PHILADELPHIA — After capturing their first National League East Division title in 13 years, the Philadelphia Phillies are back in the playoffs for the third straight season.
Only this time, they'll be idle for most of the week after grabbing the No. 2 seed in the National League and avoiding the wildcard round. In their previous playoff runs in 2022 and 2023, the Phils made the playoffs as a wildcard team after finishing second behind the Atlanta Braves in the NL East race.
So this year, Red October won't begin until Saturday, when the Phillies host the winner of the best-of-three wildcard series between the Milwaukee Brewers and the NL's sixth seed.
Philly will host Games 1 and 2 of the best-of-five NLDS, along with the decisive fifth game (if necessary).
But their potential opponent could hinge on the outcome of Monday's season-ending doubleheader between the New York Mets and the Atlanta Braves.
Let's break it all down:
The Phillies and Brewers, who won the NL Central title, have clinched playoff spots, along with the No. 1-seeded NL West champion Los Angeles Dodgers and the fourth-seeded San Diego Padres, who finished second in the West.
The Phillies and Dodgers won't see action until the NLDS.
Meanwhile, the Mets, Braves and Arizona Diamondbacks are still vying for the final two playoff berths, which will be decided by the outcome of Monday's doubleheader in Atlanta.
The winner of the first game between the Mets and Braves, which is set for 1 p.m., clinches a playoff spot. The loser of the first game would clinch a playoff spot with a win in the second game, thereby eliminating the Diamondbacks.
However, if either the Mets or the Braves earn a sweep in the doubleheader, they would get into the playoffs along with the D-backs, who would clinch the final berth. The team that was swept would be out of the running.
If the Mets and Braves split today's doubleheader and finish tied, the Braves would earn the No. 5 seed because they will have won the season series, 6-5. Atlanta would then face the Padres, while the Mets would take on the Brewers.
In the event of a two-team tie with the Diamondbacks, the Mets or Braves would earn the No. 5 seed by virtue of their season-series win over Arizona. The D-backs would face the Brewers in the wildcard, while the Mets/Braves would face San Diego.
Here's the full playoff schedule:
Wild-card series
Best of three, all games at the higher seed's stadium
Game 1: Tuesday, Oct. 1
Game 2: Wednesday, Oct. 2
Game 3: Thursday, Oct. 3*
Division series
Best of five, higher seed has home-field advantage
ALDS
Game 1: Saturday, Oct. 5
Game 2: Monday, Oct. 7
Game 3: Wednesday, Oct. 9
Game 4: Thursday, Oct. 10*
Game 5: Saturday, Oct. 12*
NLDS
Game 1: Saturday, Oct. 5
Game 2: Sunday, Oct. 6
Game 3: Tuesday, Oct. 8
Game 4: Wednesday, Oct. 9*
Game 5: Friday, Oct. 11*
League championship series
Best of seven, higher seed has home-field advantage
ALCS
Game 1: Monday, Oct. 14
Game 2: Tuesday, Oct. 15
Game 3: Thursday, Oct. 17
Game 4: Friday, Oct. 18
Game 5: Saturday, Oct. 19*
Game 6: Monday, Oct. 21*
Game 7: Tuesday, Oct. 22*
NLCS
Game 1: Sunday, Oct. 13
Game 2: Monday, Oct. 14
Game 3: Wednesday, Oct. 16
Game 4: Thursday, Oct. 17
Game 5: Friday, Oct. 18*
Game 6: Sunday, Oct. 20*
Game 7: Monday, Oct. 21*
World Series
Best of seven, team with best regular-season record has home-field advantage
Game 1: Friday, Oct. 25
Game 2: Saturday, Oct. 26
Game 3: Monday, Oct. 28
Game 4: Tuesday, Oct. 29
Game 5: Wednesday, Oct. 30*
Game 6: Friday, Nov. 1*
Game 7: Saturday, Nov. 2*
*if necessary
Note: If both LCS end by Oct. 19 -- meaning neither series lasts longer than five games -- the World Series will begin on Tuesday, Oct. 22