The 2025 MLB postseason officially kicks off on Tuesday, September 30 with the start of the Wild Card Series, in a best-of-three format that will run through Thursday, October 2, if necessary. Eight teams, four per league, will face off for a ticket to the Division Series in a week full of rivalries, history and high-voltage duels.
All games will be available on U.S. national television through ESPN, including its digital platforms and in Spanish on ESPN Deportes. It will also offer live radio coverage on ESPN Radio, while MLB Network will provide analysis and updates throughout each day
Where to watch the 2025 MLB Wild Card on TV and online from the USA?
Baseball fans will be able to follow every game of the Wild Card Series on ESPN and ABC, with parallel broadcasts on ESPN Deportes for Spanish-language coverage. The broadcast will also be available on the ESPN app, ideal for those who prefer to follow the games on their mobile devices or tablets.
On radio, ESPN Radio will broadcast the games nationally, while MLB Network will offer special programming and analysis before and after each day. All games will be available to authenticated subscribers on MLB.TV with geographic restrictions based on the local market.
Dates, times and games for the 2025 MLB Wild Card Series
The Wild Card Series will be played at the home of the higher seed. The schedule is designed to offer four games per day, in afternoon and evening blocks. These are the confirmed matchups and their times in Eastern Time (ET):Tuesday, September 30 – Game 1
- Tigers vs Guardians – 1:00 p.m. (ESPN)
- Padres vs Cubs – 3:00 p.m. (ABC)
- Red Sox vs Yankees – 6:00 p.m. (ESPN)
- Reds vs Dodgers – 9:00 p.m. (ESPN)
Wednesday, October 1 – Game 2
- Tigers vs Guardians – 1:00 p.m. (ESPN)
- Padres vs Cubs – 3:00 p.m. (ABC)
- Red Sox vs Yankees – 6:00 p.m. (ESPN)
- Reds vs Dodgers – 9:00 p.m. (ESPN)
Thursday, October 2 – Game 2
This date is reserved as a potential decider in the Wild Card Series, as Game 3s will only be played if the series is tied 1-1 after the first two games. If all four games are played, the original schedule will remain. If there are only three games that day, the first will start at 3:00 p.m. (ET) on ABC and the other two will be adjusted accordingly.
In the two-game scenario, the first will be scheduled for 3:00 p.m. (ET) and the second at 7:30 p.m. (ET) both on ESPN. Finally, if only one game 3 is required, it will be played in prime time at 7:30 p.m. (ET) on ESPN.
The winners of this round will advance to the Division Series, which begins on October 4. There, the top seeds are already waiting: Baltimore and Houston in the American League and Atlanta and the Los Angeles Dodgers in the National League.
Read the full article here
