October baseball is here, and 12 teams made the 2026 playoffs. The first round has already finished, so here is the playoff field, who faced whom, who hosted, and who advanced to the Division Series, updated October 5.
Who made the playoffs
American League, in seed order
- Tampa Bay Rays
- Cleveland Guardians
- Houston Astros
- New York Yankees
- Boston Red Sox
- Chicago White Sox
National League, in seed order
- Milwaukee Brewers
- Los Angeles Dodgers
- Atlanta Braves
- San Diego Padres
- Chicago Cubs
- Philadelphia Phillies
Who played in the first round
The Wild Card round was best of three, meaning two wins sent a team through. Every game was at the higher seed’s ballpark.
- White Sox at Astros, Houston hosted. Chicago swept the series, two games to zero.
- Red Sox at Yankees, New York hosted. The Yankees advanced with a two game sweep.
- Phillies at Braves, Atlanta hosted. Atlanta won two games to one.
- Cubs at Padres, San Diego hosted. The Padres won both games.
Which teams skipped the first round
Tampa Bay, Cleveland, Milwaukee, and the Dodgers had byes. They went straight to the Division Series instead of playing a Wild Card opponent.
Who plays whom next
The Division Series began October 3. These are the four matchups, with the team holding home field advantage named first.
- Cleveland Guardians vs. Chicago White Sox
- Tampa Bay Rays vs. New York Yankees
- Milwaukee Brewers vs. San Diego Padres
- Los Angeles Dodgers vs. Atlanta Braves
What home field advantage means
Each Division Series is best of five, so a team needs three wins to advance. The higher seed hosts Games 1 and 2 and a deciding Game 5, if needed. The other team hosts Game 3 and Game 4, if needed.
That gives Cleveland, Tampa Bay, Milwaukee, and the Dodgers the opening games at home and a possible final game in front of their own fans. It is an advantage in where the games are played, not a guarantee of winning. Houston hosted the entire Wild Card Series and still went out in two games.
A major trade in the Dodgers’ October story
Los Angeles acquired Tarik Skubal from Detroit in August. The two time Cy Young winner adds another prominent arm to the postseason roster.
San Diego’s pitching additions
The Padres brought in Casey Mize from Detroit and Robbie Ray from San Francisco at the deadline. Their postseason outings are worth following.
Now that the first round is over, eight teams remain. The next step is earning a place in the League Championship Series, one game at a time.