MLB Playoffs: Game Times, TV Information, Starting Pitchers for Thursday

Four teams are on the brink of clinching their respective divisional series on Thursday, as another full day of baseball should provide a ton of entertainment.

When Major League Baseball decided to play the best-of-five divisional round at neutral sites with no travel, that also meant no days of rest of travel days, either. It was clear that was going to tax pitching staffs, and it's already showing itself.

Wednesday was a crazy day of entertaining baseball, with four playoff games. There's more of the same on Thursday, with all four divisional series games happening. Two teams, Houston and the Los Angeles Dodgers, aren't even sure who will start their respective games. Others, like San Diego, are simply trying to piece things together.

And the Tampa Bay Rays? They're just sitting back and smiling, They do this all the time, and they're in good shape heading into Game 4 after beating the New York Yankees for the second straight night.

It was the Rays who starting the "opener" concept a few years ago, using multiple pitchers in a game to get the best matchups instead of using a fourth or fifth starter with less skill. It's worked like a charm the past couple of years, and they're hoping to close down the Yankees on Thursday with the same concept.

All four series could end on Thursday. Los Angeles and Atlanta have commanding 2-0 leads in the two National League series, and Tampa Bay and Houston are up 2-1 in the AL showdowns. So it should be a great day of baseball. 

Here's is a complete list of Thursday's game times, with TV information and starting pitchers, plus a complete review of everything that's happened in each series so far:

American League Division Series

Tampa Bay Rays vs. New York Yankees

• Best-of-5 series, all games played at Petco Park, San Diego
• Game 1, Yankees 9, Rays 3: Gerrit Cole struck out eight batters over six innings and Giancarlo Stanton hit a grand slam in the ninth inning to help the Yankees win the series opener. (New York leads series, 1-0.)
• Game 2, Rays 7, Yankees 5: Rays starter Tyler Glasnow struck out 10 Yankees in just five innings and earned the win in Tampa Bay's 7-5 victory. The Rays' bullpen was very good, too, allowing just one run and two hits over four innings, racking up eight more strikeouts. The Yankees' 18 strikeouts were a postseason record for a nine-inning game. Giancarlo Stanton hit two homers for New York. (Series tied 1-1).
• Game 3, Rays 8, Yankees 4: The Rays' Randy Arozarena is turning into a superstar right before our eyes. The 25-year-old Cuban rookie hit a home run for the third straight day and went 3-for-4 in the Rays' second-consecutive win. He has 11 hits in the Rays' first four playoff games, which ties a major-league record. Starter Charlie Morton went five innings, allowing just one earned run and striking out six, and the vaunted Tampa Bay bullpen took it from there. (Tampa Bay leads series, 2-1)
• *** Game 4, Thursday at 7:10 p.m. ET,  (TV: TNT): Ryan Thompson (1-2, 4.44 ERA) will be the "opener'' for Tampa Bay as it attempts to close out the series with New York. The Rays are now 10-3 against the Yankees this season. New York will counter with Jordan Montgomery (2-3, 5.21 ERA).
• Game 5, Friday at 7:10 p.m. ET, if necessary (TV: TNT): Pitchers TBA

Oakland A's vs. Houston Astros

• Best-of-5 series, all games played at Dodger Stadium, Los Angeles
• Game 1, Astros 10, A's 5: Carlos Correa hit two home runs and George Springer had four hits to help Houston beat Oakland in a slugfest. (Houston leads series, 1-0.)
• Game 2, Astros 5, A's 2: The Astros got an outstanding starter from Framber Valdez, who went seven innings and allowed only two runs in the 5-2 win. George Springer had another huge night at the plate, hitting two home runs and driving in three runs. He's had six hits in the first two games to help give Houston a commanding lead. (Houston leads series, 2-0.)
• Game 3, A's 9, Astros 7: Oakland kept its season alive with a huge rally from three runs down, tying the game on a three-run homer from Chad Pinder in the seventh and then scoring two runs in the eighth on sacrifice flys. Closer Liam Hendriks pitched the final three innings to get in the win, allowing just one hit and striking out four. (Houston leads series, 2-1.)
• *** Game 4, Thursday at 3:35 p.m. ET (TV: TNT): Frankie Montas (3-5, 5.60 ERA) will get the start for Oakland. Houston is unsure who will get the ball, because starter Zach Greinke has an arm issue and may not be available. "We're running out of options,'' Houston manager Dusty Baker said.
• Game 5, Friday at 3:35 p.m. ET, if necessary (TV: TNT): Pitchers TBA

National League Division Series

Los Angeles Dodgers vs. San Diego Padres

• All games played at Globe Life Park, Arlington, Texas
• Game 1, Dodgers 5, Padres 1: The Dodgers' pitchers allowed only three hits and struck out 14 in an easy win over the Padres in the series opener. The Dodgers broke the game open with a four-run sixth inning. San Diego's starting rotation is decimated by injuries and Mike Clevenger, who tried to give it a go despite dealing with an elbow injuries, had to be pulled just two pitches into the second innings. San Diego wound up using nine pitchers, and allowed 10 walks. (Los Angeles leads series, 1-0)
• Game 2, Dodgers 6, Padres 5: Clayton Kershaw pitched six solid innings and the Dodgers survived a ninth-inning scare to put the Padres in a big hole. Cody Bellenger hit a home run for the Dodgers and saved a home run with a great catch over the wall. Corey Seager was 3-for-4, with two doubles. (Los Angeles leads series, 2-0.) 
• *** Game 3, Thursday at 9:08 p.m. ET (TV: MLB Network): Adrian Morejon (2-2, 4.66 ERA) will get the start for San Diego as the Padres look to stay alive. Dodgers manager Dave Roberts said he wasn't sure who would start for Los Angeles, and said he would wait until Thursday afternoon to decide.
• Game 4, Friday at 9:08 p.m. ET, if necessary (TV: FOX Sports 1): Pitchers TBA
• Game 5, Saturday at 8:08 p.m. ET, if necessary (TV: FOX Sports 1): Pitchers TBA

Atlanta Braves vs. Miami Marlins

• All games played at Minute Maid Park, Houston, Texas
• Game 1, Braves 9, Marlins 5: The Braves came from behind with a six-run explosion in the seventh inning to take down the Marlins in the season opener. Braves catcher Travis D'Arnaud had a huge day at the plate, going 3-for-3 with a double, a home run and two walks, driving in four runs. Robert Acuna Jr. and Marcell Ozuna also had multi-hit games for the Braves. (Atlanta leads series, 1-0). '
  
• Game 2, Braves 2, Marlins 0:  The Braves' pitching continues to dominate in the playoffs, getting their third shutout in four games to take a commanding lead. Rookie Ian Anderson went 5 2/3 innings and struck out eight, and the bullpen took it from  there, pitching 3 1/3 innings without even allowing a hit. (Atlanta leads series, 2-0.)
• *** Game 3, Thursday at 2:08 p.m. ET, (TV: FOX Sports 1): Braves' Kyle Wright 92-4, 5.21 ERA) takes on Miami's Sixto Sanchez (3-2, 3.46 ERA) as the Marlins try to stay alive. In their franchise history, they have never lost a playoff series, winning seven straight, including World Series titles in 1997 and 2003.
• Game 4, Friday at 2:08 p.m. ET, if necessary (TV: FOX Sports 1): Pitchers TBA
• Game 5, Saturday at 4:08 p.m. ET, if necessary (TV: FOX Sports 1): Pitchers TBA