The Big Lead

MLB's postseason schedule includes a big change from 2024

The World Series will end in November if it goes the full seven games.

By J.P. Hoornstra

Fox Sports broadcasters Kevin Burkhardt and Alex Rodriguez and David Ortiz and Derek Jeter on field after the game two between the Los Angeles Dodgers and the New York Yankees of the 2024 MLB World Series at Dodger Stadium on Oct. 26, 2024.
Fox Sports broadcasters Kevin Burkhardt and Alex Rodriguez and David Ortiz and Derek Jeter on field after the game two between the Los Angeles Dodgers and the New York Yankees of the 2024 MLB World Series at Dodger Stadium on Oct. 26, 2024. / Kirby Lee-Imagn Images
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Major League Baseball announced its postseason schedule Tuesday, including when and where to watch every game from the Wild Card round to the end of the World Series. Specific game times will be announced at a later date, once the teams are locked in to their playoff seeds.

Game 1 of the 2025 World Series on FOX is scheduled for Oct. 24. If the series goes the full seven games, the last game will begin on Nov. 1.

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The league couldn't announce definitively when the series would end at this point a year ago, because MLB decided it would move up the World Series by three days if both league championship series ended in four or five games. This year, it will not.

The change allows MLB's broadcast partners (and viewers) to lock in dates well in advance. But in doing so, it will introduce the potential for a long layoff — up to eight days — if the ALCS ends in four games and the NLCS goes the full seven.

If both the ALCS and NLCS are four-game sweeps, there will be a full week without basbeall games before Game 1 of the World Series. As Bill Shaikin of the Los Angeles Times noted Tuesday, "nothing kills interest in an everyday sport like a week off before the most important games of the season."

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Then again, that's only happened once in LCS history — in 1995, when both the Cleveland Indians and Atlanta Braves enjoyed four-game sweeps before meeting in the World Series. MLB is banking on history not repeating itself this year.

The openers of all four AL and NL Division Series are scheduled to begin on Oct. 4. Fox or FS1, along with FOX Deportes, will combine to cover the ALDS, while TNT Sports will simulcast the NLDS on TBS, truTV and HBO MAX.

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The ALCS will begin on Oct. 12 and will be televised by Fox or FS1, along with FOX Deportes. The NLCS is set to start on Oct. 13, and will be broadcast across TBS, truTV and HBO MAX.

All games telecast on TNT Sports platforms, FOX and FS1 will be available to MLB.TV subscribers who are authenticated subscribers to the applicable network through a participating pay TV provider. The Wild Card series will also be available via the ESPN App.

The 2025 postseason schedule is subject to change.

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