The 2026 postseason will open with a three-day Wild Card Series slate, and October baseball will return to NBC platforms for the first time in a quarter-century. Four best-of-three matchups are set to begin Tuesday, Sept. 29, with games carried across NBC, Peacock and NBC Sports Network.
Wild Card baseball returns to NBC
NBC will televise postseason games for the first time since the 2000 American League Championship Series, with Peacock and NBC Sports Network also sharing coverage of the opening round. The Wild Card Series is presented by AbbVie and will run from Tuesday through Thursday, Sept. 29-Oct. 1, if all four matchups require a deciding game.
The listed matchups include two bracket positions still to be determined: Arizona or Philadelphia will visit Atlanta, while the White Sox will travel to either Texas or Houston. Boston at the Yankees and the Cubs at San Diego complete the four-series card.
- Spanish-language television coverage will air on Universo and Univision.
- Univision Radio will carry Spanish-language audio broadcasts.
- ESPN Radio will provide national radio coverage for every game of the 2026 MLB postseason, beginning with the Wild Card round.
- MLB Network will supply postseason studio programming through MLB Tonight, MLB Central, MLB Now and Intentional Talk.
Opening two days hold the same four-game order
Every Game 1 and Game 2 is scheduled in the same time slot, creating a full day-to-night run of elimination-round baseball on Sept. 29 and Sept. 30. All times are Eastern.
| Game | Matchup | Time | Television |
|---|---|---|---|
| Game 1 — Tuesday, Sept. 29 | D-backs or Phillies at Braves | 2 p.m. | NBC, Peacock |
| Game 1 — Tuesday, Sept. 29 | White Sox at Rangers or Astros | 5 p.m. | Peacock, NBC Sports Network |
| Game 1 — Tuesday, Sept. 29 | Red Sox at Yankees | 8 p.m. | NBC, Peacock |
| Game 1 — Tuesday, Sept. 29 | Cubs at Padres | 10 p.m. | Peacock, NBC Sports Network |
| Game 2 — Wednesday, Sept. 30 | D-backs or Phillies at Braves | 2 p.m. | NBC, Peacock |
| Game 2 — Wednesday, Sept. 30 | White Sox at Rangers or Astros | 5 p.m. | Peacock, NBC Sports Network |
| Game 2 — Wednesday, Sept. 30 | Red Sox at Yankees | 8 p.m. | NBC, Peacock |
| Game 2 — Wednesday, Sept. 30 | Cubs at Padres | 10 p.m. | Peacock, NBC Sports Network |
Thursday window changes with the series still alive
Thursday’s original Game 3 schedule mirrors the first two days, but the network plan will shift when one or more clubs have already put away their series. Every potential Thursday game will air on NBC and Peacock except in the full four-game arrangement, where the 5 p.m. and 10 p.m. windows remain on Peacock and NBC Sports Network.
If all four series reach Game 3
- D-backs or Phillies at Braves: 2 p.m., NBC and Peacock.
- White Sox at Rangers or Astros: 5 p.m., Peacock and NBC Sports Network.
- Red Sox at Yankees: 8 p.m., NBC and Peacock.
- Cubs at Padres: 10 p.m., Peacock and NBC Sports Network.
Thursday adjustments after a series sweep
- If Arizona/Philadelphia at Atlanta is finished, White Sox at Rangers/Astros moves to 2 p.m. on NBC and Peacock; Red Sox-Yankees stays at 8 p.m. on those outlets; Cubs-Padres remains at 10 p.m. on Peacock and NBC Sports Network.
- If Cubs-Padres is finished, Arizona/Philadelphia at Atlanta remains at 2 p.m. on NBC and Peacock, White Sox at Rangers/Astros stays at 5 p.m. on Peacock and NBC Sports Network, and Red Sox-Yankees shifts to 8 p.m. on NBC and Peacock.
- If Red Sox-Yankees is complete, Arizona/Philadelphia at Atlanta remains at 2 p.m. on NBC and Peacock, White Sox at Rangers/Astros stays at 5 p.m. on Peacock and NBC Sports Network, and Cubs-Padres moves to 8 p.m. on Peacock and NBC Sports Network.
- If White Sox at Rangers/Astros is over, Arizona/Philadelphia at Atlanta is set for 2 p.m. on NBC and Peacock, Red Sox-Yankees for 8 p.m. on NBC and Peacock, and Cubs-Padres for 10 p.m. on Peacock and NBC Sports Network.
Two remaining Game 3s
- If both Red Sox-Yankees and White Sox-Rangers/Astros are finished, Arizona/Philadelphia at Atlanta airs at 2 p.m. and Cubs-Padres at 8 p.m.; both games will be on NBC and Peacock.
- If Arizona/Philadelphia at Atlanta and Cubs-Padres are finished, White Sox-Rangers/Astros airs at 2 p.m. and Red Sox-Yankees at 8 p.m.; both will be shown by NBC and Peacock.
- If Red Sox-Yankees and Arizona/Philadelphia at Atlanta are done, White Sox-Rangers/Astros gets the 2 p.m. window and Cubs-Padres follows at 8 p.m., both on NBC and Peacock.
- If Red Sox-Yankees and Cubs-Padres are complete, White Sox-Rangers/Astros is scheduled for 2 p.m., followed by Arizona/Philadelphia at Atlanta at 8 p.m., both on NBC and Peacock.
- If White Sox-Rangers/Astros and Arizona/Philadelphia at Atlanta have ended, Red Sox-Yankees begins at 7 p.m. and Cubs-Padres at 9:30 p.m., with both games on NBC and Peacock.
- If White Sox-Rangers/Astros and Cubs-Padres are complete, Arizona/Philadelphia at Atlanta takes the 2 p.m. slot and Red Sox-Yankees plays at 8 p.m.; both games air on NBC and Peacock.
If only one winner-take-all game remains on Thursday, it will be played at 8 p.m. on NBC and Peacock. The postseason calendar remains subject to change, but the first pitch of the 2026 playoff chase is already marked for Sept. 29.
