NEW YORK — The MLB playoffs begin Tuesday with all four Wild Card Series presented by AbbVie getting underway on NBC, Peacock and NBCSN, with three matchups now official and the final bracket still to be finalized. All stats are updated through Saturday, and the opening round will be played as best-of-three series hosted entirely by the higher seed.
The archrival Yankees and Red Sox will meet at Yankee Stadium, with Game 1 set for Tuesday at 8 p.m. ET on NBC & Peacock, Game 2 Wednesday at 8 p.m. ET and Game 3 if necessary Thursday. New York went 7-6 in the season series, including 4-2 at Yankee Stadium, and this will be the seventh postseason series between the clubs after the Yankees won the 2025 AL Wild Card Series two games to one. The regular season was a tale of two halves — the Yankees won four of the first five before Boston swept four home games in June just before its historic 15-game winning streak, then New York took three of four at home at the end of August outscoring Boston 26-9. Both clubs enter in the top three in MLB in team ERA and leaned on the home run, setting up a pitching-heavy October matchup. Player to watch is Aaron Judge, who missed 84 games over the summer with a rib injury, returned in early September and then went back to the IL with a calf strain after seven games. He is planning to play in the Wild Card Series, though nothing is certain, after hitting .500 in seven games in 2025 including four hits in three games against the Red Sox.
In the National League, Atlanta hosts Philadelphia with Game 1 Tuesday at 2 p.m. ET on NBC & Peacock, Game 2 Wednesday at 2 p.m. ET and Game 3 if necessary Thursday at 2 p.m. ET. Atlanta handled the season series 9-4 in 13 meetings to win the NL East rather comfortably, but Philadelphia has won all three prior postseason series between the NL East rivals, including as a Wild Card upsetting the division-winning Braves in 2022 and 2023 — the 2022 run kickstarting a trip to the World Series. The keys center on Philadelphia's pitching plans after a four-game losing skid to end the regular season pressed Zack Wheeler into action in Game 162, where he delivered six strong innings to punch a postseason berth but will not be on full rest at any point during the Wild Card Series. Left-hander Jesús Luzardo pitched a 1-2-3 inning on Sunday in his first appearance since Sept. 7 following an IL stint due to inflammation in his left shoulder, with his workload moving forward unknown. That leaves Philadelphia with some combination of All-Star lefty Cristopher Sánchez — who won't be on full rest until Wednesday — rookie Andrew Painter and veteran Aaron Nola, who had an ill-fated start on short rest on Saturday. The bullpen has compounded matters with a 5.79 ERA since Sept. 1 that ranks last in the Majors. Player to watch is Chris Sale, who pitched to a 2.16 ERA in 27 regular-season starts with a significant velocity uptick. It will be his first postseason appearance since 2021 and his first with the Braves after a back injury prevented him from pitching in the 2024 Wild Card Series, with Trade Deadline addition Tyler Mahle slotting as a reliable No. 2 behind him. Sale has stymied Philadelphia's lefty sluggers Bryce Harper (2-for-21) and Kyle Schwarber (2-for-25).
The Chicago Cubs and San Diego Padres will meet in the late window, with Game 1 Tuesday at 10 p.m. ET/7 p.m. PT on Peacock & NBCSN, Game 2 Wednesday at the same time and Game 3 if necessary Thursday. Chicago went 5-1 against San Diego in 2026, taking two of three in late April at Petco Park and sweeping a three-game set from June 29-July 1 at Wrigley Field, including a 23-3 rout in the final meeting. It is a rematch of the 2025 NL Wild Card Series at Wrigley Field, where the Cubs won a tense, low-scoring series with 3-1 wins in Game 1 and Game 3 around a 3-0 loss in Game 2. The series likely hinges on whether San Diego starters Michael King, Nick Pivetta — recently returned from a lengthy injury absence — and company can deliver leads to a strong back end featuring Bradgley Rodriguez, Adrian Morejon and Mason Miller. Chicago leads MLB in OPS at .765 and leads the NL with 218 home runs, while Cubs starters carry a 4.27 ERA tied for 18th in MLB.
The Wild Card round opens a postseason schedule that will be carried across NBC, Peacock and NBCSN, with the two additional series notes to be added as the bracket becomes finalized. The Yankees-Red Sox nightcap, the Braves-Phillies afternoon opener and the Cubs-Padres late game give Tuesday a coast-to-coast slate to start October baseball before September ends.