MLB Postseason 2026: The race for October is down to eight teams after the completion of the Wild Card round.

Following a Wild Card round featuring three sweeps and a three-game series, there are now many upsets and tough elimination matches left in the tournament. 

In the American League divisional rounds, the Chicago White Sox have shocked everyone by getting the upper hand over the Cleveland Guardians to take a 2–0 lead. The White Sox, who have swept the Astros in the Wild Card round, are now leading the AL Central Champions in a game that could be tough for the latter.

"We are playing the best baseball at the right time," White Sox manager Pedro Grifol stated after the second game in the series. 

The next matchup in AL sees the Tampa Bay Rays with a 2-0 lead over the New York Yankees following consecutive hard-fought victories. The Rays' pitching has been dominant, allowing only two runs through the first two games. Yankees captain Aaron Judge says they are not panicked by the score: “We've been here before. All we have to do is execute.” Game 3 will be played at Yankee Stadium on Wednesday at 8 p.m. ET.


In the NL, the defending champion Los Angeles Dodgers lead the Atlanta Braves 2–1, with Game 4 set for 6 p.m. ET in Atlanta on Wednesday. The Dodgers have relied on their rotation, with strong performances from Yoshinobu Yamamoto and Tarik Skubal. However, the Braves have proven tough as well, winning Game 2 of the series.

In the final NL series, the Milwaukee Brewers lead the San Diego Padres 2-1. Milwaukee, the best seed in the National League, won the first two games, while San Diego came back to win the third. Padres outfielder Fernando Tatis Jr. said they are not finished yet: “We’re not done. We know what we’re capable of.” Game 4 will take place on Wednesday at Petco Park beginning at 10 p.m. ET. ``

With all four division series potentially heading to elimination games either Wednesday or Thursday, playoff excitement continues to build. Teams that played well throughout the regular season find themselves under pressure in October, when everything can change quickly.

Fans from across the country will fill the stadiums as the road to the ALCS and NLCS will be decided in the next 48 hours.