MLB Playoffs 2019: Explaining Wild-Card Format, Divisional Series and More

Six months and 162 games later, the 2019 MLB playoffs field is set. The postseason begins with the AL and NL Wild Card games before advancing to the respective division series.

And you might have little understanding of what is happening. That's great! Welcome to the most exciting time in baseball.

We're breaking down playoff baseball to its simplest form, explaining how the remaining teams reached this point and what to expect in the immediate future.

Ten clubs are officially in the chase for the 2019 World Series, and the most difficult part of their journey starts now.

2019 MLB Playoff Bracket

AL and NL Wild Card Games

None of the Washington Nationals, Milwaukee Brewers, Oakland Athletics or Tampa Bay Rays won their division. Thanks to the wild-card games, however, they're still in the postseason.

The task is straightforward: Win. The loser is eliminated.

Tuesday, Washington will host Milwaukee for a place in the National League Division Series (NLDS) against the Los Angeles Dodgers.

Milwaukee toppled the Nats four times in six regular-season games, but the Brewers didn't have much success in Max Scherzer's one start. He ceded two runs (one earned) in six innings, striking out 10 and exiting the May 6 contest in position to win.

Granted, the right-hander has struggled a bit lately.

Milwaukee will call on Brandon Woodruff to counter Scherzer. Unfortunately for the Crew, they'll be without MVP candidate Christian Yelich this time around. He hit a scorching .480 against Washington but is sidelined due to a knee injury.

Then on Wednesday, the A's will welcome the Rays to Oakland with an ALDS spot opposite the Houston Astros at stake.

Oakland has not revealed its starter, but Mike Fiers or Sean Manaea will likely get the ball. Either way, the A's know they'll be facing Charlie Morton, who has thrived against Oakland this season.

Morton allowed a single run over 13.1 innings (two starts), posting 13 strikeouts and allowing 10 combined hits and walks. He's also coming off a torrid September in which he went 3-0 with a 2.73 ERA and 39 strikeouts to 10 walks.

The A's clipped the Rays 4-3 in the regular-season series.

AL and NL Division Series

Alex Gallardo/Associated Press

In both the American and National Leagues, the winners of the East, Central and West automatically secure a place in the division series. This season, these six teams earned that spot:

AL East: New York Yankees
AL Central: Minnesota Twins
AL West: Houston Astros

NL East: Atlanta Braves
NL Central: St. Louis Cardinals
NL West: Los Angeles Dodgers

The advantage of winning a division is avoiding the wild-card game. Anything truly can happen in a one-game sample, and the ALDS/NLDS is a best-of-five series. The first team to three victories advances to the AL/NL Championship Series.

First up is the NL, which features St. Louis at Atlanta and either Milwaukee or Washington at Los Angeles. Both games are Thursday, and first-pitch times are to be determined.

Los Angeles owns home-field advantage in the NL. But if the Dodgers lose in the NLDS, the Braves would assume control if they can outlast the Cardinals.

Friday is a jam-packed day of baseball with all four division series in action. That means Game 1 for Minnesota at New York and the wild-card winner (Tampa or Oakland) at Houston, which secured home-field advantage through the World Series if they advance that far. First-pitch times are also to be determined.

Atlanta, Los Angeles, New York and Houston will play at home for Games 1, 2 and 5 (unless the series is decided before Game 5) of their respective series.