MLB Division Series 2026: Brewers Lead Padres 2-0, Braves Level With Dodgers, White Sox and Rays Take Game 1 Leads
The MLB playoffs moved into the Division Series this weekend. Milwaukee beat San Diego 3-2 and 4-3 for a 2-0 lead, Atlanta bounced back to level with the Dodgers at 1-1, and the White Sox and Rays won their openers 3-0 and 1-0. Scores, what is next and the road to the World Series on 23 October.
Friday night baseball. Photo: MattCC716 via Flickr, CC BY-SA 2.0.
Baseball's postseason reached the Division Series this weekend, the best-of-five round that decides who plays for each league's pennant. Four series are under way and one team already has a stranglehold. Here is where everything stands after Sunday 4 October.
National League
Milwaukee Brewers vs San Diego Padres: Brewers lead 2-0. Milwaukee won Game 1 on Saturday 3-2 and Game 2 on Sunday 4-3, both one-run games settled late. The series moves to San Diego, where the Padres must win three straight.
Los Angeles Dodgers vs Atlanta Braves: series level 1-1. The Dodgers took Saturday's opener 5-3, but Atlanta answered 3-2 on Sunday to make it a best-of-three from here.
American League
Chicago White Sox vs Cleveland Guardians: White Sox lead 1-0 after a 3-0 shutout on Saturday. Game 2 is Monday 5 October at 5 PM Eastern.
Tampa Bay Rays vs New York Yankees: Rays lead 1-0 after a 1-0 win on Saturday, the lowest-scoring game of the postseason so far. Game 2 is Monday at 8 PM Eastern.
How the format works
Twelve teams qualified, six from each league. The two division winners with the best records in each league skipped the Wild Card round and went straight to the Division Series, which is why some teams began play only this weekend. Division Series are best-of-five; the League Championship Series and World Series are best-of-seven.
Dates to know
- Division Series: through about 10 October
- League Championship Series: from around 11 October
- World Series: begins Friday 23 October, latest possible Game 7 on 31 October
Watching from India
Games mostly start between 1:30 AM and 7:30 AM IST. MLB.TV streams internationally, and condensed games are available on the MLB app a few hours after each finish.
Frequently asked questions
Who is leading the MLB Division Series?
The Brewers lead the Padres 2-0. The White Sox and Rays lead their series 1-0. Dodgers and Braves are level at 1-1.
When is Game 2 of Yankees vs Rays?
Monday 5 October at 8 PM Eastern, which is 5:30 AM IST on Tuesday.
When does the 2026 World Series start?
Friday 23 October 2026.
How many games is the Division Series?
Best of five.
How many teams make the MLB playoffs?
Twelve: six from each league.
