Major League Baseball announced its 2016 postseason schedule on Tuesday, opening with the American League Wild Card Game presented by Budweiser on TBS on Tuesday, Oct. 4, and followed by the National League equivalent on ESPN one night later. The 112th World Series on FOX will begin on Tuesday, Oct. 25, in an AL city to be determined.
While the 10 participants and eventual matchups are gradually being determined, the full postseason schedule can be found at MLB.com/postseason.
As of now, this postseason would begin with Baltimore at either Toronto or Boston and St. Louis at San Francisco. Of course, much can change as the pennant races heat up in both leagues in the final quarter of a regular season that culminates with 15 simultaneous day games on the final Sunday, Oct. 2.
Any potentially necessary regular-season tiebreaker games would be played on Monday, Oct. 3, and telecast exclusively by ESPN. The Wild Card contests would follow in successive days, marking the fifth consecutive year of that format.
Both AL Division Series will begin on Thursday, Oct. 6. The first full slate of Division Series games, featuring two NLDS openers and a pair of ALDS Game 2 contests, will be held on Friday, Oct. 7. Overall, the Division Series are scheduled to run from Oct. 6 through Thursday, Oct. 13, with potential Game 5s on Oct. 12 (ALDS) and Oct. 13 (NLDS). TBS will cover all ALDS games, while FOX, FS1 or MLB Network will handle the NLDS.
The AL Championship Series begins on Friday, Oct. 14, and will be telecast by TBS. The NLCS starts on Saturday, Oct. 15, aired on FOX or FS1. A potential Game 7 of the ALCS is scheduled for Saturday, Oct. 22, while a Game 7 of the NLCS is set for Sunday, Oct. 23.
Game 1 of the best-of-seven World Series -- won last year by Kansas City over the Mets -- is scheduled for Tuesday, Oct. 25. The first two games will be played for the fourth year in a row at an AL site, by virtue of that league's victory in the All-Star Game presented by MasterCard in July. It marks the third year in a row that the Fall Classic opens on a Tuesday, after not having done so since 1990.
The World Series shifts to an NL venue on Friday, Oct. 28. If a Game 7 proves necessary, then it would be scheduled for Wednesday, Nov. 2, in the AL city. Travel days are scheduled for Thursday, Oct. 27, and Monday, Oct. 31 (if a Game 6 is necessary).
FOX Sports will present live telecast coverage of the World Series for the 19th time, with Hall of Famer John Smoltz joining Joe Buck in the FOX booth for the first time in that event. Their first jewel event together for FOX was last month's Midsummer Classic in San Diego. Don't be surprised to hear Smoltz refer to his start for Atlanta opposite Minnesota's Jack Morris in Game 7 of the 1991 Fall Classic, because it's the 25th anniversary of that classic pitchers' duel.
All postseason games telecast on MLB Network, TBS and FOX will be available to MLB.TV subscribers who are authenticated subscribers to the applicable network through a participating pay TV provider. Signups are underway to get MLB.TV in order to have it for scoreboard-watching during the pennant races and for any available streams in October.
ESPN Radio will provide live national coverage of all postseason games, including the Wild Card Games and any necessary tiebreakers. MLB.com will provide comprehensive coverage through the clincher, World Series parade and forthcoming Hot Stove season.
This week, MLB debuted its postseason campaign with a new video spot titled "The Pennant Chase." It features action footage of the league's top stars from teams competing for a berth. Created by MLB Network, the new spot is set to the hit song "Unstoppable" from multiplatinum artist and songwriter Sia. "The Pennant Chase" will be seen on the networks airing postseason baseball as well as on MLB.com and MLB's social media outlets. A Spanish version of the spot will air on FOX Deportes and ESPN Deportes.