2022 MLB Postseason: Wild Card Series Television Schedule and Announcers

Caption: The 2022 MLB Postseason logo. | Photo credit: SportsLogos.Net News

* The Postseason is about to Begin: 2022 MLB Postseason to begin on Friday, Oct. 7 with the best-of-three Wild Card Series

* Where to Find Coverage: ESPN, ESPN2 or ABC to provide coverage of all four Wild Card Series

* Welcome Back, Mariners & Phillies to the Postseason!!!: The Seattle Mariners and Philadelphia Phillies return to postseason play following a 21-year and 11-year postseason absence, respectively

The 2022 MLB Postseason is officially upon us! This season marks the first time that 12 teams will be participating in the postseason play, following MLB's postseason expansion from 10 teams to 12 teams.

The postseason will kick off with the first-ever Wild Card Series. The Wild Card Series is an expansion of the Wild Card postseason round, which started a decade ago back in 2012. The Wild Card Series is a best-of-three series pitting the Wild Card winners against each other one series (4 vs. 5) or pitting one Wild Card card team against a division winner in another series (3 vs. 6). In the Wild Card Series round, the top two teams in each league will automatically advance to the Division Series to face off with the Wild Card winners.

The Wild Card Series will begin on Friday, October 7 at 12:00 p.m. (ET), as ESPN will provide live coverage of Game 1 of the American League Wild Card Series from Cleveland. This American League Wild Card Series has the #6 seed Tampa Bay Rays taking on the #3 seed, the American League Central champions Cleveland Guardians from Cleveland. Jon "Boog" Sciambi will serve as the play-by-play announcer, alongside analyst Doug Glanville and field reporter Jesse Rogers.

Friday's Wild Card Series coverage continues at 2:00 p.m. (ET) on ABC with Game 1 of the National League Wild Card Series from St. Louis. This particular National League Wild Card Series features the #6 seed Philadelphia Phillies and Bryce Harper - making their first playoff appearance since 2011 - vs. the #3 seed, the National League Central Champion St. Louis Cardinals and Albert Pujols. Michael Kay will perform play-by-play duties, joined in the booth by analyst Alex Rodriguez. Field reporter Alden Gonzalez rounds out the broadcast team.

Later in the day, ESPN returns with live coverage of Friday's last two Wild Card Series series openers. 

The 4:00 p.m. (ET) telecast on ESPN is Game 1 of the American League Wild Card Series from Toronto as the #5 seed Seattle Mariners and rookie sensation Julio Rodriguez return back to the postseason for the first time since 2001, ending MLB's longest postseason drought, visit Vladimir Guerrero Jr. and #4 seed Toronto Blue Jays. Play-by-play commentator Dave Flemming, analysts Jessica Mendoza and Tim Kurkjian, and field reporter Coley Harvey will perform commentary.  

The nightcap at 8:00 p.m. (ET) on ESPN is Game 1 of the National League Wild Card Series from Queens, New York as Manny Machado and the #5 seed San Diego Padres battle Francisco Lindor and the #4 seed New York Mets. The Sunday Night Baseball broadcast team of Karl Ravech (play-by-play), Eduardo Perez (analyst), David Cone (analyst) & Buster Olney (reporter) will call the action.

The Wild Card Series will continue on Saturday with Game 2's and if necessary, Sunday, with Game 3's. ESPN, ESPN2 or ABC will televise each and every single Wild Card Series game.

Read on below for more information about this weekend's Wild Card Series matchups.

NOTE: All MLB logos that you see on this page (article) are courtesy of SportsLogos.Net.

• 2022 MLB Postseason: Wild Card Series Breakdown (Series-by-Series)

American League:

* (6) Tampa Bay Rays vs. (3) Cleveland Guardians == Cleveland wins series, 2-0 [TB-CLE series winner to play #2 seed NYY in ALDS]

. Game 1 - Friday, October 7 - Rays at Guardians - ESPN, 12:00 p.m. (ET) - Jon Sciambi, Doug Glanville, Jesse Rogers

. Game 2 - Saturday, October 8 - Rays at Guardians - ESPN2, 12:00 p.m. (ET) - Jon Sciambi, Doug Glanville, Jesse Rogers

. Game 3 (if nec.) - Sunday, October 9 - Rays at Guardians - ESPN, 4:00 p.m. (ET) - Jon Sciambi, Doug Glanville, Jesse Rogers

* (5) Seattle Mariners vs. (4) Toronto Blue Jays == Seattle wins series, 2-0 [SEA-TOR series winner to play #1 seed HOU in ALDS]

. Game 1 - Friday, October 7 - Mariners at Blue Jays - ESPN, 4:00 p.m. (ET) - Dave Flemming, Jessica Mendoza, Tim Kurkjian, Coley Harvey

. Game 2 - Saturday, October 8 - Mariners at Blue Jays - ESPN, 4:00 p.m. (ET) - Dave Flemming, Jessica Mendoza, Tim Kurkjian, Coley Harvey

. Game 3 (if nec.) - Sunday, October 9 - Mariners at Blue Jays - ABC, 2:00 p.m. (ET) - Dave Flemming, Jessica Mendoza, Tim Kurkjian, Coley Harvey

National League:

* (6) Philadelphia Phillies vs. (3) St. Louis Cardinals == Philadelphia wins series, 2-0 [PHI-STL series winner to play #2 seed ATL in NLDS]

. Game 1 - Friday, October 7 - Phillies at Cardinals - ABC, 2:00 p.m. (ET) - Michael Kay, Alex Rodriguez, Alden Gonzalez

. Game 2 - Saturday, October 8 - Phillies at Cardinals - ESPN2, 8:30 p.m. (ET) - Michael Kay, Alex Rodriguez, Alden Gonzalez

. Game 3 (if nec.) - Sunday, October 9 - Phillies at Cardinals - ESPN2, 8:30 p.m. (ET) - Michael Kay, Alex Rodriguez, Alden Gonzalez

* (5) San Diego Padres vs. (4) New York Mets == San Diego wins series, 2-1 [SD-NYM series winner to play #1 seed LAD in NLDS]

 

. Game 1 - Friday, October 7 - Padres at Mets - ESPN, 8:00 p.m. (ET) - Karl Ravech, Eduardo Perez, David Cone, Buster Olney

. Game 2 - Saturday, October 8 - Padres at Mets - ESPN, 7:30 p.m. (ET) - Karl Ravech, Eduardo Perez, David Cone, Buster Olney

. Game 3 - Sunday, October 9 - Padres at Mets - ESPN, 7:00 p.m. (ET) - Karl Ravech, Eduardo Perez, David Cone, Buster Olney

• 2022 MLB Postseason: Wild Card Series Television Schedule (Day-by-Day)

* Friday, October 7th

. Game 1 - Rays at Guardians - ESPN, 12:00 p.m. (ET) - Jon Sciambi, Doug Glanville, Jesse Rogers

. Game 1 - Phillies at Cardinals - ABC, 2:00 p.m. (ET) - Michael Kay, Alex Rodriguez, Alden Gonzalez

. Game 1 - Mariners at Blue Jays - ESPN, 4:00 p.m. (ET) - Dave Flemming, Jessica Mendoza, Tim Kurkjian, Coley Harvey

. Game 1 - Padres at Mets - ESPN, 8:00 p.m. (ET) - Karl Ravech, Eduardo Perez, David Cone, Buster Olney

* Saturday, October 8th

. Game 2 - Rays at Guardians - ESPN2, 12:00 p.m. (ET) - Jon Sciambi, Doug Glanville, Jesse Rogers

. Game 2 - Mariners at Blue Jays - ESPN, 4:00 p.m. (ET) - Dave Flemming, Jessica Mendoza, Tim Kurkjian, Coley Harvey

. Game 2 - Padres at Mets - ESPN, 7:30 p.m. (ET) - Karl Ravech, Eduardo Perez, David Cone, Buster Olney

. Game 2 - Phillies at Cardinals - ESPN2, 8:30 p.m. (ET) - Michael Kay, Alex Rodriguez, Alden Gonzalez

* Sunday, October 9th

. Game 3 - Padres at Mets - ESPN, 7:00 p.m. (ET) - Karl Ravech, Eduardo Perez, David Cone, Buster Olney

Source(s): MLB