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MIAMI, Oct. 7 (UPI) -- The start of the 2022 MLB postseason is on deck, with a dozen games set to take place as part the Wild Card rounds. The start of the NHL season also will headline the slate of weekend sports events. The final weekend of the MLS regular season, golf tournaments from the PGA Tour and LIV Golf series and more than 100 NFL and college football games also will entertain sports fans from Friday through Sunday.
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Auto racing fans also can tune in Sunday for Formula 1's Japanese Grand Prix and NASCAR's Cup Series playoffs.
But early October means postseason for America's favorite pastime as a dozen teams fill MLB's playoff bracket. The first pitch for the 2022 postseason is set for 12:07 p.m. EDT Friday, when the Cleveland Guardians host the Tampa Bay Rays in Game 1 of an American League face-off.
"We are excited to play," Guardians manager Terry Francona told reporters Wednesday. "You know you are going to play somebody good, so go play and see what happens."
The Guardians-Rays opener will air on ESPN. Additional postseason games will air on the same network, as well as on ABC, ESPN2, Fox, FS1, TBS and on MLB.TV.
Each of the eight Wild Card teams will play in best-of-three game series, with the four winners advancing to the National League Division Series and American League Division Series, which start next week.
The respective American League and National League Championship Series will be best-of-seven game format and will start Oct 18. The best-of-seven World Series is scheduled to start Oct. 28 and could run through early November.
The Los Angeles Dodgers are the favorites to claim the title. They won an MLB-best 111 games and are the top seed in the National League. The Houston Astros, who won an American League-best 106 games, and own the second-best odds to claim the Commissioner's Trophy.
The reigning champion Atlanta Braves, New York Yankees and New York Mets are among the Top 5 favorites to win the World Series.
The St. Louis Cardinals will host the Philadelphia Phillies in Game 1 of a National League Wild Card series at 2:07 p.m. EDT Friday on ABC. The Seattle Mariners will battle the Toronto Blue Jays at 4:07 p.m. on ESPN. The New York Mets will then host the San Diego Padres at 8:07 p.m. on ESPN in Friday's nightcap.
Those series will continue Saturday and Sunday in the same Stadiums.
The Dodgers and Braves each received first-round byes, as the top seeds in the National League. The Astros and Yankees earned the right to sit out in the first round of the American League circuit.
The Dodgers will battle the Mets or Padres in the NLDS. The Braves will meet the Phillies or Cardinals in the second round. The Astros will face the Mariners or Blue Jays in the ALDS. The Yankees will battle the Rays or Guardians in the second round.
Weekend schedule (all times EDT)
Friday
Golf
LIV Golf Bangkok: First round at 3 a.m. on DAZN, LIVGolf.com, YouTube and Facebook
PGA Tour: Shriners Open: Second round from 5 to 8 p.m. on Golf Channel
MLB playoffs
Rays at Guardians at 12:07 p.m. on ESPN
Phillies at Cardinals at 2:07 p.m. on ABC
Mariners at Blue Jays at 4:07 p.m. on ESPN
Padres at Mets at 8:07 p.m. on ESPN
NHL
San Jose at Nashville at 2 p.m. on NHL Network
Buffalo at Pittsburgh at 7 p.m. on ESPN+
Toronto at Detroit at 7:30 p.m. on NHL Network
Seattle at Edmonton at 9 p.m. on ESPN+
Soccer
Women's friendly: USWNT vs. England at 3 p.m. on fox
College football
Nebraska at Rutgers at 7 p.m. on FS1
Houston at Memphis at 7:30 p.m. on ESPN2
Colorado State at Nevada at 10:30 p.m. on FS1
Saturday
Golf
LIV Golf Bangkok: Second round at 3 a.m. on DAZN, LIVGolf.com, YouTube and Facebook
PGA Tour: Shriners Open: Third round from 5 to 8 p.m. on Golf Channel
Soccer
Serie A: Inter Milan at Sassuolo at 9 a.m. on Paramount+
Premier League: Wolves at Chelsea at 10 a.m. on Peacock
Premier League: Southampton at Manchester City at 10 a.m. on Peacock
La Liga: Girona at Atletico at 10:15 a.m. on ESPN Deportes
Premier League: Spurs at Brighton at 12:30 p.m. on NBC
Bundesliga: Bayern Munich at Borussia Dortmund at 12:30 p.m. on ESPN+
La Liga: Real Madrid at Getafe at 3 p.m. on ESPN3
Ligue 1: PSG at Stade de Reims at 3 p.m. on beIN Sports
College football
Michigan at Indiana at noon on Fox
Tennessee at LSU at noon on ESPN
TCU at Kansas at noon on FS1
Arkansas at Mississippi State at noon on SEC Network
Texas at Oklahoma at noon on ABC
Missouri at Florida at noon on ESPNU
South Florida at Cincinnati at 2:30 p.m. on ESPN+
Auburn at Georgia at 3:30 p.m,. on CBS
Texas Tech at Oklahoma State at 3:30 p.m. on FS1
Utah at UCLA at 3:30 p.m. on Fox
Ohio State at Michigan State at 4 p.m. on ABC
Ole Miss at Vanderbilt at 4 p.m. on SEC Network
Washington at Arizona State at 4 p.m. on Pac-12 network
North Carolina at Miami at 4 p.m. on ESPN2
Air Force at Utah State at 7 p.m. on FS1
Clemson at Boston College at 7:30 p.m. on ABC
Washington State at USC at 7:30 p.m. on Fox
South Carolina at Kentucky at 7:30 p.m. on SEC Network
Army at Wake Forest at 7:30 p.m. on ESPN3
BYU at Notre Dame at 7:30 p.m. on NBC
Kansas State at Iowa State at 7:30 p.m. on ESPNU
Texas A&M at Alabama at 8 p.m. on CBS
Florida State at N.C. State at 8 p.m. on ACC Network
Oregon at Arizona at 9 p.m. on Pac-12 Network
Fresno State at Boise State at 9:45 p.m. on FS1
Oregon State at Stanford at 11 p.m. on ESPN
MLB playoffs
Rays at Guardians at 12:07 p.m. on ESPN2
Mariners at Blue Jays at 4:07 p.m. on ESPN
Padres at Mets at 7:37 p.m. on ESPN
Phillies at Cardinals at 8:37 p.m. on ESPN2
NHL
Nashville at San Jose at 2 p.m. on NHL Network
Anaheim at Los Angeles at 4 p.m. on ESPN+
Dallas at Minnesota at 6 p.m. on NHL Network
New York Rangers at New York Islanders at 7 p.m. on ESPN+
Detroit at Toronto at 7 p.m. on ESPN+
New Jersey at Boston at 7 p.m. on ESPN+
Columbus at Washington at 7 p.m. on ESPN+
Arizona at Vegas at 8 p.m. on ESPN+
Sunday
Formula 1
Japanese Grand Prix at 12:55 a.m. on ESPN2
Golf
LIV Golf Bangkok: Final round at 3 a.m. on DAZN, LIVGolf.com, YouTube and Facebook
PGA Tour: Shriners Open: Final round from 5 to 8 p.m. on Golf Channel
Soccer
Premier League: Liverpool at Arsenal at 11:30 a.m. on USA Network
Premier League: Manchester United at Everton at 2 p.m. on USA Network
MLS: NYCFC at Atlanta at 2:30 p.m. on ESPN+
MLS: New England at Chicago at 2:30 p.m. on ESPN+
MLS: Cincinnati at DC United at 2:30 p.m. on ESPN+
MLS: Montreal at Miami at 2:30 p.m. on ESPN+
MLS: Charlotte at New York Red Bulls at 2:30 p.m. on ESPN+
MLS: Columbus at Orlando at 2:30 p.m. on ESPN+
MLS: Toronto at Philadelphia at 2:30 p.m. on ESPN+
La Liga: Celta Vigo at Barcelona at 3 p.m. on ESPN3
MLS: Colorado at Austin at 5 p.m. on ESPN+
MLS: Kansas City at Dallas at 5 p.m. on ESPN+
MLS: Nashville at LAFC at 5 p.m. on ESPN+
MLS: Vancouver at Minnesota at 5 p.m. on ESPN+
MLS: Portland at Real Salt Lake at 5 p.m. on ESPN2
MLS: San Jose at Seattle at 5 p.m. on ESPN+
NFL
Giants at Packers at 9:30 a.m. on NFL Network
Steelers at Bills at 1 p.m. on CBS
Chargers at Browns at 1 p.m. on CBS
Texans at Jaguars at 1 p.m. on CBS
Bears at Vikings at 1 p.m. on Fox
Lions at Patriots at 1 p.m. on Fox
Seahawks at Saints at 1 p.m. on Fox
Dolphins at Jets at 1 p.m. on CBS
Falcons at Buccaneers at 1 p.m. on Fox
Titans at Commanders at 1 p.m. on CBS
49ers at Panthers at 4:05 p.m. on CBS
Eagles at Cardinals at 4:25 p.m. on Fox
Cowboys at Rams at 4:25 p.m. on Fox
Bengals at Ravens at 8:20 p.m. on NBC
NASCAR
Cup Series Bank of America Roval 400 at 2 p.m. on NBC
MLB playoffs
Mariners at Blue Jays (if necessary) at 2:07 p.m. on ABC
Rays at Guardians (if necessary) at 4:07 p.m. on ESPN
Padres at Mets (if necessary) at 7:37 p.m. on ESPN
Phillies at Cardinals (if necessary) at 8:38 p.m. on ESPN2
