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After taking two out of three against the Diamondbacks, the Houston Astros are in a commanding position to win the AL West once again. They are steadily trimming their magic number down and, assuming current trends hold, Houston could have the division race locked up in a couple weeks, allowing them to line up their playoff rotation and start resting players. Don't start popping champagne yet, as there is still a lot of baseball left, but things are looking good.
With that in mind, let's take a look at the 2024 MLB playoff format, important dates, and who the Astros would face if nothing changes the rest of the season.
MLB Playoff Bracket: Who would the Astros play if the 2024 season ended today?
So, the first question to answer here is whether or not the Astros have a chance at a first-round bye as a No. 1 or No. 2 seed in the American League. The short answer is technically yes, but Houston fans shouldn't get their hopes up. For that to happen, they would have to overtake three of the Yankees, Orioles, Guardians, and Royals to get there. Sure, the Guardians have a history of impressive ineptitude in crunch time, and the Yankees are run by Brian Cashman and Aaron Boone, but such a run remains highly unlikely. The O's and Royals are currently waiting if their respective divisions' top teams falter; the Astros will be hoping for four relative collapses here.
Assuming the playoff odds are true and the Astros are near locks to win the division, but are extremely unlikely to get one of the top two seeds in the AL, that locks them into the No. 3 seed. They would then play in the AL Wild Card round, which begins on October 1. Below you will find the complete schedule for the AL side of the playoffs (we don't have times for the games yet, nor will we until the start date is much closer).
AL Wild Card Round Schedule
Date | Series | Matchup |
|---|---|---|
10/1/24 | AL Wild Card A - Game One | AL Wild Card #3 at AL Division Winner #3 |
10/1/24 | AL Wild Card B - Game One | AL Wild Card #2 at AL Wild Card #1 |
10/2/24 | AL Wild Card A - Game Two | AL Wild Card #3 at AL Division Winner #3 |
10/2/24 | AL Wild Card B - Game Two | AL Wild Card #2 at AL Wild Card #1 |
10/3/24 | AL Wild Card A - Game Three (if necessary) | AL Wild Card #3 at AL Division Winner #3 |
10/3/24 | AL Wild Card B - Game Three (if necessary) | AL Wild Card #2 at AL Wild Card #1 |
What matters for Astros fans at the moment is the Wild Card A series, as that by far the most likely outcome for Houston this year. If the season ended today, the Astros would have a home three-game series against the Twins in the first round of the MLB playoffs, although that last spot in the Wild Card race is very much up for grabs at the moment.
2024 ALDS Schedule
Date | Series | Matchup |
|---|---|---|
10/5/24 | ALDS A, Game 1 | AL WC A Winner at AL Division Winner #2 |
10/5/24 | ALDS B, Game 1 | AL WC B Winner at AL Division Winner #1 |
10/7/24 | ALDS A, Game 2 | AL WC A Winner at AL Division Winner #2 |
10/7/24 | ALDS B, Game 2 | AL WC B Winner at AL Division Winner #1 |
10/9/24 | ALDS A, Game 3 | AL Division Winner #2 at AL WC A Winner |
10/9/24 | ALDS B, Game 3 | AL Division Winner #1 at AL WC B Winner |
10/10/24 | ALDS A, Game 4 (if necessary) | AL Division Winner #2 at AL WC A Winner |
10/10/24 | ALDS B, Game 4 (if necessary) | AL Division Winner #1 at AL WC B Winner |
10/12/24 | ALDS A, Game 5 (if necessary) | AL WC A Winner at AL Division Winner #2 |
10/12/24 | ALDS B, Game 5 (if necessary) | AL WC B Winner at AL Division Winner #1 |
The focus here should be on the ALDS A side of the bracket, where the Astros will likely be matched up with the second-ranked division winner. For whatever reason, MLB's current postseason schedule has things backwards, while their bracket is correct, according to the current format's rules. BEWARE. Assuming they can handle business in the Wild Card round against the Twins (or whoever), that would set them up for a tough matchup with the Guardians (who would be coming off a bye) in the ALDS. The Guardians and Yankees are both in the hunt for the No. 1 overall seed in the AL as well, just one game apart from one another, so this could change in the coming weeks.
2024 American League Championship Series and World Series Schedule
We won't get too far ahead of ourselves (for now) when it comes to the complete playoff schedule. However, for the especially optimistic Astros fans out there, the 2024 ALCS begins on October 14, 2024, while the 2024 World Series gets started on October 25, 2024. Plan your finances and availability to watch accordingly.