A little bad blood might be good news for Major League Baseball’s postseason. How about a Beltway World Series between the Baltimore Orioles and the Washington Nationals? Or a Freeway Series between the L.A. Dodgers and L.A. Angels? Or another Bay Bridge Series between the Oakland A’s and the San Francisco Giants (this time without the earthquake)?
TV coverage of the postseason shuffles a bit under MLB’s new eight-year, $12.4 billion TV rights deal with partners ESPN, FOX and TBS. The playoffs begin Sept. 30 with the AL wild-card game on TBS. ESPN will air an MLB playoff game for the first time since 2006, with the NL wild-card game on Oct. 1. TBS airs the two AL Division Series, with the NL Division Series airing on FOX Sports 1 and MLB Network. TBS airs the AL Championship Series, and FOX and FOX Sports 1 will split the NL Championship Series. FOX airs the World Series, with Joe Buck, Harold Reynolds and Tom Verducci in the broadcast booth, and Ken Rosenthal and Erin Andrews reporting.
2014 MLB Wild Card game TV schedule
AL Wild Card Game: Tuesday, Sept. 30 (TBS, 8pm ET) Oakland A’s (Lester, 16-11) at Kansas City Royals (Shields, 14-8)
NL Wild Card Game: Wednesday, Oct. 1 (ESPN, 8pm ET) San Francisco Giants (Bumgarner, 18-10) at Pittsburgh Pirates (Volquez, 13-7)
The AL Wild Card winner advances to play in Division Series vs. L.A. Angels beginning Oct. 2 on TBS. The NL Wild Card winner will play in Division Series vs. Washington Nationals beginning Oct. 3 on FOX Sports 1.
MLB Playoff Standings
National League
NL East Winner: Washington Nationals
NL Central Winner: St. Louis Cardinals
NL West Winner: L.A. Dodgers
NL Wild Card 1: Pittsburgh Pirates
NL Wild Card 2: San Francisco Giants
American League
AL East Winner: Baltimore Orioles
AL Central Winner: Detroit Tigers
AL West Winner: L.A. Angels
AL Wild Card 1: Kansas City Royals
AL Wild Card 2: Oakland A’s
MLB Postseason Schedule At A Glance
Wild-Card Games, TBS & ESPN (Sept. 30-Oct. 1)
Division Series, TBS, FOX Sports 1 & MLB Network (Beginning Oct. 2)
American League Championship Series, TBS (Beginning Oct. 10)
National League Championship Series, FOX & FOX Sports 1 (Beginning Oct. 11)
World Series, FOX (Beginning Oct. 21)