The official logo of Major League Baseball's (MLB) 2021 postseason. Photo courtesy of littleleague.org
The 2021 MLB Postseason continues this weekend with live coverage of the American League Championship Series (ALCS) and National League Championship Series (NLCS). Following the Wild Card Games and the League Division Series, just four teams remain in the quest for the World Series crown: Houston Astros, Boston Red Sox, Los Angeles Dodgers, and Atlanta Braves. A combination of two of these four teams will play in the upcoming World Series, which will start later this month.
A detailed description of each series can be found below:
ALCS information (Boston vs. Houston):
On the American League side, Carlos Correa and the Houston Astros will battle Xander Bogaerts and the Boston Red Sox to represent the American League in the 2021 World Series. The 2021 American League Championship Series will be the third postseason meeting between these two teams, with each team splitting a pair of postseason matchups (2018 ALCS, won by Boston; 2017 ALDS, won by Houston).
The Astros are making their 5th straight appearance in a League Championship Series (becoming just the second team to accomplish this), joining the Oakland A's (1971-1975) as the only other team to achieve this goal.
The Red Sox enter this series as a wild card winner, defeating their rivals, the Yankees, in the American League Wild Card Game, followed by a four-game series win over the AL East winners and the #1 seed this season in the American League, the Tampa Bay Rays.
NLCS information (LA Dodgers vs. Atlanta):
On the National League side, Mookie Betts and the resilient Los Angeles Dodgers (coming off an exciting and riveting 5-game NLDS win over San Francisco) take on Joc Pederson and the Atlanta Braves for the right to represent the National League in the 2021 World Series.
The Braves won their 4th straight NL East title in 2021. Atlanta knocked out the Milwaukee Brewers in the National League Division Series (NLDS), 3-1. This will be Atlanta's 13th appearance in the National League Championship Series. However, Atlanta has not won in this round since 1999. The Dodgers enter the National League Championship Series round as a wild card entrant (yeah!), following their first non-division winning title since 2012.
The Dodgers defeated the Cardinals in the National League Wild Card Game (NLWC) on a walk-off home run by Chris Taylor. Then, in five games in the National League Division Series, the Dodgers defeated their bitter rivals and this year's National League West (NL West) winner, the Giants.
Friday night (Tonight), Jose Altuve and the Houston Astros host Kiki Hernandez and the Boston Red Sox at Minute Maid Park in Houston to begin the American League Championship Series at 8:00 PM (ET) / 7:00 PM (CT). The Red Sox-Astros will be a best-of-seven series. Friday's Game 1 is scheduled to be televised on the FOX broadcast network. Calling the Boston-Houston ALCS will be seasoned play-by-play man Joe Buck, analyst John Smoltz, with reporters Ken Rosenthal and Tom Verducci. FOX will televise Game 1, Game 2 (a simulcast w/FS1) & a potential Game 7. FS1 will televise all remaining games (Games 2; 3-6) exclusively.
Saturday night (Tomorrow), Mookie Betts and the Los Angeles Dodgers roll into the Peach State to play Freddie Freeman and the Atlanta Braves at 8:00 PM (ET). Saturday's game is the opening game of the National League Championship Series. The Braves-Dodgers will be a best-of-seven series. The Braves-Dodgers NLCS series will be exclusively televised on TBS with Brian Anderson (Play-by-Play), Jeff Francouer (Analyst), Ron Darling (Analyst), and Lauren Shehadi (Reporter).
For a complete series-by-series breakdown of both LCS and daily game schedules, continue to read.
Mandatory credit for logos: https://www.sportslogos.net/
American League Championship Series:
(2) Houston Astros vs. (4) Boston Red Sox == Houston wins series, 4-2
. Game 1 - Friday, October 15th - Red Sox at Astros - FOX, 8 p.m. (ET) - Joe Buck, John Smoltz, Ken Rosenthal, Tom Verducci
. Game 2 - Saturday, October 16th - Red Sox at Astros - FOX/FS1, 4 p.m. (ET) - Joe Buck, John Smoltz, Ken Rosenthal, Tom Verducci
. Game 3 - Monday, October 18th - Astros at Red Sox - FS1, 8 p.m. (ET) - Joe Buck, John Smoltz, Ken Rosenthal, Tom Verducci
. Game 4 - Tuesday, October 19th - Astros at Red Sox - FS1, 8 p.m. (ET) - Joe Buck, John Smoltz, Ken Rosenthal, Tom Verducci
. Game 5 - Wednesday, October 20th - Astros at Red Sox - FS1, 5 p.m. (ET) - Joe Buck, John Smoltz, Ken Rosenthal, Tom Verducci
. Game 6 - Friday, October 22nd - Red Sox at Astros - FS1, 8 p.m. (ET) - Joe Buck, John Smoltz, Ken Rosenthal, Tom Verducci
. ** Game 7 (if nec) - Saturday, October 23rd - Red Sox at Astros - FOX/FS1, 8 p.m. (ET) - Joe Buck, John Smoltz, Ken Rosenthal, Tom Verducci
National League Championship Series:
(3) Atlanta Braves vs. (4) Los Angeles Dodgers == Atlanta wins series, 4-2
. Game 1 - Saturday, October 16th - Dodgers at Braves - TBS, 8 p.m. (ET) - Brian Anderson, Ron Darling, Jeff Francoeur, Lauren Shehadi
. Game 2 - Sunday, October 17th - Dodgers at Braves - TBS, 7:30 p.m. (ET) - Brian Anderson, Ron Darling, Jeff Francoeur, Lauren Shehadi
. Game 3 - Tuesday, October 19th - Braves at Dodgers - TBS, 5 p.m. (ET) - Brian Anderson, Ron Darling, Jeff Francoeur, Lauren Shehadi
. Game 4 - Wednesday, October 20th - Braves at Dodgers - TBS, 8 p.m. (ET) - Brian Anderson, Ron Darling, Jeff Francoeur, Lauren Shehadi
. Game 5 - Thursday, October 21st - Braves at Dodgers - TBS, 8 p.m. (ET) - Brian Anderson, Ron Darling, Jeff Francoeur, Lauren Shehadi
. Game 6 - Saturday, October 23rd - Dodgers at Braves - TBS, 8 p.m. (ET) - Brian Anderson, Ron Darling, Jeff Francoeur, Lauren Shehadi
2021 MLB Postseason: League Championship Series TV Schedule & Announcers
(Subject to Change; All Times ET)
* Friday, October 15th
. Game 1 - Red Sox at Astros - FOX, 8:00 PM (ET) - Joe Buck, John Smoltz, Ken Rosenthal, Tom Verducci
* Saturday, October 16th
. Game 2 - Red Sox at Astros - FOX | FS1, 4:00 PM (ET) - Joe Buck, John Smoltz, Ken Rosenthal, Tom Verducci
. Game 1 - Dodgers at Braves - TBS, 8:00 PM (ET) - Brian Anderson, Ron Darling, Jeff Francoeur, Lauren Shehadi
* Sunday, October 17th
. Game 2 - Dodgers at Braves - TBS, 7:30 PM (ET) - Brian Anderson, Ron Darling, Jeff Francoeur, Lauren Shehadi
* Monday, October 18th
. Game 3 - Astros at Red Sox - FS1, 8:00 PM (ET) - Joe Buck, John Smoltz, Ken Rosenthal, Tom Verducci
* Tuesday, October 19th
. Game 3 - Braves at Dodgers - TBS, 5:00 PM (ET) - Brian Anderson, Ron Darling, Jeff Francoeur, Lauren Shehadi
. Game 4 - Astros at Red Sox - FS1, 8:00 PM (ET) - Joe Buck, John Smoltz, Ken Rosenthal, Tom Verducci
* Wednesday, October 20th
. Game 5 - Astros at Red Sox - FS1, 5:00 PM (ET) - Joe Buck, John Smoltz, Ken Rosenthal, Tom Verducci
. Game 4 - Braves at Dodgers - TBS, 8:00 PM (ET) - Brian Anderson, Ron Darling, Jeff Francoeur, Lauren Shehadi
* Thursday, October 21st
. Game 5 - Braves at Dodgers - TBS, 8:00 PM (ET) - Brian Anderson, Ron Darling, Jeff Francouer, Lauren Shehadi
* Friday, October 22nd
. Game 6 - Red Sox at Astros - FS1, 8:00 PM (ET) - Joe Buck, John Smoltz, Ken Rosenthal, Tom Verducci
* Saturday, October 23rd
. Game 6 - Dodgers at Braves - TBS, 8:00 PM (ET) - Brian Anderson, Ron Darling, Jeff Francouer, Lauren Shehadi
