The Tampa Bay Rays have been rolling, winning six consecutive games after sweeping both the Colorado Rockies and Seattle Mariners to start their road trip.Their next stop is three games against the Athletics before returning home to Tropicana Field for seven games against two American League East rivals: the Baltimore Orioles for four games and the Toronto Blue Jays for three.With a 71-46 record, the Rays own the best mark in the AL. They are 5.5 games ahead of the New York Yankees in the AL East race, and even if there is some regression to the mean with their production, Tampa Bay is as close to being a lock for a playoff spot as any team in baseball.That is why Rays fans need to plan accordingly, because MLB has released the schedule for the 2026 postseason. Things will get started at the end of September, with the 29th being the first day of the ALWC. The NLWC will begin at the same time, and all series will run through Oct. 1 if they go all three games.MLB has released the 2026 playoff scheduleMar 30, 2026; Milwaukee, Wisconsin, USA; A detailed view of the Tampa Bay Rays hat at American Family Field. Mandatory Credit: Michael McLoone-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters ConnectThe ALDS will begin on Oct. 3 and run through the 10th, while the NLDS will be held from the 3rd through the 9th. The Championship Series will start on Oct. 11 with the National League taking center stage first. That series will run through the 19th should all seven games be required.The ALCS will begin the next day, on Oct. 12, and run through the 20th. Then the pennant winners will face off in the World Series that begins on Oct. 23 and will run through Halloween on the 31st, should all seven games have to be played.Tampa Bay fans are hoping that when their team’s regular season ends on Sept. 27 against the Philadelphia Phillies, they won’t be taking the field for the remainder of the month, because it means the Rays not only won the AL East, but clinched a bye right into the Divisional Series.The team is certainly in a great spot for that as the first AL franchise to reach the 70-win plateau and is building a nice cushion heading into the dog days of the MLB regular season. A 5.5-game lead certainly isn’t insurmountable, especially when it is a team as talented as the Yankees chasing them, but Tampa Bay has to like the spot they are in.— MLB (@MLB) August 10, 2026They’re clicking on all cylinders, receiving excellent contributions from players up and down the roster. The addition of Liam Hicks has extended the lineup and bolstered the offense, making this a much more dangerous team for opposing pitchers to navigate.On the mound, the rotation is dealing with some injuries, with Shane McClanahan and Griffin Jax on the injured list. But Ian Seymour is stepping up behind Drew Rasmussen and Nick Martinez, and the team is hoping to see the same from deadline addition Freddy Peralta.If the rotation falters at all, manager Kevin Cash can at least rest a little easier knowing he has a dominant bullpen to call upon to eat up innings, with Bryan Baker at the backend.This is a strong team top to bottom and will be making some noise in October.Add us as a preferred source on GoogleFollow