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Viva October! All you need to know about the start of MLB’s postseason

Viva October! All you need to know about the start of MLB’s postseason SAN FRANCISCO, CA - OCTOBER 4: Three of the San Francisco Giants World Series trophies sit on display during a retirement ceremony for pitcher Jeremy Affeldt #41 before a game against the Colorado Rockies at AT&T Park on October 4, 2015 in San Francisco, California, during the final day of the regular season. (Photo by Brian Bahr/Getty Images)

The march to the 112th World Series begins tonight.

Here’s all you need to know about the start of the 2016 Major League Baseball postseason:

1. The American League Wild Card Game is a battle of birds tonight at 8 with the Orioles playing at Toronto on TBS. Chris Tillman, a 16-game winner, will start for Baltimore while Baltimore will have to rely on Will Stroman, who went 9-10.

The winner will play at AL West Texas on Thursday afternoon.

2. The National League Wild Card Game is Wednesday night, and it pits the Giants returning to their ancestral lands to face the Mets on ESPN. This one has a big-time pitching matchup as 2014 World Series hero Madison Bumgarner will start for San Francisco. New York will counter with young gun Noah Syndergaard.

The winner goes to Chicago to take on the NL Central champion Cubs on Friday night on FS1.

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3. The other division winners in the NL were the Dodgers and Nationals. They begin their divisional series Friday (FS1) in Washington, where Clayton Kershaw is scheduled to pitch for LA. Manager Dusty Baker has not announced his starter for the injury-ravaged Nats.

4. In the AL, Central Division champion Cleveland hosts the AL East champion Red Sox on Friday afternoon on TBS. Corey Kluber is expected to start for the Indians against David Price. Those two combined for 35 wins this season.

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5. The World Series is scheduled to begin Oct. 25, meaning it could stretch into November if more than five games are needed. That’s happened before, so it’s not the end of the world… unless maybe the matchup is the Cubs against the Indians. Between them, those franchises are riding a combined World Series drought of 174 years.

6. The Rangers and Nationals have existed since 1961 (as the Washington Senators) and 1969 (as the Montreal Expos), respectively, but are both looking for their first World Series victory.

7. The Red Sox and Giants have a combined 19 World Series victories, including five in the last 10 years.

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