TBS |
| FRI., OCT. 7 | AL Wild Card at Texas | TBS |
| FRI., OCT. 7 | L.A. Dodgers at Washington | FS1/MLBN |
| FRI., OCT. 7 | NL Wild Card at Cubs | FS1/MLBN |
| SAT., OCT. 8 | L.A. Dodgers at Washington | FS1/MLBN |
| SAT., OCT. 8 | NL Wild Card at Cubs | FS1/MLBN |
| SUN., OCT. 9 | Cleveland at Boston | TBS |
| SUN., OCT. 9 | Texas at AL Wild Card | TBS |
| MON., OCT. 10 | *Cleveland at Boston | TBS |
| MON., OCT. 10 | *Texas at AL Wild Card | TBS |
| MON., OCT. 10 | Washington at L.A. Dodgers | FS1/MLBN |
| MON., OCT. 10 | Cubs at NL Wild Card | FS1/MLBN |
| TUES., OCT. 11 | *Washington at L.A. Dodgers | FS1 |
| TUES., OCT. 11 | *Cubs at NL Wild Card | FS1 |
| WED., OCT. 12 | *Boston at Cleveland | TBS |
| WED., OCT. 12 | *AL Wild Card at Texas | TBS |
| THURS., OCT. 13 | *L.A. Dodgers at Washington | FS1 |
| THURS., OCT. 13 | *NL Wild Card at Cubs | FS1 |
| * — if necessary |
League Championship Series
| DATE | SERIES | TV |
|---|---|---|
| FRI., OCT. 14 | ALCS Game 1 | TBS |
| SAT., OCT. 15 | NLCS Game 1 | FOX or FS1 |
| SAT., OCT. 15 | ALCS Game 2 | TBS |
| SUN., OCT. 16 | NLCS Game 2 | FOX or FS1 |
| MON., OCT. 17 | ALCS Game 3 | TBS |
| TUES., OCT 18 | NLCS Game 3 | FOX or FS1 |
| TUES., OCT 18 | ALCS Game 4 | TBS |
| WED., OCT. 19 | NLCS Game 4 | FOX or FS1 |
| WED., OCT. 19 | *ALCS Game 5 | TBS |
| THURS., OCT. 20 | *NLCS Game 5 | FOX or FS1 |
| FRI., OCT. 21 | *ALCS Game 6 | TBS |
| SAT., OCT. 22 | *NLCS Game 6 | FOX or FS1 |
| SAT., OCT. 22 | *ALCS Game 7 | TBS |
| SUN., OCT. 23 | *NLCS Game 7 | FOX or FS1 |
| * — if necessary |
World Series
Best-of-seven series
| DATE | GAME | NETWORK |
|---|---|---|
| TUE., OCT. 25 | NL at AL | FOX |
| WED., OCT. 26 | NL at AL | FOX |
| FRI., OCT. 28 | AL at NL | FOX |
| SAT., OCT. 29 | AL at NL | FOX |
| SUN., OCT. 30 | *AL at NL | FOX |
| TUE., NOV. 1 | *NL at AL | FOX |
| WED., NOV. 2 | *NL at AL | FOX |
| * — if necessary |