New 2022 MLB playoff format, schedule and bracket, explained

Explore More

The 2022 MLB playoffs are finally upon us.

The playoff format is different this year, so here is an explanation of how everything works now that all of the playoff matchups are set.

When do the 2022 MLB playoffs start?

The 2022 MLB playoffs start on Friday, Oct. 7 with the new best-of-three Wild Card round.

What is the new MLB playoff format and how is it different?

There are six teams in each league. The top two seeds in each league get byes to the Division Series. In the Wild Card round, the third seed hosts the sixth seed, and the fourth seed hosts the fifth seed. Series are best of three, and the higher seed is home for each game.

The playoffs do not re-seed; this means if, for example, the sixth seed upsets the third seed, the top seed would still play the winner of the No. 4 vs. No. 5 matchup.

All of the Wild Card round games will be broadcasted on the Disney family of networks on ESPN, ESPN2 or ABC.

What are the implications of the new 2022 MLB playoff format?

Jon “Boog” Sciambi, considered by many as the best active baseball play-by-play broadcaster in America, spoke to The Post about his thoughts on the new format.

“Initially, I didn’t love it — I think I liked the idea of baseball and the specialness of making the playoffs, and it being less like the NBA and NHL,” he said.

However, Sciambi came around for a few reasons.

“I do think, the more I contemplated it, and I could be wrong about this — I do think there’s going to be a payoff that ultimately I’ll like, and it’s going to move it back to being a bit more fair,” he continued. “I think the longer you make the playoffs, the likelier it is that the better teams win. A team can’t go on that ‘miracle run’ because they just need too much pitching and they need to sustain the quality play over multiple series. I think it’ll be harder for teams to pull off that surprise run.”

Sciambi also disputed the idea, that after a 162-game season, top teams might get rusty or otherwise be harmed by having a few days of rest.

“You used to worry about too much rest. I don’t think anybody, at this time of year [thinks that now] — I think they welcome a little bit of rest,” he said.

2022 MLB playoff bracket and schedule

Wild Card round

National League

No. 4 Mets vs. No. 5 Padres
Game 1: Oct. 7, 8:07 p.m., ESPN
Game 2: Oct. 8, 7:37 p.m., ESPN
Game 3: Oct. 9, 7:37 p.m., ESPN (if necessary)

No. 3 Cardinals vs. No. 6 Phillies
Game 1: Oct. 7, 2:07 p.m., ABC
Game 2: Oct. 8, 8:37 p.m., ESPN2
Game 3: Oct. 9, 8:37 p.m., ESPN2 (if necessary)

American League

No. 4 Blue Jays vs. No. 5 Mariners
Game 1: Oct. 7, 4:07 p.m., ESPN
Game 2: Oct. 8, 4:07 p.m., ESPN
Game 3: Oct. 9, 2:07 p.m., ABC (if necessary)

No. 3 Guardians vs. No. 6 Rays
Game 1: Oct. 7, 12:07 p.m., ESPN
Game 2: Oct. 8, 12:07 p.m., ESPN2
Game 3: Oct. 9, 4:07 p.m., ESPN (if necessary)

NLDS

Dodgers vs. 4/5 winner
Game 1: Oct. 11 at Los Angeles
Game 2: Oct. 12 at Los Angeles
Game 3: Oct. 14 at lower seed
Game 4: Oct. 15 at lower seed (if necessary)
Game 5: Oct. 16 at Los Angeles (if necessary)

Braves vs. 3/6 winner
Game 1: Oct. 11 at Atlanta
Game 2: Oct. 12 at Atlanta
Game 3: Oct. 14 at lower seed
Game 4: Oct. 15 at lower seed (if necessary)
Game 5: Oct. 16 at Atlanta (if necessary)

ALDS

Yankees vs. 3/6 winner
Game 1: Oct. 11 at Yankee Stadium
Game 2: Oct. 13 at Yankee Stadium
Game 3: Oct. 15 at lower seed
Game 4: Oct. 16 at lower seed (if necessary)
Game 5: Oct. 17 at Yankee Stadium (if necessary)

Astros vs. 4/5 winner
Game 1: Oct. 11 at Houston
Game 2: Oct. 13 at Houston
Game 3: Oct. 15 at lower seed
Game 4: Oct. 16 at lower seed (if necessary)
Game 5: Oct. 17 at Houston (if necessary)

NLCS

Game 1: Oct. 18
Game 2: Oct. 19
Game 3: Oct. 21
Game 4: Oct. 22
Game 5: Oct. 23 (if necessary)
Game 6: Oct. 24 (if necessary)
Game 7: Oct. 25 (if necessary)

ALCS

Game 1: Oct. 19
Game 2: Oct. 20
Game 3: Oct. 22
Game 4: Oct. 23
Game 5: Oct. 24 (if necessary)
Game 6: Oct. 25 (if necessary)
Game 7: Oct. 26 (if necessary)

World Series

Game 1: Oct. 28
Game 2: Oct. 29
Game 3: Oct. 31
Game 4: Nov. 1
Game 5: Nov. 2 (if necessary)
Game 6: Nov. 4 (if necessary)
Game 7: Nov. 5 (if necessary)

Who is favored to win the 2022 World Series?

The Los Angeles Dodgers are the favorites to win the 2022 World Series as of Wednesday afternoon. Here is the full list of World Series odds for the 12 teams in the MLB playoffs, courtesy of BetMGM.

Dodgers +300
Astros +400
Yankees +500
Braves +500
Mets +700
Blue Jays 15/1
Cardinals 18/1
Mariners 25/1
Guardians 28/1
Rays 28/1
Padres 28/1
Phillies 35/1

ncG1vNJzZmimqaW8tMCNnKamZ2Jlf3N7kGlmaW1fo7K4eZFpaWtlnaGvbrzLmrConpZis7C%2BzJqrZquTnbKlwcueZJqmlGKvs63CpJytZZWtva2tyKecnWc%3D