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MLB sets wild-card series game times

By Thomson Reuters Sep 27, 2026 | 12:50 PM

By Field Level Media

Sep 27 (Field Level Media) – MLB announced the game times for all four of its 2026 wild-card series Sunday.

The full playoff field ​was not yet set, with the American League ‌West champion and the National League’s final wild-card spot still to be determined in Game 162, but both matchups involving those teams were known based on the standings. Each series is best-of-three and ‌will ​be played from Tuesday through Thursday (if ⁠necessary).

The East Coast prime-time ⁠spot went to the American League series between the Boston Red Sox and New York Yankees in New York. All three games between the league’s top two ​wild cards are scheduled to begin at 8 p.m. ET, but Game 3 might move to 7 p.m. ⁠ET if other series end early.

Start ⁠times for the other series are equally ​consistent.

The other AL series has all three games scheduled for ​5 p.m. ET. The West champion, which will be ‌either the Texas Rangers or Houston Astros based on Sunday’s games, will host the Chicago White Sox, the AL’s third wild-card team. The series will be played in ⁠Arlington, Texas, or Houston.

In the National League, first pitch for each game in the series between the third wild card, either ⁠the Philadelphia Phillies ‌or the Arizona Diamondbacks, and the East ⁠Division champion Atlanta Braves is set for ​2 ‌p.m. ET in Atlanta. The other series, ​a rematch ⁠of last year’s wild-card series between the San Diego Padres and Chicago Cubs, has all three games set for 10 p.m. ET in San Diego.

All wild-card series games will air on NBC or NBC Sports Network (NBCSN) and stream on ​Peacock.

(–Field Level Media)