The two teams in the NL wild card could not have arrived in the postseason any differently.
The Dodgers entered the season as preseason World Series favorites as reigning champions, and with a stacked team. They found themselves trailing the Giants in the NL West standings most of the season, and were confirmed for the wild card game on game 162, when the Giants clinched the division. They enter the postseason with the second-most wins in baseball at 106.
The Cardinals, on the other hand, seemed to be out of the postseason picture. On Sept. 7, Fangraphs gave them a 2.8 percent chance of reaching the playoffs. Then the Cardinals won 17 straight games and wound up running away with the second wild card spot.
MORE: 2021 MLB playoff bracket
These teams do have one thing in common: old starting pitchers. The Cardinals are starting 40-year-old veteran Adam Wainwright, who finished his first full season by closing the series-clinching games in the 2006 World Series. He has had a major resurgence over the past two seasons, as he had a 3.15 ERA in 2020 and a 3.05 ERA in 2021, the first two seasons he has had full season ERAs below 4.00 since 2014.
Los Angeles will turn to 37-year-old Max Scherzer, who has made himself a Cy Young front-runner since he was acquired midseason from the Nationals. He has a 2.46 ERA in 179.1 innings this season, including a 1.98 mark in 68.1 innings since he joined the Dodgers.
What channel is Cardinals vs. Dodgers on today?
- TV channel: TBS
- Live stream: TBS App
TBS will begin its coverage of the National League playoffs with the NL wild card game. Brian Anderson, Ron Darling, Jeff Francoeur and Lauren Shehadi will be on the call for the game. Those looking to stream it can find the game on the TBS app.
In Canada, all postseason games are available on Sportsnet and SN1.
FAGAN: Albert Pujols vs. Cardinals in NL wild-card game is beautiful October drama
Cardinals vs. Dodgers start time
- Date: Wednesday, Oct. 6
- First pitch: 8:10 p.m. ET | 5:10 p.m. PT
First pitch for Cardinals vs. Dodgers is scheduled for 8:10 p.m. ET on Wednesday, Oct. 6.
MLB playoff schedule 2021
National League
Wild card
| Date | Game | Start time | TV channel |
| Wednesday, Oct. 6 | Cardinals @ Dodgers | 8:10 p.m. | TBS |
Division Series
TBS will handle the broadcast for all NLDS games in both series.
| Date | Game | Start time | TV channel |
| Friday, Oct. 8 | TBD @ Giants, Game 1 | TBD | TBS |
| Friday, Oct. 8 | Braves @ Brewers, Game 1 | TBD | TBS |
| Saturday, Oct. 9 | TBD @ Giants, Game 2 | TBD | TBS |
| Saturday, Oct. 9 | Braves @ Brewers, Game 2 | TBD | TBS |
| Monday, Oct. 11 | Giants @ TBD, Game 3 | TBD | TBS |
| Monday, Oct. 11 | Brewers @ Braves, Game 3 | TBD | TBS |
| Tuesday, Oct. 12 | Giants @ TBD, Game 4* | TBD | TBS |
| Tuesday, Oct. 12 | Brewers @ Braves, Game 4* | TBD | TBS |
| Thursday, Oct. 14 | TBD @ Giants, Game 5* | TBD | TBS |
| Thursday, Oct. 14 | Braves @ Brewers, Game 5* | TBD | TBS |
*If necessary
Championship Series
TBS will continue its National League playoff coverage with coverage of every NLCS game.
| Date | Game | Start time | TV channel |
| Saturday, Oct. 16 | TBD @ TBD, Game 1 | TBD | TBS |
| Sunday, Oct. 17 | TBD @ TBD, Game 2 | TBD | TBS |
| Tuesday, Oct. 19 | TBD @ TBD, Game 3 | TBD | TBS |
| Wednesday, Oct. 20 | TBD @ TBD, Game 4 | TBD | TBS |
| Thursday, Oct. 21 | TBD @ TBD, Game 5* | TBD | TBS |
| Saturday, Oct. 23 | TBD @ TBD, Game 6* | TBD | TBS |
| Sunday, Oct. 24 | TBD @ TBD, Game 7* | TBD | TBS |
*If necessary
American League
Wild card
| Date | Game | Start time | TV channel |
| Tuesday, Oct. 5 | Yankees @ Red Sox | 8:08 p.m. | ESPN |
Division Series
MLB Network and FS1 will carry all the ALDS games, until potential Game 5s, which would be broadcast exclusively on FS1.
| Date | Game | Start time | TV channel |
| Thursday, Oct. 7 | TBD @ Rays, Game 1 | TBD | MLB Network/FS1 |
| Thursday, Oct. 7 | White Sox @ Astros, Game 1 | TBD | MLB Network/FS1 |
| Friday, Oct. 8 | TBD @ Rays, Game 2 | TBD | MLB Network/FS1 |
| Friday, Oct. 8 | White Sox @ Astros, Game 2 | TBD | MLB Network/FS1 |
| Sunday, Oct. 10 | Rays @ TBD, Game 3 | TBD | MLB Network/FS1 |
| Sunday, Oct. 10 | Astros @ White Sox, Game 3 | TBD | MLB Network/FS1 |
| Monday, Oct. 11 | Rays @ TBD, Game 4* | TBD | MLB Network/FS1 |
| Monday, Oct. 11 | Astros @ White Sox, Game 4* | TBD | MLB Network/FS1 |
| Wednesday, Oct. 13 | TBD @ Rays, Game 5* | TBD | FS1 |
| Wednesday, Oct. 13 | White Sox @ Astros, Game 5* | TBD | FS1 |
*If necessary
Championship Series
FOX and FS1 will split coverage of the ALCS.
| Date | Game | Start time | TV channel |
| Friday, Oct. 15 | TBD @ TBD, Game 1 | TBD | FOX |
| Saturday, Oct. 16 | TBD @ TBD, Game 2 | TBD | FOX |
| Monday, Oct. 18 | TBD @ TBD, Game 3 | TBD | FOX/FS1 |
| Tuesday, Oct. 19 | TBD @ TBD, Game 4 | TBD | FS1 |
| Wednesday, Oct. 20 | TBD @ TBD, Game 5* | TBD | FS1 |
| Friday, Oct. 22 | TBD @ TBD, Game 6* | TBD | FS1 |
| Saturday, Oct. 23 | TBD @ TBD, Game 7* | TBD | FOX/FS1 |
*If necessary
World Series schedule
Every World Series game will be on FOX.
| Date | Game | Start time | TV channel |
| Tuesday, Oct. 26 | TBD @ TBD, Game 1 | TBD | FOX |
| Wednesday, Oct. 27 | TBD @ TBD, Game 2 | TBD | FOX |
| Friday, Oct. 29 | TBD @ TBD, Game 3 | TBD | FOX |
| Saturday, Oct. 30 | TBD @ TBD, Game 4 | TBD | FOX |
| Sunday, Oct. 31 | TBD @ TBD, Game 5* | TBD | FOX |
| Tuesday, Nov. 2 | TBD @ TBD, Game 6* | TBD | FOX |
| Wednesday, Nov. 3 | TBD @ TBD, Game 7* | TBD | FOX |
*If necessary
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