On “Days of Roar,” Evan Petzold and Chris Brown evaluate who to blame for the Detroit Tigers’ collapse, highlighting Chris Ilitch and Scott Harris.
Somehow, some way, the Detroit Tigers are in the 2025 MLB postseason. They beat the Boston Red Sox, 2-1, at Fenway Park on Saturday.
What seemed to be a foregone conclusion for at least 90% of the season looked like anything but over the past two weeks, as the Tigers lost 12 of 14, including eight losses in a row over the final week, plus another back-breaker Friday to start the final series of the season.
But still, the Tigers get credit for banking so many wins throughout the season and figuring out a way to get into the playoffs.
The Tigers’ losses did cost them a bye into the ALDS — and still might cost them their first American League Central Division title since 2014 and homefield advantage in the wild-card round.
MLB won’t release specific times, dates and TV channels for the wild-card round until the end of the regular season Sunday evening, but we do know all the dates for every playoff game.
When do MLB playoffs 2025 start?
Baseball fans won’t even have to wait until October this year for the postseason to begin. The wild-card round starts Tuesday, Sept. 30, with two National League games and two American League games.
- Start date: Tuesday, Sept. 30.
MLB playoff bracket 2025
Through Saturday early evening games, standings via USA TODAY Sports:
AL playoff picture
The AL playoff teams are set, but the order, outside of the Mariners at No. 2, is in major flux. The Tigers could finish as the 3-seed, 5-seed or 6-seed.
- 1. Blue Jays, 93-68
- 2. Mariners, 90-70
- 3. Guardians, 86-74
- 4. Yankees, 93-68
- 5. Red Sox, 88-73
- 6. Tigers, 87-74
NL playoff picture
The top five seeds are all locked in.
- 1. Brewers, 96-65
- 2. Phillies, 95-66
- 3. Dodgers, 91-69
- 4. Cubs, 91-70
- 5. Padres, 88-72
- 6. Reds, 83-78
The New York Mets (83-78) are the first team out, losing the tiebreaker to the Cincinnati Reds. A Mets win Sunday at Miami and Reds loss at Milwaukee is the Mets’ only way into the playoffs.
MLB playoffs schedule 2025
The MLB playoffs start with four games on Tuesday, Sept. 30, in the best-of-three wild-card round.
The ALDS is best-of-five, the ALCS is best-of-seven and the World Series is best-of-seven hosted by the team with the better record.
Tuesday, Sept. 30
- NL wild-card series Game 1: ESPN platforms
- NL wild-card series Game 1: ESPN platforms
- AL wild-card series Game 1: ESPN platforms
- AL wild-card series Game 1: ESPN platforms
Wednesday, Oct. 1
- NL wild-card series Game 2: ESPN platforms
- NL wild-card series Game 2: ESPN platforms
- AL wild-card series Game 2: ESPN platforms
- AL wild-card series Game 2: ESPN platforms
Thursday, Oct. 2
- NL wild-card series Game 3 (if necessary): ESPN platforms
- NL wild-card series Game 3 (if necessary): ESPN platforms
- AL wild-card series Game 3 (if necessary): ESPN platforms
- AL wild-card series Game 3 (if necessary): ESPN platforms
Saturday, Oct. 4
- NLDS Game 1 (4/5 at Milwaukee): TBS
- NLDS Game 1 (3/6 at Philadelphia): TBS
- ALDS Game 1 (4/5 at 1): Fox/FS1
- ALDS Game 1 (3/6 at Seattle): Fox/FS1
Sunday, Oct. 5
- ALDS Game 2 (4/5 at 1): Fox/FS1
- ALDS Game 2 (3/6 at Seattle): Fox/FS1
Monday, Oct. 6
- NLDS Game 2 (4/5 at Milwaukee): TBS
- NLDS Game 2 (3/6 at Philadelphia): TBS
Tuesday, Oct. 7
- ALDS Game 3 (1 at 4/5): Fox/FS1
- ALDS Game 3 (Seattle at 3/6): Fox/FS1
Wednesay, Oct. 8
- ALDS Game 4 (1 at 4/5): Fox/FS1
- ALDS Game 4 (Seattle at 3/6): Fox/FS1
- NLDS Game 3 (Milwaukee at 4/5): TBS
- NLDS Game 3 (Philadelphia at 3/6): TBS
Thursday, Oct. 9
- NLDS Game 4 (Milwaukee at 4/5): TBS
- NLDS Game 4 (Philadelphia at 3/6): TBS
Friday, Oct. 10
*If necessary
- ALDS Game 5 (4/5 at 1): Fox/FS1
- ALDS Game 5 (3/6 at Seattle): Fox/FS1
Saturday, Oct. 11
*If necessary
- NLDS Game 5 (4/5 at Milwaukee): TBS
- NLDS Game 5 (3/6 at Philadelphia): TBS
Sunday, Oct. 12
- ALCS Game 1 (AL low at AL high): Fox/FS1
Monday, Oct. 13
- NLCS Game 1 (NL low at NL high): TBS
- ALCS Game 2 (AL low at AL high): Fox/FS1
World Series schedule 2025
*If necessary
- Game 1, Friday, Oct. 24: (Low at high), Fox
- Game 2, Saturday, Oct. 25: (Low at high), Fox
- Game 3, Monday, Oct. 27: (Low at high), Fox
- Game 4, Tuesday, Oct. 28: (Low at high), Fox
- *Game 5, Wednesday, Oct. 29: (Low at high), Fox
- *Game 6, Friday, Oct. 31: (Low at high), Fox
- *Game 7, Saturday, Nov. 1: (Low at high), Fox
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Andrew Birkle is an assistant editor at the Free Press. Contact him at abirkle@freepress.com.
