MLB Playoffs Pause Friday Before Guardians White Sox Game 5

The 2026 Major League Baseball postseason will resume Saturday, October 10, when the Cleveland Guardians host the Chicago White Sox in a decisive American League Division Series game in Cleveland. The teams are tied 2-2, and the winner will advance to face the Tampa Bay Rays in the American League Championship Series.

According to the schedule published by the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, no playoff games are scheduled for Friday, October 9, because both National League Division Series matchups ended after four games. The Milwaukee Brewers eliminated the San Diego Padres 3-1 in their series, while the Los Angeles Dodgers defeated the Atlanta Braves by the same series score.

Game 5 between Cleveland and Chicago is scheduled for 7 p.m. Central time at Progressive Field. TBS will broadcast the game, which will determine the final team to advance from the division series round.

The series has featured a notable home-field pattern, with the visiting team winning all four games, according to the published report. Cleveland and Chicago will meet for the deciding game after splitting the first four contests.

Chicago will start right-hander Sean Burke, who enters the game with an 11-7 record and a 3.34 earned-run average. Cleveland will counter with right-hander Gavin Williams, who has a 14-8 record and a 3.76 ERA.

Both pitchers appeared in Game 2 on Monday, October 5. Burke earned the win in Chicago's 4-3 victory after entering in the third inning and pitching 5 1/3 innings, allowing one hit and one run while striking out six batters.

Williams started that game for Cleveland and worked five innings. He struck out 11 batters and allowed two runs.

The Rays have already secured their place in the American League Championship Series after sweeping the New York Yankees 3-0. Tampa Bay is scheduled to host Game 1 against either Cleveland or Chicago on Monday, October 12, at Tropicana Field.

The National League Championship Series will also begin Sunday, October 11, when the Dodgers visit the Brewers for Game 1 at American Family Field. The game is scheduled for 7 p.m. Central time and sets up a rematch between the two teams that advanced from the National League Division Series.

The postseason uses a best-of-three format for the wild-card round, followed by best-of-five division series. Both championship series and the World Series use best-of-seven formats, according to the published playoff guide.

Three teams remain in the American League playoff field: the Rays, Guardians and White Sox. The National League field is down to the Brewers and Dodgers, with the championship series scheduled to begin before the American League matchup is finalized.