4New York Yankees2
5Boston Red Sox0
Final
Current MLB playoff bracket & series scores
Follow each series and see who advances. Bold teams have won their series.
Pick a team in each series to start.
2026 MLB Playoff BracketCurrent bracketName: ____________________
Choose a round to see its matchups. All rounds shows the full bracket.
American League
Wild Card
1 Tampa Bay RaysBye to Division Series
2 Cleveland GuardiansBye to Division Series
3Houston Astros0
6Chicago White Sox2
Final
Division Series
1Tampa Bay Rays3
4New York Yankees0
Final
2Cleveland Guardians3
6Chicago White Sox2
Final
ALCS
1Tampa Bay Rays4
2Cleveland Guardians2
Final
National League
Wild Card
1 Milwaukee BrewersBye to Division Series
4San Diego Padres2
5Chicago Cubs0
Final
2 Los Angeles DodgersBye to Division Series
3Atlanta Braves2
6Philadelphia Phillies1
Final
Division Series
1Milwaukee Brewers3
4San Diego Padres1
Final
2Los Angeles Dodgers3
3Atlanta Braves1
Final
NLCS
1Milwaukee Brewers4
2Los Angeles Dodgers0
Final
World Series
1Tampa Bay Rays1
1Milwaukee Brewers4
Final
World Series championTo be decided
Series winner · The number beside a team is its playoff seed. · Seeds 1 and 2 get a first-round bye.
How to fill out your MLB playoff bracket
Follow playoff results
Choose Current bracket to see matchups, series scores and advancing teams. A score of 2–1 means two games won to one; it isn't the runs scored in one game. Check the update time above the bracket.
For the next first pitch, open the MLB playoff schedule and TV channels.
Make your playoff predictions
Choose My picks and tap a team to win each series. Your winner moves along the bracket. Under Wins in, choose the total series length: “3 games” in a Wild Card Series means a 2–1 finish.
Work through both leagues, then call your World Series champion. Use results so far fills in completed series. Change an early winner and any later picks that no longer fit are cleared.
Save and share with friends
Your picks save in this browser when storage is available. Share my picks copies a link that friends can open without an account. Keep a link or PDF before clearing your browser data.
For a friendly bracket challenge, agree on a deadline and points per round, then compare everyone's saved picks. This tool shares brackets; group scoring is up to you.
Printable 2026 MLB playoff bracket PDF
Print the current bracket
Keep the teams and latest series results on one landscape page. The AL bracket is on the left, the NL on the right, and the World Series in the middle.
Download current bracket PDFDownload an empty playoff bracket
Want to write in your own teams and winners? The blank PDF keeps the seeds, rounds and connecting lines, with room for your picks.
Download blank bracket PDFPrint your completed picks
Fill out My picks above, then use Download PDF for your own bracket. Or choose Print bracket and set your printer to landscape. Turn off browser headers and footers for a cleaner sheet.
2026 MLB playoff teams and seeds
The starting field for this bracket. Eliminated teams keep their original seed.
American League playoff seeds
| Seed | Team | Starts in |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Tampa Bay RaysDivision winner | Division SeriesFirst-round bye |
| 2 | Cleveland GuardiansDivision winner | Division SeriesFirst-round bye |
| 3 | Houston AstrosDivision winner | Wild Card Series |
| 4 | New York YankeesWild Card | Wild Card Series |
| 5 | Boston Red SoxWild Card | Wild Card Series |
| 6 | Chicago White SoxWild Card | Wild Card Series |
National League playoff seeds
| Seed | Team | Starts in |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Milwaukee BrewersDivision winner | Division SeriesFirst-round bye |
| 2 | Los Angeles DodgersDivision winner | Division SeriesFirst-round bye |
| 3 | Atlanta BravesDivision winner | Wild Card Series |
| 4 | San Diego PadresWild Card | Wild Card Series |
| 5 | Chicago CubsWild Card | Wild Card Series |
| 6 | Philadelphia PhilliesWild Card | Wild Card Series |
Before the field is set, follow the MLB Wild Card standings. Standings show the playoff race; this bracket shows each team's path.
MLB playoff format: the road to the World Series
Playoff seeds and first-round byes
Six teams qualify from each league. The three division winners get seeds 1–3, ordered by record. The next three teams get Wild Card seeds 4–6. Seeds 1 and 2 skip the opening round; seed 3 still plays a Wild Card Series.
Wild Card bracket: who faces whom?
Seed 4 vs. seed 5 → winner plays seed 1.
Seed 3 vs. seed 6 → winner plays seed 2.
The paths stay fixed after an upset. The two Division Series winners meet for their league's pennant, then the AL and NL champions meet in the World Series.
How many wins does each playoff round take?
Swipe the table to see where each game is played.
| Round | Series | Wins to advance | Where the games are played |
|---|---|---|---|
| Wild Card Series | Best of 3 | 2 | Higher seed hosts every game. |
| Division Series (ALDS / NLDS) | Best of 5 | 3 | 2–2–1: higher seed hosts Games 1, 2 and 5. |
| Championship Series (ALCS / NLCS) | Best of 7 | 4 | 2–3–2: higher seed hosts Games 1, 2, 6 and 7. |
| World Series | Best of 7 | 4 to win the title | 2–3–2: the team with home-field advantage hosts Games 1, 2, 6 and 7. |
In the World Series, home-field advantage goes to the league champion with the better regular-season record. The bracket's AL/NL sides show the route to the title, not which team hosts Game 1. Later games are played only if the series is still undecided.
Rules reference: MLB's official postseason format. Scores and matchups use the MLB postseason feed; the loaded results time appears above the tool. Read the full MLB playoff format guide for more detail.
MLB playoff bracket FAQs
How many teams are in the MLB playoff bracket?
There are 12 playoff teams: six in the American League and six in the National League. Each league sends three division winners and three Wild Card teams.
Is the MLB Wild Card round just one game?
No. The Wild Card Series is best of three. Two wins send a team to the Division Series, and the higher seed hosts every game.
Does MLB reseed the playoff bracket after the Wild Card round?
No. The 4-versus-5 winner faces seed 1, and the 3-versus-6 winner faces seed 2. An upset changes the advancing team, not the bracket's path.
Can a Wild Card team have a better record but a lower seed?
Yes. Division winners get seeds 1, 2 and 3 before Wild Card teams get seeds 4, 5 and 6. A better regular-season record does not move a Wild Card team into a division winner's seed.
Can I download a free printable MLB playoff bracket PDF?
Yes. Choose Current bracket for the results, My picks for your predictions, or Blank bracket for an empty sheet. Download PDF gives you one landscape page. You can also use Print bracket. No account is needed.
Can I fill out my MLB playoff bracket online?
Yes. Choose My picks and tap a team in each series. Your winner moves to the next round. You can also choose the series length, then print or download your completed picks. The downloaded PDF is for printing; fill out your picks on this page first.
Is this the official MLB Bracket Challenge?
No. This is an independent tool for personal picks and sharing with friends. It does not enter you into MLB's official contest or automatically score a group competition.
Will my playoff bracket picks be saved?
Your picks stay in this browser when storage is available. Use Share my picks to copy a link for a friend or another device. Clearing browser data can remove your saved picks, so keep a share link or PDF if you want a lasting copy.
Does the current MLB playoff bracket update after games?
Current bracket shows the most recent results loaded from MLB's official postseason feed. Check Results updated above the bracket and refresh the page for newly loaded results. The scores beside each team count games won in the series, not runs in a single game. My picks remain your predictions.
Where are MLB playoff game times and TV channels?
Use the MLB playoff schedule for start times and TV channels. Times on this bracket are Eastern Time. A game marked If Necessary is played only if neither team has already won the series.