MLB Playoffs 2018: Live Stream, TV Schedule for AL, NL Wild-Card Bracket

The two sets of Wild Card Game participants took different paths to reach the first two games of the Major League Baseball postseason. 

The Colorado Rockies and Chicago Cubs suffered defeats in divisional tiebreakers Monday to set up a winner-takes-all game at Wrigley Field Tuesday. 

In the American League, the New York Yankees and Oakland Athletics put together tremendous seasons, but neither team came close to challenging Boston and Houston for their respective divisional crowns. 

The winner of Tuesday's National League Wild Card Game begins the NLDS Thursday against Milwaukee, while Wednesday's victorious side in the American League heads to Boston to begin the ALDS Friday. 

Wild Card Game Schedule

Tuesday, October 2

Colorado at Chicago Cubs (8 p.m. ET, ESPN, live stream on WatchESPN or ESPN app) 

Wednesday, October 3

Oakland at New York Yankees (8 p.m. ET, TBS, live stream on Watch TBS app)

Rockies, Cubs Face Difficult Turnaround

The Colorado Rockies and Chicago Cubs enter Tuesday's NL Wild Card Game in less-than-ideal positions. 

Both teams lost in divisional tiebreak games Monday to force them to play for their respective playoff lives Tuesday at Wrigley. 

The Rockies appear to be in a worse situation than the Cubs because they had to travel to Los Angeles Monday for the NL West tiebreaker with the Dodgers and then hop on a plane east to Chicago after their loss. 

The Rockies and Cubs split their six-game series, but it's hard to use those games as indicators for what will occur Tuesday since they were played in April and May. 

In addition to holding home-field advantage, the Cubs possess the upper hand in the pitching matchup on paper, as Jon Lester is set to make his 22nd postseason start, while Rockies starter Kyle Freeland will make his first-ever postseason appearance.

Chris Coduto/Getty Images

While Freeland isn't as experienced as Lester, he enters the NL Wild Card Game with victories in six of his last seven starts. 

During that stretch, Freeland has allowed fewer than seven hits in six starts, with the outlier coming Friday in a 5-2 win over the Washington Nationals. 

Although he's one of the most experienced players entering the 2018 postseason, Lester hasn't gotten past the sixth inning in his last four postseason starts. 

The Cubs might ask Lester to get them through the seventh inning against the Rockies since six relievers appeared in Monday's NL Central tiebreaker.

Nick Wass/Associated Press

Conversely, four Rockies relievers trotted out to the mound after starter German Marquez in Monday's loss to the Dodgers, but with a day off for the winner ahead of the NLDS, every measure will be taken by each coaching staff to have the right pitchers on the mound in certain moments. 

The X-factor at the plate for the Rockies could be outfielder Matt Holliday, who is 10-for-27 in his career against Lester. 

Even though he'll be facing a left-handed starter, Anthony Rizzo will be the X-factor for the Cubs, as he's recorded seven hits in his last four games and has nine multihit games in September. 

Yankees Looking To Set Up Heated ALDS With Red Sox

The 100-win New York Yankees weren't good enough to beat out the 108-win Boston Red Sox for the AL East title, but they do have a chance to set up a best-of-five series with their rival. 

Michael Dwyer/Associated Press

In order for that to occur, the Yankees must conquer the one-game challenge presented by the Oakland Athletics.

The Yankees captured three of their last four regular-season games, with two of those wins coming against the Red Sox. 

On the other hand, the Athletics alternated between a win and loss in their final seven games and fell in their regular-season finale to the Seattle Mariners. 

With two days between the end of the regular season and the AL Wild Card Game, both teams are taking their time naming a starting pitcher. 

Regardless of who starts on the mound for the Yankees and A's, they'll face a difficult test against each batter. 

The Yankees led the majors in home runs with 267, while Oakland ranked third with 227. 

Five different Yankees hit 27 or more home runs, with Giancarlo Stanton leading the way with 38 dingers. Oakland had five players reach 23 home runs, led by major league leader Khris Davis' 48. 

Marcio Jose Sanchez/Associated Press

Since both teams will be well-rested, almost every player on the two rosters will be available in some capacity, with the potential ALDS Game 1 starters being the only exception. 

The Yankees have a slight edge because of their home-field advantage and experience from winning the AL Wild Card Game over Minnesota a year ago, but that's about all that separates the two ballclubs from each other. 

Follow Joe on Twitter, @JTansey90.