MLB playoff schedule 2021: Full bracket, dates, times, TV channels for every series

Edward Sutelan

MLB playoff schedule 2021: Full bracket, dates, times, TV channels for every series image

The MLB postseason is here.

The playoff field is set with several familiar faces that have reached the playoffs. Both the pennant winners from a year ago are back in the Rays and the 2020 World Series champion Dodgers, while the Braves, Brewers, Cardinals, Yankees and White Sox make their return.

MORE: Sporting News' MLB postseason predictions

The format returns to single-game eliminations for the wild card matchups, with the winner moving to face the top seeds in each league in the best-of-five divisional rounds. The teams then move on to best-of-seven championship series before the best-of-seven World Series.

Here's all you need to know to watch the 2021 MLB playoffs.

MORE: Watch the 2021 MLB playoffs live with fuboTV (7-day free trial)

MLB playoff bracket 2021

MLB-Postseason-102421-MLB

National League

  • Giants(1) vs. Dodgers (4)
  • Brewers (2) vs. Braves (3)

American League

  • Rays (1) vs. Red Sox (4)
  • Astros (2) vs. White Sox (3)

How to watch MLB playoff games

  • TV channel:  ESPN, TBS, MLB Network, FS1, Fox
  • TV channel (Canada):  Sportsnet
  • Stream:  ESPN app, TBS app, Fox Sports app, fuboTV (7-day free trial)

There will be five networks sharing the broadcasts of the MLB playoffs. The American League wild card game will be on ESPN, with the National League game on TBS. During the divisional series, MLB Network, TBS and FS1 will carry the different games. TBS will have all the NLCS games, while Fox and FS1 will have the ALCS.

For those who have cut the cord, the Fox, TBS and ESPN apps will allow for the streaming of their games. ESPN, Fox and MLB Network will be available to stream on fuboTV, which offers a 7-day free trial .

MLB playoff schedule, results

National League

Wild-card game

Date Game Start time TV channel Result
Wed., Oct. 6 Cardinals at Dodgers 8:10 p.m. TBS 3-1, LAD

Division Series

TBS will handle the broadcast for all NLDS games in both series.

Date Game Start time TV channel Result
Fri., Oct. 8 Dodgers at Giants, Game 1 9:37 p.m. TBS 4-0, SF
Fri., Oct. 8 Braves at Brewers, Game 1 4:37 p.m. TBS 2-1, MIL
Sat., Oct. 9 Dodgers at Giants, Game 2 9:07 p.m. TBS 9-2, LAD
Sat., Oct. 9 Braves at Brewers, Game 2 5:07 p.m. TBS 3-0, ATL
Mon., Oct. 11 Giants at Dodgers, Game 3 9:37 p.m. TBS 1-0, SF
Mon., Oct. 11 Brewers at Braves, Game 3 1:07 p.m. TBS 3-0, ATL
Tue., Oct. 12 Giants at Dodgers, Game 4 9:07 p.m. TBS 7-2, LAD
Tue., Oct. 12 Brewers at Braves, Game 4 5:15 p.m. TBS 5-4, ATL
Thu., Oct. 14 Dodgers at Giants, Game 5 9:07 p.m. TBS 2-1, LAD

Championship Series

TBS will continue its National League playoff coverage with coverage of every NLCS game.

Date Game Start time TV channel Result
Sat., Oct. 16 Dodgers at Braves, Game 1 8:07 p.m. TBS 3-2, ATL
Sun., Oct. 17 Dodgers at Braves, Game 2 7:38 p.m. TBS 5-4, ATL
Tue., Oct. 19 Braves at Dodgers, Game 3 5:08 p.m. TBS 6-5, LAD
Wed., Oct. 20 Braves at Dodgers, Game 4 8:08 p.m. TBS 9-2, ATL
Thu., Oct. 21 Braves at Dodgers, Game 5 8:08 p.m. TBS 11-2, LAD
Sat., Oct. 23 Dodgers at Braves, Game 6 8:08 p.m. TBS 4-2, ATL

American League

Wild-card game

Date Game Start time TV channel Result
Tue., Oct. 5 Yankees at Red Sox 8:08 p.m. ESPN 6-2, BOS

Division Series

MLB Network and FS1 will carry all the ALDS games, until potential Game 5s, which would be broadcast exclusively on FS1.

Date Game Start time TV channel Result
Thu., Oct. 7 Red Sox at Rays, Game 1 8:07 p.m. FS1 5-0, TB
Thu., Oct. 7 White Sox at Astros, Game 1 4:07 p.m. FS1 6-1, HOU
Fri., Oct. 8 Red Sox at Rays, Game 2 7:02 p.m. FS1 14-6, BOS
Fri., Oct. 8 White Sox at Astros, Game 2 2:07 p.m. MLB Network 9-4, HOU
Sun., Oct. 10 Rays at Red Sox, Game 3 4:07 p.m. MLB Network 6-4 (13), BOS
Sun., Oct. 10 Astros at White Sox, Game 3 8:07 p.m. FS1 12-6, CHI
Mon., Oct. 11 Rays at Red Sox, Game 4 7:07 p.m. FS1 6-5, BOS
Tue., Oct. 12 Astros at White Sox, Game 4 2:07 p.m. FS1 10-1, HOU

Championship Series

Fox and FS1 will split coverage of the ALCS.

Date Game Start time TV channel Result
Fri., Oct. 15 Red Sox at Astros, Game 1 8:07 p.m. Fox 5-4, HOU
Sat., Oct. 16 Red Sox at Astros, Game 2 4:20 p.m. Fox 9-5, BOS
Mon., Oct. 18 Astros at Red Sox, Game 3 8:07 p.m. Fox/FS1 12-3, BOS
Tue., Oct. 19 Astros at Red Sox, Game 4 8:08 p.m. FS1 9-2, HOU
Wed., Oct. 20 Astros at Red Sox, Game 5 5:08 p.m. FS1 9-1, HOU
Fri., Oct. 22 Red Sox at Astros, Game 6 8:08 p.m. FS1 5-0, HOU

World Series schedule

Every World Series game will be on Fox.

Date Game Start time TV channel Result
Tue., Oct. 26 Braves at Astros, Game 1 8:09 p.m. Fox 6-2, ATL
Wed., Oct. 27 Braves at Astros, Game 2 8:09 p.m. Fox 7-2, HOU
Fri., Oct. 29 Astros at Braves, Game 3 8:09 p.m. Fox 2-0, ATL
Sat., Oct. 30 Astros at Braves, Game 4 8:09 p.m. Fox 3-2, ATL
Sun., Oct. 31 Astros at Braves, Game 5 8:15 p.m. Fox 9-5, HOU
Tue., Nov. 2 Braves at Astros, Game 6 8:09 p.m. Fox 7-0, ATL

*If necessary.

Edward Sutelan

Edward Sutelan Photo

Edward Sutelan joined The Sporting News in 2021 after covering high school sports for PennLive. Edward graduated from The Ohio State University in 2019, where he gained experience covering the baseball, football and basketball teams. Edward also spent time working for The Columbus Dispatch and Cape Cod Times.