Mark you calendars: The Cubs’ quest for another World Series title may start on October 4. Major League Baseball unveiled the 2018 postseason schedule Thursday, and that’s the starting date for both National League Division Series.
The Cubs haven’t locked up a playoff spot yet, but they’re a game ahead of the Brewers for the NL Central lead with 55 games to go. If the team holds onto the top spot to win the division title, it’ll open the postseason October 4 with Game 1 of the NLDS.
If the Brewers or another team surges ahead of the Cubs in the division race, then the North Siders may end up settling for a wild card spot. If that happens, the Cubs will play in the winner-takes-all NL Wild Card Game on October 2.
Any tiebreaker games will be played October 1, which is the day after the end of the regular season.
The World Series is set to open October 23 and won’t run any later than October 31, the scheduled date for a potential Game 7. FOX is slated to carry every game.
2018 MLB postseason schedule
October 2
NL Wild Card Game
October 3
AL Wild Card Game
October 4
NLDS A, Game 1
NLDS B, Game 1
October 5
ALDS A, Game 1
ALDS B, Game 1
NLDS A, Game 2
NLDS B, Game 2
October 6
ALDS A, Game 2
ALDS B, Game 2
October 7
NLDS A, Game 3
NLDS B, Game 3
October 8
ALDS A, Game 3
ALDS B, Game 3
NLDS A, Game 4 (if necessary)
NLDS B, Game 4 (if necessary)
October 9
ALDS A, Game 4 (if necessary)
ALDS B, Game 4 (if necessary)
October 10
NLDS A, Game 5 (if necessary)
NLDS B, Game 5 (if necessary)
October 11
ALDS A, Game 5 (if necessary)
ALDS B, Game 5 (if necessary)
October 12
NLCS Game 1
October 13
NLCS Game 2
ALCS Game 1
October 14
ALCS Game 2
October 15
NLCS Game 3
October 16
ALCS Game 3
NLCS Game 4
October 17
ALCS Game 4
NLCS Game 5 (if necessary)
October 18
ALCS Game 5 (if necessary)
October 19
NLCS Game 6 (if necessary)
October 20
ALCS Game 6 (if necessary)
NLCS Game 7 (if necessary)
October 21
ALCS Game 7 (if necessary)
October 23
World Series Game 1
October 24
World Series Game 2
October 26
World Series Game 3
October 27
World Series Game 4
October 28
World Series Game 5 (if necessary)
October 30
World Series Game 6 (if necessary)
October 31
World Series Game 7 (if necessary)