If you are new to the Braves Bandwagon, we have one question.
Where have you been?
We kid.
The Braves clinched the National League East for the sixth consecutive year Wednesday. It’s the earliest in the season the Braves have clinched in their current run and the second-earliest ever, which includes the run of 14 consecutive division titles from 1991-2005 and 23 division titles overall.
Here’s what you need to know as the Braves finish the regular season and head into the playoffs with the hopes of winning another World Series, as they did in 1995 and 2021.
End of the regular season: The Braves, who are off Thursday, giving them an extra day to celebrate their division championship, won in Philadelphia. It was the Phillies, as you may recall, who ousted the Braves from the playoffs last season in the Division Series. We hold a grudge. They begin a series at the Marlins on Friday. They end the season with three home games against the Phillies, four road games at the Nationals and a six-game homestand against the Cubs and Nationals. The last day of the regular season is Oct. 1.
Start of the playoffs: The Braves will begin the playoffs at home Oct. 7 in the NL Division Series. They will play the to-be-determined winner of a best-of-three wild-card series, which begins Oct. 3. They currently are the No. 1 seed with the best record in baseball. If all stays the same, they will have home-field advantage throughout the NL playoffs and the World Series. The biggest competition for the best record in baseball are the American League’s Orioles.
Opening matchup: As it currently stands, the Braves would play the winner of a wild-card series between the Phillies and the Cubs in a best-of-five series. Those teams currently are the No. 4 and 5 seeds. That could change between now and the end of the regular season, based on the wild-card standings.
Rest of the playoffs: Following the NLDS will come the NL Championship Series. The best-of-seven series is scheduled to begin Oct. 16. The World Series, also a best-of-seven series, will begin Oct. 27 against the winner of the AL Championship Series. The team with the better regular-season record will have home-field advantage and host the opening game.
Tickets: Single-game tickets for the NLDS and the NLCS will go on sale next week. For members and newsletter subscribers, tickets will go on sale Sept. 21 and for the general public Sept. 22.
