Major League Baseball announced the 2017 playoff schedule today, revealing all of the postseason dates from the two Wild Card games through a possible game seven of the World Series.
The AL Wild Card Game kicks off the postseason slate on Tuesday, October 3 on ESPN. More importantly for Colorado Rockies fans, the NL Wild Card Game is scheduled for Wednesday, October 4 and will be broadcast on TBS. While the dates have been set, the game times have not been. The Colorado Rockies are currently leading the Wild Card standings, and if they can continue to do so will host that game.
Both ALDS series will be played on the same schedule.
ALDS
Game 1: Thursday, Oct. 5
Game 2: Friday, Oct. 6
Game 3: Sunday, Oct. 8
Game 4*: Monday, Oct. 9
Game 5*: Wednesday, Oct. 11
*if necessary
The schedule for both NLDS are also the same, and like the Wild Card Game will be played one day later than the AL.
NLDS
Game 1: Friday, Oct. 6
Game 2: Saturday, Oct. 7
Game 3: Monday, Oct. 9
Game 4*: Tuesday, Oct. 10
Game 5*: Thursday, Oct. 12
*if necessary
If the Rockies earn a Wild Card spot and win the game, they will most likely have to face the Dodgers in the NLDS, as they have built up a massive lead for best record in the NL. The Dodgers would have home field advantage, so the Rockies would host games 3 and 4. If the Rockies win that series and make it to the NLCS, their opponent will have home-field advantage regardless of record due to being a divisional champion. That means the Rockies would host games 3-5 at Coors field in any NLCS matchup.
The trend of the AL playing one day earlier than the NL continue through the Championship Series games.
ALCS
Game 1: Friday, Oct. 13
Game 2: Saturday, Oct. 14
Game 3: Monday, Oct. 16
Game 4: Tuesday, Oct. 17
Game 5*: Wednesday, Oct. 18
Game 6*: Friday, Oct. 20
Game 7*: Saturday, Oct. 21
NLCS
Game 1: Saturday, Oct. 14
Game 2: Sunday, Oct. 15
Game 3: Tuesday, Oct. 17
Game 4: Wednesday, Oct. 18
Game 5*: Thursday, Oct. 19
Game 6*: Saturday, Oct. 21
Game 7*: Sunday, Oct. 22
*if necessary
The World Series schedule starts on October 24, and if it goes to a game seven, there will be baseball played in November. The last possible game of baseball is scheduled for November 1 this year. A big difference in this year’s schedule is that home-field advantage for the World Series was not determined by this year’s All-Star Game. Instead the team with the best record in the regular season will get home field advantage and host games 1, 2, 6 and 7. That means that the World Series is the first series that the Rockies could have home-field advantage.
World Series
Game 1: Tuesday, Oct. 24
Game 2: Wednesday, Oct. 25
Game 3: Friday, Oct. 27
Game 4: Saturday, Oct. 28
Game 5*: Sunday, Oct. 29
Game 6*: Tuesday, Oct. 31
Game 7*: Wednesday, Nov. 1
*if necessary
Depending on your level of faith in this year’s Colorado Rockies, you should be making plans to watch baseball on at least October 4, and potentially much later into Rocktober.