Two years ago, Major League Baseball made a point to schedule every game on the final day of the regular season at the same time to limit gamesmanship and add excitement to any remaining playoff races. In 2017, none of those games on Sunday will mean much because the MLB playoff field was set on Saturday.
2017 MLB playoffs now set thanks to a pair of clinchers on Saturday
The postseason gets underway on Tuesday, Oct. 3.
Bob DeChiara-USA TODAY Sports
The American League settled things first, thanks to the Boston Red Sox beating the Houston Astros to clinch the AL East. That not only locked in the New York Yankees as the first Wild Card team — New York will host the Minnesota Twins on Tuesday night — but cemented Houston as the No. 2 seed in the AL behind the Cleveland Indians.
In the National League, there was only one race remaining on Saturday. The Milwaukee Brewers lost to the St. Louis Cardinals at Busch Stadium, clinching the second Wild Card sport for the Colorado Rockies, their first postseason berth since 2009. Colorado will play the Arizona Diamondbacks in the NL Wild Card Game on Wednesday, with the winner facing a fellow divisional foe, the Los Angeles Dodgers, in the National League Division Series.
MLB playoffs
AL Wild Card Game: Twins at Yankees, Tuesday, Oct. 3, 8 p.m. ET (ESPN)
NL Wild Card Game: Rockies at Diamondbacks, Wednesday, Oct. 4, 8 p.m. (TBS)
ALDS: Astros vs. Red Sox, starts Thursday, Oct. 5 in Houston
ALDS: Indians vs. Wild Card winner, starts Thursday in Cleveland
NLDS: Nationals vs. Cubs, starts Friday, Oct. 6 in Washington D.C.
NLDS: Dodgers vs. Wild Card winner, starts Friday in Los Angeles
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