NLDS Bracket 2018: Dates, TV Schedule, Matchups for Updated Playoff Picture

The National League needs an extra day to decide its playoff bracket as the Central and West divisions ended in ties after the end of regular-season play on Sunday.

Here's a look at the tiebreaker schedule for Monday, in addition to the four potential playoff brackets based off the scenarios that could unfold Tuesday. You'll also find some analysis for each of them.

NL Central Tiebreaker

Matchup: Milwaukee Brewers at Chicago Cubs

Day, Time and TV: Monday, 1:09 p.m. ET on ESPN

Probables: TBD (for Milwaukee) vs. Chicago Cubs LHP Jose Quintana

NL West Tiebreaker

Matchup: Colorado Rockies at Los Angeles Dodgers

Day, Time and TV: Monday, 4:09 p.m. ET on ESPN

Probables: Colorado Rockies RHP German Marquez vs. Los Angeles Dodgers RHP Walker Buehler

If Brewers and Rockies Win

NL Wild Card Game: Dodgers at Cubs, Tuesday, 8 p.m. ET, ESPN

NLDS: No. 1 Brewers vs. No. 4 Cubs or No. 5 Dodgers

NLDS: No. 2 Rockies vs. No. 3 Braves 

This would be something. The two teams many thought would be fighting for the National League pennant end up playing a one-game playoff just to decide who the National League's No. 4 seed will be.

The Chicago Cubs may have the advantage in that game: They have the National League's best home record at 51-30 and won't have to face Los Angeles Dodgers ace Clayton Kershaw, who already pitched Saturday and is in line to start Game 1 of the NLDS should his team get that far.

Meanwhile, the upstart Milwaukee Brewers and Colorado Rockies would be in the driver's seats for NLCS berths by virtue of winning the tiebreaker games. The Atlanta Braves can sit still knowing that they are the No. 3 seed, although they won't know whether they are heading for Colorado or L.A until Monday.

If Brewers and Dodgers Win

NL Wild Card Game: Rockies at Cubs, Tuesday, 8 p.m. ET, ESPN

NLDS: No. 1 Brewers vs. No. 4 Cubs or No. 5 Rockies

NLDS: No. 2 Dodgers vs. No. 3 Braves 

The Dodgers look like a significant mismatch for the Braves on paper. In addition to the home-field edge, the Dodgers would hold advantages over the Braves throughout the batting lineup and pitching staff. It also helps that L.A. has a good amount of postseason experience this decade, while the Braves are an up-and-coming team tasting postseason success for the first time.

Meanwhile, a Brewers-Cubs or Brewers-Rockies matchup could be a lot of fun. All three teams can mash, which may lead to a high-scoring series at hitter's parks, where home runs fly more than average.

The Brewers-Cubs battle could also be noteworthy because two strong MVP candidates (Cubs infielder Javier Baez and Brewers outfielder Christian Yelich) will be going head-to-head. The MVP is solely based on regular-season play, but it would be interesting to see what those two do for encores after fantastic 2018 seasons.

If Cubs and Rockies Win

NL Wild Card Game: Dodgers at Brewers, Tuesday, 8 p.m. ET, ESPN

NLDS: No. 1 Cubs vs. No. 4 Brewers or No. 5 Dodgers

NLDS: No. 2 Rockies vs. No. 3 Braves 

Much like 2016, the Cubs would be in the National League playoff driver's seat with home-field advantage throughout the playoffs. Wrigley Field becomes a tightly packed zoo during the postseason, creating arguably the wildest October atmosphere in the bigs.

It's not impossible for teams to win there, as the Cubs did lose three home playoff games en route to their 2016 World Series championship. But the Cubs may have a more significant home-field advantage than any other NL team, and that's a strong edge as Chicago looks for its second NL pennant in three years.

The Colorado Rockies would enjoy being the No. 2 seed, as they would have home-field advantage in the NLDS and the same in the NLCS if the Cubs lose to the Brewers or Dodgers in this scenario.

Coors Field is one of the game's most notorious hitter's parks, and numerous Rockies power hitters (e.g. David Dahl, Charlie Blackmon, Nolan Arenado, Trevor Story, Carlos Gonzalez) can take advantage. It wouldn't be a surprise to see Colorado simply slug its way to the pennant.

If Cubs and Dodgers Win

NL Wild Card Game: Rockies at Brewers, Tuesday, 8 p.m. ET, ESPN

NLDS: No. 1 Cubs vs. No. 4 Brewers or No. 5 Rockies

NLDS: No. 2 Dodgers vs. No. 3 Braves 

This scenario puts the presumptive NL favorites in the top two seeds. They met in the NLCS each of the past two years, with the Cubs winning 4-2 in 2016 and the Dodgers taking the series in five in 2017.

A rubber match between the two teams would be a little different this time. For one, the Dodgers added shortstop Manny Machado, second baseman Brian Dozier and infielder Max Muncy, who combined for 92 home runs this year. Machado and Dozier came over in midseason trades, while Muncy was a pleasant surprise after spending his 2017 season in the minors.

The Cubs now have southpaw Cole Hamels, and Baez has developed into one of the game's best players. Chicago also has Daniel Murphy, one of the best pure hitters in the game when he's on.