Postseason baseball: World Series to be held at one venue for first time since 1944

This browser does not support the video element.

For the first time in 76 years, the World Series will be played at one venue. Only this time, the two teams may not be from the same city.

For the first time in the history of the Fall Classic, the Series will be held at a neutral site, Major League Baseball announced Tuesday. The best-of-seven series will be held at Globe Life Field in Arlington, Texas. Game 1 of the 116th World Series is scheduled for Oct. 20. If the series goes the distance, Game 7 would be played Oct. 28.

The last time two teams met at the same venue for the World Series was 1944, when the St. Louis Cardinals defeated the crosstown St. Louis Browns in what was called the “Trolley Series.” The Cardinals won the Series in six games, clinching their second title in three years with a 3-1 victory against the Browns on Oct. 9, 1944. It was the only time the Browns (now the Baltimore Orioles) had been to the World Series while in St. Louis.

The Polo Grounds in New York hosted all of the World Series games between the Giants and Yankees. The Giants won both series.

The only other times teams from the same city competed in the World Series were in 1906, when the Chicago White Sox defeated the Chicago Cubs in six games; and in 2000, when the New York Yankees defeated the New York Mets in five games. Games those years were played at each team’s respective parks.

“In the view of our infectious disease experts, the biggest risk of exposure for players and staff is contact with family members and friends who have been exposed to COVID-19 in their communities,” deputy commissioner Dan Halem wrote in a memo sent to teams Monday night. “Nearly all of the positive test results that have been reported for players and staff in the last month can be traced back to contact with an infected family member, domestic partner, or friend outside of club facilities.”

The postseason will begin with a best-of-three wild-card series, which will be hosted by the top four seeds in each league. Those games will begin in the American League on Sept. 29, with the National League series to start the following day.

The American League Division Series will be played in Los Angeles and San Diego, while the National League Division Series will be played in Arlington and Houston. The best-of-seven League Championship Series will begin Oct. 11 in the AL, with the NL series beginning the next day

San Diego will host the ALCS, while Arlington will host the NLCS.

Off days were eliminated for the Division Series and League Championship Series, MLB.com reported.

ESPN Radio will provide live national coverage of all 2020 MLB postseason games.


Postseason schedule

WILD CARD SERIES

ESPN and TBS

Best-of-three (Italics indicate “if necessary”)

Hosted by each league’s top four seeds (Seeds in parentheses)

Tuesday, Sept. 29

AL Wild Card Series A (1/8) Game 1

AL Wild Card Series B (2/7) Game 1

AL Wild Card Series C (3/6) Game 1

AL Wild Card Series D (4/5) Game 1

Wednesday, Sept. 30

AL Wild Card Series A (1/8) Game 2

AL Wild Card Series B (2/7) Game 2

AL Wild Card Series C (3/6) Game 2

AL Wild Card Series D (4/5) Game 2

NL Wild Card Series A (1/8) Game 1

NL Wild Card Series B (2/7) Game 1

NL Wild Card Series C (3/6) Game 1

NL Wild Card Series D (4/5) Game 1

Thursday, Oct. 1

AL Wild Card Series A (1/8) Game 3

AL Wild Card Series B (2/7) Game 3

AL Wild Card Series C (3/6) Game 3

AL Wild Card Series D (4/5) Game 3

NL Wild Card Series A (1/8) Game 2

NL Wild Card Series B (2/7) Game 2

NL Wild Card Series C (3/6) Game 2

NL Wild Card Series D (4/5) Game 2

Friday, Oct. 2

NL Wild Card Series A (1/8) Game 3

NL Wild Card Series B (2/7) Game 3

NL Wild Card Series C (3/6) Game 3

NL Wild Card Series D (4/5) Game 3

DIVISION SERIES

Best-of-five (Italics indicate “if necessary”)

ALDS in San Diego and Los Angeles; NLDS in Arlington and Houston

Monday, Oct. 5

AL Division Series A Game 1, San Diego (1/8 vs. 4/5 winners), TBS

AL Division Series B Game 1, Los Angeles (2/7 vs. 3/6 winners), TBS

Tuesday, Oct. 6

AL Division Series A Game 2, San Diego (1/8 vs 4/5 winners), TBS

AL Division Series B Game 2, Los Angeles (2/7 vs. 3/6 winners), TBS

NL Division Series A Game 1, Arlington (1/8 vs. 4/5 winners), FS1 or MLBN

NL Division Series B Game 1, Houston (2/7 vs. 3/6 winners), FS1 or MLBN

Wednesday, Oct. 7

AL Division Series A Game 3, San Diego (1/8 vs 4/5 winners), TBS

AL Division Series B Game 3, Los Angeles (2/7 vs. 3/6 winners), TBS

NL Division Series A Game 2, Arlington (1/8 vs. 4/5 winners), FS1 or MLBN

NL Division Series B Game 2, Houston (2/7 vs. 3/6 winners), FS1 or MLBN

Thursday, Oct. 8

AL Division Series A Game 4, San Diego (1/8 vs 4/5 winners), TBS

AL Division Series B Game 4, Los Angeles (2/7 vs. 3/6 winners), TBS

NL Division Series A Game 3, Arlington (1/8 vs. 4/5 winners), FS1 or MLBN

NL Division Series B Game 3, Houston (2/7 vs. 3/6 winners), FS1 or MLBN

Friday, Oct. 9

AL Division Series A Game 5, San Diego (1/8 vs 4/5 winners), TBS

AL Division Series B Game 5, Los Angeles (2/7 vs. 3/6 winners), TBS

NL Division Series A Game 4, Arlington (1/8 vs. 4/5 winners), FS1

NL Division Series B Game 4, Houston (2/7 vs. 3/6 winners), FS1

Saturday, Oct. 10

NL Division Series A Game 5, Arlington (1/8 vs. 4/5 winners), FS1

NL Division Series B Game 5, Houston (2/7 vs. 3/6 winners), FS1

LEAGUE CHAMPIONSHIP SERIES

Best-of-seven (Italics indicate “if necessary”)

ALCS in San Diego; NLCS in Arlington

Sunday, Oct. 11

ALCS Game 1, San Diego, TBS

Monday, Oct. 12

ALCS, Game 2, San Diego, TBS

NLCS Game 1, Arlington, Fox or FS1

Tuesday, Oct. 13

ALCS Game 3, San Diego, TBS

NLCS Game 2, Arlington, Fox or FS1

Wednesday, Oct. 14

ALCS Game 4, San Diego, TBS

NLCS Game 3, Arlington, Fox or FS1

Thursday, Oct. 15

ALCS Game 5, San Diego, TBS

NLCS, Game 4, Arlington, Fox or FS1

Friday, Oct. 16

ALCS Game 6, San Diego, TBS

NLCS, Game 5, Arlington, Fox or FS1

Saturday, Oct. 17

ALCS Game 7, San Diego, TBS

NLCS Game 6, Arlington, Fox or FS1

Sunday, Oct. 18

NLCS Game 7, Arlington, Fox or FS1

THE 116th WORLD SERIES

Best-of-seven (Italics below indicate “if necessary”)

Globe Life Field, Arlington, Texas

Tuesday, Oct. 20 -- World Series Game 1, Arlington, Fox

Wednesday, Oct. 21 -- World Series Game 2, Arlington, Fox

Thursday, Oct. 22 -- OFF-DAY

Friday, Oct. 23 -- World Series Game 3, Arlington, Fox

Saturday, Oct. 24 -- World Series Game 4, Arlington, Fox

Sunday, Oct. 25 -- World Series Game 5, Arlington, Fox

Monday, Oct. 26 -- OFF-DAY

Tuesday, Oct. 27 -- World Series Game 6, Arlington, Fox

Wednesday, Oct. 28 -- World Series, Game 7, Arlington, Fox