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MLB Wild-Card Series Begins Sept. 29 with 8 Teams

By Drooid · Sep 29, 2026, 2:15 AM UTC · How we work

Summary

Story summary

The MLB wild-card series start Tuesday, Sept. 29, with eight teams playing best-of-three games.
The Dodgers, two-time defending champions, seek a NL three-peat.
The Yankees host the Red Sox in the Bronx with Cam Schlittler starting Game 1.

History

Historical Context

MLB added a single wild-card spot in 1995 after the strike cancelled the 1994 playoffs, reorganizing each league into three divisions creating Division Series. The format expanded to a play-in game in 2012 and to three wild-card teams per league in 2022, so today the Dodgers, Yankees and Red Sox compete in a best-of-three round, with the Yankees leading with seven appearances through 2024.

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Story summary

The MLB wild-card series start Tuesday, Sept. 29, with eight teams playing best-of-three games.
The Dodgers, two-time defending champions, seek a NL three-peat.
The Yankees host the Red Sox in the Bronx with Cam Schlittler starting Game 1.

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