Dodgers Baseball Schedule Fact-Check: Postseason Dates, Times, and Rest Days
By Alexander Ross
Major League Baseball determines Divisional Series game start times primarily by television market demand and potential cross-country doubleheaders. When the Dodgers share an air date with East Coast matchups involving Philadelphia or New York, West Coast first pitches consistently lock into late afternoon or primetime slots.
| NLDS Game | Date | Venue | First Pitch Window (PT) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Game 1 | Saturday, October 3 | Dodger Stadium | 5:38 PM / 6:08 PM |
| Game 2 | Sunday, October 4 | Dodger Stadium | 5:03 PM / 6:08 PM |
| Travel / Rest | Monday, October 5 | None (Off-Day) | Workout Only |
| Game 3 | Tuesday, October 6 | Away Venue | 6:08 PM |
| Game 4* | Wednesday, October 7 | Away Venue | 5:08 PM / 6:08 PM |
| Travel / Rest | Thursday, October 8 | None (Off-Day) | Workout Only |
| Game 5* | Friday, October 9 | Dodger Stadium | 5:08 PM |
*Games marked with an asterisk indicate potential elimination games played if necessary.
The presence of two scheduled travel days inside a five-game window radically alters modern pitching usage. Unlike the relentless pace of a regular-season week, these breathers let managers treat bullpen arms aggressively in Games 1 and 2 without worrying about fatigue compound during back-to-back road games.
Alexander Ross has covered the video game industry for a decade, writing deep dives on game design, esports tournaments, VR developments, and gaming culture.
