World Series to start Oct. 24 as MLB drops plan to start World Series early if both League Championship Series end by Game 5
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The World Series is scheduled to start on a Friday for the fifth straight year. Before 2022, the Series had not started on a Friday since 1915.
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NL Division Series will have an extra scheduled off day between Games 1 and 2, a format that allows a team to have the same pitchers start Games 1 and 4, and Games 2 and 5 on normal four days' rest. Last year, AL Division Series had the extra off day.
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All four best-of-three Wild Card Series are scheduled for consecutive days from Sept. 30 to Oct. 2 at the site of the higher seed.
Twelve teams make the playoffs under the format that began in 2022. The top two teams in each league get first-round byes, while the No. 3 seed faces No. 6 and No. 4 plays No. 5. The higher seed will be home in each best-of-three series.
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In the best-of-five Division Series, the top seed plays the 3-vs.-6 winner and the No. 2 seed plays the 4-vs.-5 winner. The Division Series will have the familiar format of the higher seed home for Games 1 and 2, and, if necessary, Game 5.
AL Division Series also will start Oct. 4-5 followed by a travel day and switch to the other sites for games on Oct. 7-8. Game 5s would be Oct. 10.
NL Division Series start on Oct. 4, have an off day followed by Game 2 on Oct. 6, then switch to the other cities on Oct. 8-9. After another travel day, Game 5s would be played Oct. 11.
The AL Championship Series starts Oct. 12 and the NL Championship Series the following day, with off days after Game 2s and Game 5s.
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