The 2026 American League Division Series (ALDS) is set, with four teams battling for two spots in the American League Championship Series.
This year’s ALDS features the Chicago White Sox vs. Cleveland Guardians and the New York Yankees vs. Tampa Bay Rays.
Both series are best-of-five, meaning the first team to win three games advances to the 2026 ALCS.
Here is the complete 2026 ALDS schedule, including dates, start times and where to watch.
2026 ALDS Matchups
The two American League Division Series matchups are:
No. 6 Chicago White Sox vs. No. 2 Cleveland Guardians
No. 4 New York Yankees vs. No. 1 Tampa Bay Rays
Cleveland and Tampa Bay hold home-field advantage in their respective series.
2026 ALDS Schedule
All times listed are Eastern Time (ET).
Saturday, October 3 — Game 1
Chicago White Sox at Cleveland Guardians
Time: 1:00 PM ET
TV: TBS/truTV
Streaming: HBO Max
New York Yankees at Tampa Bay Rays
Time: 6:30 PM ET
TV: TBS/truTV
Streaming: HBO Max
Monday, October 5 — Game 2
Chicago White Sox at Cleveland Guardians
Time: 5:00 PM ET
TV: TBS/truTV
Streaming: HBO Max
New York Yankees at Tampa Bay Rays
Time: 8:00 PM ET
TV: TBS/truTV
Streaming: HBO Max
Wednesday, October 7 — Game 3
Cleveland Guardians at Chicago White Sox
Time: 4:00 PM ET
TV: TBS/truTV
Streaming: HBO Max
Tampa Bay Rays at New York Yankees
Time: 8:00 PM ET
TV: TBS/truTV
Streaming: HBO Max
Thursday, October 8 — Game 4, If Necessary
Cleveland Guardians at Chicago White Sox
Time: 5:00 PM ET
TV: TBS/truTV
Streaming: HBO Max
Tampa Bay Rays at New York Yankees
Time: 8:00 PM ET
TV: TBS/truTV
Streaming: HBO Max
If only one ALDS Game 4 is necessary, that game will begin at 8:00 PM ET.
Saturday, October 10 — Game 5, If Necessary
Chicago White Sox at Cleveland Guardians
Time: 5:00 PM ET
TV: TBS/truTV
Streaming: HBO Max
New York Yankees at Tampa Bay Rays
Time: 8:00 PM ET
TV: TBS/truTV
Streaming: HBO Max
If only one ALDS Game 5 is necessary, it will begin at 8:00 PM ET.
Where to Watch the 2026 ALDS
The 2026 American League Division Series will be televised across TBS and truTV, with streaming available through HBO Max.
Spanish-language coverage is available on UniMas, while ESPN Radio provides national radio coverage of the MLB postseason.
How Does the ALDS Format Work?
Each ALDS is a best-of-five series, with the first team to win three games advancing to the American League Championship Series.
The home-field format is:
Games 1-2: Higher seed hosts
Games 3-4: Lower seed hosts
Game 5: Higher seed hosts
Games 4 and 5 are played only if necessary.
That means the Guardians would host a deciding Game 5 against the White Sox, while the Rays would host a deciding Game 5 against the Yankees.
White Sox vs. Guardians ALDS
The AL Central rivals will meet in the postseason for the first time.
Chicago advanced by sweeping the Houston Astros in the Wild Card Series, earning a matchup against Cleveland. The White Sox also narrowly won the 2026 regular-season series against the Guardians, seven games to six.
The first two games will be played in Cleveland before the series shifts to Chicago for Games 3 and, if necessary, 4.
Yankees vs. Rays ALDS
The Yankees advanced by sweeping the Boston Red Sox in the Wild Card Series and will now face the top-seeded Rays.
Tampa Bay won seven of 13 regular-season meetings against New York in 2026.
The teams have previously met in the postseason. Tampa Bay defeated New York in five games during the 2020 ALDS.
When Does the 2026 ALCS Begin?
The winners of White Sox-Guardians and Yankees-Rays will advance to the 2026 American League Championship Series.
The ALCS uses a best-of-seven format, with the winner becoming American League champion and advancing to the 2026 World Series.
2026 ALDS Schedule at a Glance
Game 1: Saturday, October 3
Game 2: Monday, October 5
Game 3: Wednesday, October 7
Game 4: Thursday, October 8, if necessary
Game 5: Saturday, October 10, if necessary
The White Sox vs. Guardians and Yankees vs. Rays series will determine which two American League clubs move on to the ALCS and continue their pursuit of the 2026 World Series championship.