It's still the dog days of summer, but it's never too early to start looking ahead to spooky season.
Major League Baseball announced its full postseason schedule on Tuesday, revealing dates for every game in the AL and NL Wild Card Series, Division Series, Championship Series and World Series.
While it's mostly status quo compared to years past, there is one notable change.
The NL Division Series, which is best-of-five, will have three potential off days in the round after Games 1, 2 and 4. Traditionally, the Division Series for both leagues has just two off days -- after Games 2 and 4, when the teams travel from one stadium to another. The 2023 AL Division Series will maintain the tradition schedule with two rest days.
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This tweak in the NL could be an advantage for teams that are forced to play in the Wild Card Series. Pitchers from those teams will have less rest than the two teams that receive an automatic pass to the NLDS.
As of Aug. 8, the Atlanta Braves (70-40) and Los Angeles Dodgers (65-46) would avoid the Wild Card Series in the NL. The Milwaukee Brewers (61-53) lead the NL Central, while San Francisco Giants (62-51), Philadelphia Phillies (61-51) and Cincinnati Reds (60-55) hold the three wild card spots -- but the Chicago Cubs (58-55), Miami Marlins (58-56) and Arizona Diamondbacks (57-56) are still within two games.
Here's a round-by-round look at the 2023 MLB postseason schedule:
Wild Card Series
- Oct. 3: ALWC A Game 1, ALWC B Game 1, NLWC A Game 1, NLWC B Game 1
- Oct. 4: ALWC A Game 2, ALWC B Game 2, NLWC A Game 2, NLWC B Game 2
- Oct. 5: ALWC A Game 3, ALWC B Game 3, NLWC A Game 3, NLWC B Game 3 (all if necessary)
Division Series
- Oct. 7: ALDS A Game 1, ALDS B Game 1, NLDS A Game 1, NLDS B Game 1
- Oct. 8: ALDS A Game 2, ALDS B Game 2
- Oct. 9: NLDS A Game 2, NLDS B Game 2
- Oct. 10: ALDS A Game 3, ALDS B Game 3
- Oct. 11: NLDS A Game 3, NLDS B Game 3, ALDS A Game 4 (if necessary), ALDS B Game 4 (if necessary)
- Oct. 12: NLDS A Game 4 (if necessary), NLDS B Game 4 (if necessary)
- Oct. 13: ALDS A Game 5 (if necessary), ALDS B Game 5 (if necessary)
- Oct. 14: NLDS A Game 5 (if necessary), NLDS B Game 5 (if necessary)
Championship Series
- Oct. 15: ALCS Game 1
- Oct. 16: NLCS Game 1, ALCS Game 2
- Oct. 17: NLCS Game 2
- Oct. 18: ALCS Game 3
- Oct. 19: NLCS Game 3, ALCS Game 4
- Oct. 20: NLCS Game 4, ALCS Game 5 (if necessary)
- Oct. 21: NLCS Game 5 (if necessary)
- Oct. 22: ALCS Game 6 (if necessary)
- Oct. 23: NLCS Game 6 (if necessary), ALCS Game 7 (if necessary)
- Oct. 24: NLCS Game 7 (if necessary)
World Series
- Oct. 27: Game 1
- Oct. 28: Game 2
- Oct. 30: Game 3
- Oct. 31: Game 4
- Nov. 1: Game 5 (if necessary)
- Nov. 3: Game 6 (if necessary)
- Nov. 4: Game 7 (if necessary)