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Expert Picks, 2024 Playoff Schedule

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Expert Picks, 2024 Playoff Schedule

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It’s October.

Twelve teams remain in competition for the Commissioner’s Cup.

It took an extra day in the regular season, but the 2024 Major League Baseball playoffs are set and will begin Tuesday with the opening games of the best-of-three wild-card round.

We’re set for some quadruple heads, with the Detroit Tigers and Houston Astros kicking things off at 2:23 p.m. ET on Tuesday. The Baltimore Orioles host the Kansas City Royals at 4:07 p.m., the New York Mets take on the Milwaukee Brewers at 5:32 p.m. and the San Diego Padres and Atlanta Braves finish things off with a nightcap at 20 h 38.

The second games will be played on Wednesday with possible Game 3s scheduled for Thursday. The winners will advance to the top-five division series, which begins Saturday.

Here’s how the USA TODAY Sports MLB team sees this week going:

Detroit Tigers vs. Houston Astros

Predictions:

  • Bob Nightengale: Astros in 3
  • Gabe Lacques: Tigers in 2
  • Steve Gardner Astros in 3
  • Jesse Yomtov: Astros in 3
  • Scott Boeck: Tigers in 3

Calendar

  • Match 1, Tuesday: LH Tarik Skubal vs. LH Framber Valdez, 2:32 p.m. ET, ABC
  • Match 2, Wednesday: TBD versus TBD, 2:32 p.m. ET, ABC
  • Match 3, Thursday, if necessary: TBD versus TBD, 2:32 p.m. ET, ABC

Kansas City Royals vs. Baltimore Orioles

Predictions:

  • Bob Nightengale: Orioles in 3
  • Gabe Lacques: Orioles in 2
  • Steve Gardner: Orioles in 3
  • Jesse Yomtov: Orioles in 2
  • Scott Boeck: Orioles in 3

Calendar

  • Match 1, Tuesday: LH Cole Ragans vs. RH Corbin Burnes, 4:08 p.m. ET, ESPN2
  • Match 2, Wednesday: RH Seth Lugo vs. RH Zach Eflin, 4:38 p.m. ET, ESPN
  • Match 3, Thursday, if necessary: RH Michael Wacha vs. RH Dean Kremer, 4:08 p.m. ET, ESPN

New York Mets vs. Milwaukee Brewers

Predictions

  • Bob Nightengale: Brewers in 2
  • Gabe Lacques: Brewers in 2
  • Steve Gardner: Brewers in 2
  • Jesse Yomtov: Put in 3
  • Scott Boeck: Brewers in 2

Calendar

  • Match 1, Tuesday: TBD vs. RH Freddy Peralta, 5:32 p.m. ET, ESPN
  • Match 2, Wednesday: TBD vs TBD, 7:38 p.m. ET, ESPN
  • Match 3, Thursday, if necessary: TBD vs TBD, 8:30 p.m. ET, ESPN2

Atlanta at San Diego Padres

Predictions

  • Bob Nightengale: Padres in 2
  • Gabe Lacques: Padres in 2
  • Steve Gardner: Padres in 2
  • Jesse Yomtov: Atlanta in 3
  • Scott Boeck: Padres in 2

Calendar

  • Match 1, Tuesday: TBD vs. RH Michael King, 8:38 p.m. ET, ESPN,
  • Match 2, Wednesday: TBD vs. RH Joe Musgrove, 8:38 p.m. ET, ESPN2
  • Match 3, Thursday, if necessary: TBD vs. RH Dylan Cease, 7:08 p.m. ET, ESPN

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