![]() | This article documents a current Major League Baseball postseason . Information may change rapidly as the event progresses. Initial news reports, scores, or statistics may be unreliable. The last updates to this article may not reflect the most current information.(September 2025) |
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Tournament details | |
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Dates | September 30 – November 1, 2025 [a] |
Teams | 12 |
The 2025 Major League Baseball postseason is the playoff tournament of Major League Baseball (MLB) for the 2025 season.
In each of the two leagues—National and American—the three division winners and three wild card teams (the remaining teams with the best win-loss records) will participate in the postseason, for a total of twelve teams. First is the best-of-three-games Wild Card Series, with the two division winners with the best records in each league getting a bye. Next is the best-of-five-games Division Series. The victors will advance to the best-of-seven-games League Championship Series to determine the pennant winners, the champions of each league. These two teams will play against each other in the 2025 World Series, which is scheduled to begin on October 24. The postseason began on September 30. [1] [2]
American League
The six teams clinched in the following order:
National League
The six teams clinched in the following order:
This is the first edition of the postseason since 2016 to not feature the Houston Astros, who previously made eight straight appearances from 2017 to 2024. [9] This is the first postseason since 2017 to not feature the Atlanta Braves, who previously made seven straight appearances from 2018 to 2024.
The following teams qualified for the postseason:
Wild Card Series (ALWCS, NLWCS) | Division Series (ALDS, NLDS) | Championship Series (ALCS, NLCS) | World Series | ||||||||||||||||
1 | Toronto | 3 | |||||||||||||||||
4 | NY Yankees | 2 | 4 | NY Yankees | 1 | ||||||||||||||
5 | Boston | 1 | American League | 1 | Toronto | ||||||||||||||
2 | Seattle | 2 | |||||||||||||||||
3 | Cleveland | 1 | 6 | Detroit | 2 | ||||||||||||||
6 | Detroit | 2 | AL | ||||||||||||||||
NL | |||||||||||||||||||
1 | Milwaukee | 2 | |||||||||||||||||
4 | Chicago Cubs | 2 | 4 | Chicago Cubs | 1 | ||||||||||||||
5 | San Diego | 1 | National League | ||||||||||||||||
3 | LA Dodgers | ||||||||||||||||||
2 | Philadelphia | 1 | |||||||||||||||||
3 | LA Dodgers | 2 | 3 | LA Dodgers | 3 | ||||||||||||||
6 | Cincinnati | 0 |
Detroit won the series, 2–1.
Game | Date | Score | Location | Time | Attendance |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
1 | September 30 | Detroit Tigers – 2, Cleveland Guardians – 1 | Progressive Field | 2:34 | 26,186 [28] |
2 | October 1 | Detroit Tigers – 1, Cleveland Guardians – 6 | Progressive Field | 3:12 | 26,669 [29] |
3 | October 2 | Detroit Tigers – 6, Cleveland Guardians – 3 | Progressive Field | 2:50 | 29,891 [30] |
This was the second postseason meeting between the Guardians and Tigers. They last met in the ALDS the previous year, which the Guardians won in five games. This time, the Tigers returned the favor, defeating the Guardians in three games to advance to the ALDS for the second straight year.
Tarik Skubal pitched 7+2⁄3 solid innings as the Tigers took Game 1. Game 2 remained tied through seven, then the Guardians put up five unanswered runs in the bottom of the eighth to even the series, capped off by a three-run home run by Bo Naylor. In Game 3, after the Guardians tied the score in the bottom of the fourth, Dillon Dingler hit a solo homer in the top of the sixth to put the Tigers ahead for good, and then the Tigers put up four more insurance runs in the top of the seventh to win 6–3 and advance.
New York won the series, 2–1.
Game | Date | Score | Location | Time | Attendance |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
1 | September 30 | Boston Red Sox – 3, New York Yankees – 1 | Yankee Stadium | 3:04 | 47,027 [31] |
2 | October 1 | Boston Red Sox – 3, New York Yankees – 4 | Yankee Stadium | 2:50 | 47,993 [32] |
3 | October 2 | Boston Red Sox – 0, New York Yankees – 4 | Yankee Stadium | 2:30 | 48,833 [33] |
This was the sixth postseason meeting in the history of the Yankees–Red Sox rivalry (1999, 2003, 2004, 2018, 2021). The Red Sox won the previous three meetings (2004, 2018, 2021). The Yankees defeated the Red Sox in three games to advance to the ALDS for the seventh time in nine years, marking their first postseason victory over the Red Sox since 2003.
Garrett Crochet pitched 7+2⁄3 solid innings as the Red Sox won Game 1. Game 2 remained tied after seven innings, until Austin Wells hit a two-out RBI single to put the Yankees ahead for good as they evened the series. In Game 3, Cam Schlittler pitched eight innings of shutout ball as the Yankees won 4–0 to advance, defeating their archrival in the postseason for the first time in 22 years. The Yankees became the first team to win their wildcard series, in its current three-game format, after losing game one of the series. [34]
With the win by the Yankees, the playoff history between these two teams is tied at three series wins each.
Los Angeles won the series, 2–0.
Game | Date | Score | Location | Time | Attendance |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
1 | September 30 | Cincinnati Reds – 5, Los Angeles Dodgers – 10 | Dodger Stadium | 3:08 | 50,555 [35] |
2 | October 1 | Cincinnati Reds – 4, Los Angeles Dodgers – 8 | Dodger Stadium | 3:01 | 50,465 [36] |
This was the second postseason meeting between the Reds and Dodgers. They last met in the NLDS in 1995, which the Reds won in a sweep. On the 30th anniversary of their previous postseason meeting, the Dodgers returned the favor, sweeping the Reds to advance to the NLDS for the thirteenth year in a row.
Shohei Ohtani and Teoscar Hernández both hit two home runs each as the Dodgers blew out the Reds in Game 1, and as a result the Dodgers became the fifth team to have two players hit multiple home runs in a single postseason game. [37] Yoshinobu Yamamoto pitched 6+2⁄3 solid innings and the Dodger offense once again overwhelmed the Reds’ defense in an 8–4 win to complete the sweep. This was the only Wild Card series of the 2025 postseason to end in a sweep.
With the series loss, the Reds extended their playoff game losing streak to eight games, dating back to the 2012 NLDS, and the NL Central moved to 0–10 in postseason series since 2019.
Chicago won the series, 2–1.
Game | Date | Score | Location | Time | Attendance |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
1 | September 30 | San Diego Padres – 1, Chicago Cubs – 3 | Wrigley Field | 2:25 | 39,114 [38] |
2 | October 1 | San Diego Padres – 3, Chicago Cubs – 0 | Wrigley Field | 2:54 | 41,083 [39] |
3 | October 2 | San Diego Padres – 1, Chicago Cubs – 3 | Wrigley Field | 3:00 | 40,895 [40] |
This was the second postseason meeting between the Cubs and Padres. They last met in the NLCS in 1984, which the Padres won in five games after trailing two games to none before falling in the World Series. This time, the Cubs returned the favor, defeating the Padres in three games to advance to the NLDS for the first time since 2017.
In Game 1, the Cubs won 3–1 despite using six different pitchers throughout the game. In Game 2, a two-run homer by Manny Machado in the top of the fifth helped secure a shutout victory for the Padres as they evened the series. However, history would not repeat itself, as Cubs reliever Andrew Kittredge stopped a rally by the Padres in the top of the ninth to secure the series win for the Cubs, exacting long-awaited revenge on the team that overcame a two games to none deficit against them in the NLCS 41 years ago.
The Cubs’ victory ended a streak of ten straight postseason series losses for the NL Central dating back to the 2019 NLCS.
Toronto won the series, 3–1.
Game | Date | Score | Location | Time | Attendance |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
1 | October 4 | New York Yankees – 1, Toronto Blue Jays – 10 | Rogers Centre | 3:06 | 44,655 [41] |
2 | October 5 | New York Yankees – 7, Toronto Blue Jays – 13 | Rogers Centre | 3:04 | 44,764 [42] |
3 | October 7 | Toronto Blue Jays – 6, New York Yankees – 9 | Yankee Stadium | 3:29 | 47,399 [43] |
4 | October 8 | Toronto Blue Jays – 5, New York Yankees – 2 | Yankee Stadium | 3:22 | 47,823 [44] |
This is the first postseason meeting between the Blue Jays and Yankees. Both teams finished the 2025 season with identical regular-season records of 94–68, with Toronto winning the tiebreaker due to winning eight out of thirteen regular-season games between the two teams. The Blue Jays handily defeated the defending American League champion Yankees in four games to advance to the ALCS for the first time since 2016.
The series started out disastrous for the Yankees, as the Blue Jays offense overwhelmed the Yankees’ pitching staff in back-to-back blowout wins in Games 1 and 2 to take a 2–0 series lead headed to the Bronx, with the most notable moment being Vladimir Guerrero Jr. hitting the first postseason grand slam for the Blue Jays in Game 2. The Yankees overcame a 6–1 Blue Jays lead by scoring eight unanswered runs to take Game 3, in part thanks to a three-run homer by Aaron Judge in the bottom of the fourth, and a solo homer in the bottom of the fifth from Jazz Chisholm Jr.. However, that was all the Yankees could manage as the Blue Jays took Game 4 by three runs despite using eight different pitchers in the process. This was the first postseason series win by the Blue Jays since 2016.
Series tied, 2–2.
Game | Date | Score | Location | Time | Attendance |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
1 | October 4 | Detroit Tigers – 3, Seattle Mariners – 2 (11) | T-Mobile Park | 3:21 | 47,290 [45] |
2 | October 5 | Detroit Tigers – 2, Seattle Mariners – 3 | T-Mobile Park | 2:46 | 47,371 [46] |
3 | October 7 | Seattle Mariners – 8, Detroit Tigers – 4 | Comerica Park | 2:57 (2:53 delay) | 41,525 [47] |
4 | October 8 | Seattle Mariners – 3, Detroit Tigers – 9 | Comerica Park | 2:55 | 37,069 [48] |
5 | October 10 | Detroit Tigers at Seattle Mariners | T-Mobile Park | 4:40 p.m. | - [49] |
This is the first postseason meeting between the Mariners and Tigers.
Milwaukee leads the series, 2–1.
Game | Date | Score | Location | Time | Attendance |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
1 | October 4 | Chicago Cubs – 3, Milwaukee Brewers – 9 | American Family Field | 3:05 | 42,678 [50] |
2 | October 6 | Chicago Cubs – 3, Milwaukee Brewers – 7 | American Family Field | 2:57 | 42,787 [51] |
3 | October 8 | Milwaukee Brewers – 3, Chicago Cubs – 4 | Wrigley Field | 3:13 | 40,737 [52] |
4 | October 9 | Milwaukee Brewers at Chicago Cubs | Wrigley Field | 9:08 p.m. | - [53] |
5 | October 11† | Chicago Cubs at Milwaukee Brewers | American Family Field | 4:38 p.m. | - |
†If necessary
This is the first postseason meeting in the history of the Brewers–Cubs rivalry, also known as the I-94 Rivalry.
Los Angeles won the series, 3–1.
Game | Date | Score | Location | Time | Attendance |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
1 | October 4 | Los Angeles Dodgers – 5, Philadelphia Phillies – 3 | Citizens Bank Park | 3:00 | 45,777 [54] |
2 | October 6 | Los Angeles Dodgers – 4, Philadelphia Phillies – 3 | Citizens Bank Park | 3:07 | 45,653 [55] |
3 | October 8 | Philadelphia Phillies – 8, Los Angeles Dodgers – 2 | Dodger Stadium | 2:54 | 53,689 [56] |
4 | October 9 | Philadelphia Phillies – 1, Los Angeles Dodgers – 2 (11) | Dodger Stadium | 3:30 | 50,563 [57] |
This was the sixth postseason meeting between the Phillies and Dodgers (1977, 1978, 1983, 2008, 2009), and their first meeting outside of the NLCS. The Phillies won the previous three meetings (1983, 2008, 2009). The Dodgers defeated the Phillies in four games to reach the NLCS for the eighth time in thirteen years, marking the first time since 1978 that the Dodgers defeated the Phillies in the postseason.
In Game 1, the Phillies lead 3-2 after six innings, until a three-run homer from Teoscar Hernández put the Dodgers in the lead for good to steal one on the road. Game 2 was a pitchers duel between Blake Snell and Jesús Luzardo, which would be won by the former as the Dodgers took a 2–0 series lead headed to Los Angeles. In Game 3, the Phillies blew out the Dodgers to get on the board in the series. Game 4 was another pitchers duel which extended into extras, and after the Dodgers loaded the bases with two outs, pinch runner Hyeseong Kim scored on a walk-off error by Philadelphia’s Orion Kerkering to seal the series win.
This series was a mirror image of the 1978 NLCS between both teams, as just like in that series, the Dodgers stole the first two games on the road in Philadelphia, then the Phillies took Game 3, and then the Dodgers won Game 4 in extra innings.
Series tied, 0–0.
Game | Date | Score | Location | Time | Attendance |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
1 | October 12 | TBD at Toronto Blue Jays | Rogers Centre | 8:08 pm (EDT) [58] | - |
2 | October 13 | TBD at Toronto Blue Jays | Rogers Centre | - | - |
3 | October 15 | Toronto Blue Jays at TBD | TBD | - | - |
4 | October 16 | Toronto Blue Jays at TBD | TBD | - | - |
5 | October 17† | Toronto Blue Jays at TBD | TBD | - | - |
6 | October 19† | TBD at Toronto Blue Jays | Rogers Centre | - | - |
7 | October 20† | TBD at Toronto Blue Jays | Rogers Centre | - | - |
†If necessary
This is the first ALCS since 2016 to not feature either the Houston Astros or New York Yankees.
Series tied, 0–0.
Game | Date | Score | Location | Time | Attendance |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
1 | October 13 | TBD at TBD | TBD | - | - |
2 | October 14 | TBD at TBD | TBD | - | - |
3 | October 16 | TBD at TBD | TBD | - | - |
4 | October 17 | TBD at TBD | TBD | - | - |
5 | October 18† | TBD at TBD | TBD | - | - |
6 | October 20† | TBD at TBD | TBD | - | - |
7 | October 21† | TBD at TBD | TBD | - | - |
†If necessary
Coverage of the four Wild Card Series is being produced by ESPN, with ABC airing two National League games and one American League game, and ESPN airing the remaining games (five American League games and three National League games). [59] [1] [60]
TNT Sports (TBS and TruTV, or TNT) will air the National League Division Series and National League Championship Series. [1] [60]
Fox Sports (Fox or FS1) will air the American League Division Series and the American League Championship Series. Due to a rain delay, Game 3 of the Tigers/Mariners series aired instead on MLB Network and Fox Sports 2. [61] The World Series will be broadcast exclusively on Fox for the 26th consecutive year. [1] [60]
Spanish language broadcasts will be available on ESPN Deportes for ESPN's games, Fox Deportes for Fox Sports' games, and UniMás for TNT Sports' games. Along with Fox Deportes, Univision will also air Game 1 of the World Series. [59] [1] [62]
Sportsnet will broadcast all Toronto Blue Jays games, and simulcast the U.S. feeds of all the other postseason series in English, with TVA Sports covering the AL postseason and World Series, and rival RDS covering the NL postseason games in French. [63] [64]
NHK will broadcast all Los Angeles Dodgers games, and some other games including all World Series games (regardless participation of the Dodgers) through its NHK BS, NHK General TV, and/or NHK BSP4K channels. [65] [66] J Sports will also broadcast some postseason games. [67]
All ESPN-produced games (including games on ABC) will be available on ESPN DTC. [59] All of TNT Sports' games then will be available on HBO Max, and all of Fox Sports' games will be available on Fox One. Additionally, ESPN/ABC, TNT Sports', and Fox Sports' games will be streamed on their respective apps. [60]
All games will be available on Sportsnet+. [63]
ESPN Radio will air the entire Major League Baseball postseason. [59] Spanish language broadcasts will be available on Univision Radio. [1]
All times Eastern.
Rank | Round | Date | Game | Matchup | TV network(s) | Streaming | Viewers (millions) | ||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
1 | ALWC | October 2, 8:08 p.m. | Game 3 | Boston Red Sox | 0–4 | New York Yankees | ESPN | ESPN Unlimited | 7.440 [68] |
2 | ALWC | October 1, 6:08 p.m. | Game 2 | Boston Red Sox | 3–4 | New York Yankees | 6.759 [68] | ||
3 | ALWC | September 30, 6:08 p.m. | Game 1 | Boston Red Sox | 3–1 | New York Yankees | 6.518 [68] | ||
4 | NLWC | October 1, 9:08 p.m. | Game 2 | Cincinnati Reds | 4–8 | Los Angeles Dodgers | 5.510 [68] | ||
5 | ALDS | October 7, 8:08 p.m. | Game 3 | Toronto Blue Jays | 6–9 | New York Yankees | Fox Sports 1 | Fox One | 4.964 [69] |
6 | NLDS | October 4, 6:38 p.m. | Game 1 | Los Angeles Dodgers | 5–3 | Philadelphia Phillies | TBS, TruTV | HBO Max | 4.680 [68] |
7 | NLWC | September 30, 9:08 p.m. | Game 1 | Cincinnati Reds | 5–10 | Los Angeles Dodgers | ESPN | ESPN Unlimited | 4.639 [68] |
8 | NLDS | October 6, 6:08 p.m. | Game 2 | Los Angeles Dodgers | 4–3 | Philadelphia Phillies | TBS, TruTV | HBO Max | 4.587 [70] |
9 | NLWC | October 2, 5:08 p.m. | Game 3 | San Diego Padres | 1–3 | Chicago Cubs | ESPN | ESPN Unlimited | 4.464 [68] |
10 | ALWC | October 2, 3:08 p.m. | Game 3 | Detroit Tigers | 6–3 | Cleveland Guardians | ABC | 4.151 [68] | |