MLB Playoff Bracket 2019: TV Schedule, Live Stream for AL Wild Card, ALDS Games

Oakland is aiming to set up its seventh series with the Houston Astros by winning Wednesday's AL Wild Card Game. 

The Athletics carry home-field advantage for their matchup with the Tampa Bay Rays, and a win would extend a four-game winning streak for host sides in that contest. 

Regardless of which team lands in Houston for ALDS Game 1 Friday, it faces a stiff task against a rested squad with a deep roster. 

The other ALDS matchup should feature tons of offense, as Minnesota and the New York Yankees combined for 613 home runs. 

AL Playoff Schedule

Wild Card Game

October 2: Tampa Bay at Oakland (8:09 p.m., ESPN) 

ALDS

Minnesota vs. New York Yankees

October 4 (Game 1): 7:07 p.m., MLB Network

October 5 (Game 2): 5:07 p.m., FS1

October 7 (Game 3): Time TBD, FS1

October 8 (Game 4): Time TBD, FS1

October 10 (Game 5): Time TBD, FS1

Oakland or Tampa Bay vs. Houston

October 4 (Game 1): 2:05 p.m., FS1

October 5 (Game 2): 9:07 p.m., FS1

October 7 (Game 3): Time TBD, MLB Network

October 8 (Game 4): Time TBD, FS1

October 10 (Game 5): Time TBD, FS1

Games can be live-streamed on Watch ESPN, Fox Sports Go and MLB.com.

Oakland went 4-3 against Tampa Bay, but it split a four-game series at the Oakland-Alameda County Coliseum at the end of June.

John Froschauer/Associated Press

Three of those four contests were decided by two runs or fewer, with the lone exception being an 8-2 Rays victory in the series finale. 

Another close contest would buck an AL Wild Card Game trend, as six of the previous seven were decided by three runs or more. 

The last two Wild Card Games featured 21 total runs. If you go by recent production, Tampa Bay could be the victor. 

Oakland did not score more than three runs in the final week of the regular season. The Rays totaled four or more in four of their last seven contests.

Twelve of the 17 occurrences in which the Rays racked up nine-plus runs came on the road. Across the board, Tampa Bay's hitting numbers were the better on their travels, including 19 more home runs than at Tropicana Field. 

A difficult matchup with the 2017 World Series champion awaits in the ALDS. The combination of Gerrit Cole, Justin Verlander and Zack Greinke could lock up a best-of-five series in the shortest possible time. 

Mark J. Terrill/Associated Press

Cole and Verlander combined to go 41-11 with 626 strikeouts, while Grienke went 8-1 after he joined in a trade deadline deal with Arizona. 

Houston's offense is as powerful, with four players over 30 home runs and a quartet with more than 90 RBIs.

Alex Bregman, Yuileski Gurriel and George Springer fit both criteria, and they also have more than 140 hits and 20 doubles. 

Houston's strength in both aspects of the game plus its championship-winning experience from two years ago may be too much for the Wild Card winner to handle. 

Fireworks are expected from the start in the Twins-Yankees series. The home-run hitting powers gave a glimpse into what a series may look like at Target Field in July when they combined for 57 runs. 

Twenty balls were hit over the fence in that series, and neither side has slowed down since. Eight Twins batters slugged over 20 homers, and the Yankees had seven to do so. 

Although they have the home-run advantage, the Twins enter with a 13-game postseason losing streak, with 10 of those defeats coming to the Yankees. 

Of course, this is a different squad than past ones, but that mark will linger over Minnesota until it wins once in the ALDS. 

Rocco Baldelli's side won its last seven road series, so there is hope it can steal one at Yankee Stadium and close out at Target Field. 

Follow Joe on Twitter, @JTansey90

Statistics obtained from Baseball Reference