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

The major-league playoffs dominate the day on Wednesday, with games in all four divisional series taking place at neutral sites.
MLB Playoffs: Game Times, TV Information, Starting Pitchers for Wednesday
MLB Playoffs: Game Times, TV Information, Starting Pitchers for Wednesday /

It's another full day of playoff baseball in the major leagues on Wednesday, with action going on in all four divisional series rounds.

This round is all being played at neutral sites, and it's a best-of-five series. The Houston Astros are the first team in position to clinch on Wednesday after winning their first two games against the Oakland A's.

Here's is a complete list of Wednesday'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, WEDNESDAY at 7:10 p.m. ET (TV: TNT): The Rays' Charlie Morton (2-2, 4.74 ERA) takes on Masahiro Tanaka (3-3, 3.56 ERA) in a critical third game that starts an hour earlier than the first two. Tanaka did not pitch well in the wild-card round, getting roughed for six runs and five hits in four-plus innings.  Morton hasn't pitched since Sept. 25 because the Rays swept their opening-round series, but he's no stranger to pressure. He won Game 7 of the 2017 World Series for the Houston Astros. 
  • Game 4, Thursday at 7:10 p.m. ET, if necessary (TV: TNT): Pitchers TBA
  • 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, WEDNESDAY at 3.35 p.m. ET (TV: TNT): Jose Urquidy (1-1, 2.73 ERA in five starts during the regular season) will get the start for Houston after Zach Greinke had to be scratched with arm soreness. Oakland will try to keep its season alive by starting Jesus Luzardo (3-2, 4.12 ERA), who's a 23-year-old rookie. He started Game 1 of Oakland's first round series and gave up three early runs and didn't make it out of the fourth inning against the Chicago White Sox.
  • Game 4, Thursday at 3:35 p.m. ET, if necessary (TV: TNT): Pitchers TBA
  • 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, WEDNESDAY at 9:08 p.m. ET (TV: FOX Sports 1): The Dodgers have a decided pitching edge again, going with Clayton Kershaw (6-2, 2.16 ERA), who pitched eight scoreless innings and struck out a postseason-high 13 in the wild-card round clincher against Milwaukee. San Diego did not announce a starter, and the likely plan is to try to piece something together. The have used at least eight pitchers in all four playoff games thus far.
  • Game 3, Thursday at 9:08 p.m. ET (TV: MLB Network): Pitchers TBA
  • 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, WEDNESDAY at 2:08 p.m. ET (TV: MLB Network): The Braves will go with Ian Anderson (3-2, 1.95 ERA) against Pablo Lopez (6-4, 3.61 ERA) in the second game. Anderson, a 22-year-old rookie, was brilliant in his postseason debut last week, striking out nine in six shutout innings in a 5-0 win over Cincinnati that clinched the wild-card round. It's a big comeback game for the Marlins, who have never lost a playoff series in seven tries in franchise history.
  • Game 3, Thursday at 2:08 p.m. ET, (TV: FOX Sports 1): Braves' Kyle Wright 92-4, 5.21 ERA) vs. Sixto Sanchez (3-2, 3.46 ERA)
  • 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

Published
Tom Brew
TOM BREW

Tom Brew is an award-winning journalist who has worked at some of America's finest newspapers as a reporter and editor, including the Tampa Bay (Fla.) Times, the Indianapolis Star and the South Florida Sun-Sentinel. He has covered college sports in the digital platform for the past six years, including the last five years as publisher of HoosiersNow on the FanNation/Sports Illustrated network.