MLB announces start times for potential tiebreaker games and 2013 Wild Card Games presented by Budweiser
Major League Baseball today announced the start times for potential Tiebreaker games to be played on Monday, September 30th and Tuesday October 1st, as well as the start times for the 2013 Wild Card Games presented by Budweiser, all of which will be exclusively telecast on TBS. The National League Wild Card Game will launch the 2013 Postseason on Tuesday, October 1st at 8:07 p.m. (ET) on TBS, while the American League Wild Card Game will be played the following night on Wednesday, October 2nd at 8:07 p.m. (ET) on TBS.
The N.L. matchup is assured of featuring the host Pittsburgh Pirates against their Central Division-rival Cincinnati Reds. The Pirates clinched home-field advantage in the Wild Card Game after their 8-3 victory over the Reds this afternoon.
In the A.L., the Cleveland Indians (91-70) are now atop the Wild Card standings, while the Texas Rangers (90-71) and the Tampa Bay Rays (90-71) are tied for the second Wild Card berth.
Following Sunday's scheduled close to the regular season, any necessary A.L. Tiebreaker games would be broadcast exclusively by TBS.
In the event of a two-way tie between the Rangers and Rays for the second Wild Card berth, the Tiebreaker game will be played on Monday at 8:07 p.m. (ET). Texas holds the tiebreaker over Tampa Bay because of its 4-3 edge in the season series; thus, the Rangers would host a Tiebreaker game against the Rays for the second Wild Card berth should it be necessary after the conclusion of Sunday's games.
In the event of a three-way tie for both Wild Card spots, the first Tiebreaker game, which would feature the Indians hosting the Rays, will be played on Monday at 4:07 p.m. (ET). The winner of Monday's game would earn a Wild Card berth. The second Tiebreaker game, which would feature the Rangers hosting the loser of Monday's game, will be played on Tuesday at 4:07 p.m. (ET)/3:07 p.m. (CT). The winner of Tuesday's game would earn the other Wild Card berth. Home-field advantage in the Wild Card Game would be determined by the winner of the head-to-head season series.
Other potential home-field advantage tiebreakers would be determined by the following head-to-head season records:
* TB over CLE, 4-2.
* CLE over TEX, 5-1.
ESPN Radio will provide live national coverage of all 2013 MLB Postseason games, including the Wild Card Games.