The MLB Playoffs started with typical fanfare Tuesday, and now the four winning teams have a chance to close things out Wednesday. The Braves, Yankees, White Sox and Padres all won the openers of their Wild Card Series, and all of them are back on the field today -- same time, same place. Atlanta was looking to take the next step toward the 2026 World Series if it could get past the Phillies in the early matchup at 2 p.m. ET. The Wednesday MLB Playoffs schedule is the same as Tuesday's -- with White Sox vs. Astros set for 5 p.m. ET, Red Sox vs. Yankees at 8 and Cubs vs. Padres at 10. If you want to make any picks for the MLB Wild Card Round matchups Wednesday, you're going to want to see the MLB predictions from the SportsLine Projection Model. Sign up with the latest DraftKings promo code and get $150 in bonus bets when you spend $5+:
The model simulates every MLB game 10,000 times and entered the 2026 MLB playoffs on a 31-25 run on all top-rated MLB money-line picks at betting sites, returning more than $900 for $100 players. Anyone following its picks at MLB betting sites could have seen strong returns.
MLB playoffs bets for Tuesday
- Braves +1.5 vs. Phillies
- White Sox +1.5 vs. Astros
- Yankees vs. Red Sox Over 6.5
- Cubs +120 vs. Padres
Braves +1.5 vs. Phillies
The Phillies are favored here with ace left-hander Cristopher Sanchez (18-7, 2.91 ERA) set to take the mound against Atlanta righty Tyler Mahle (7-10, 3.99 ERA), But Sanchez has never beaten the Braves, who are 18-4 in playoff series when they take a 1-0 lead. The Phillies are 0-8 when they go down 1-0. The left-hander is 0-5 in nine apperances against Atlanta with a 3.26 ERA. Meanwhile, Mahle has quietly been a stalwart since coming over at the trade deadline, going 4-1 in nine starts with a 1.99 ERA and 0.96 WHIP. The SportsLine Projection Model has the Braves covering the run line in 68% of its simulations.
White Sox +1.5 vs. Astros
Houston fans weren't happy with the team's performance at Daikin Park on Tuesday, as the home team had six hits against a bevy of White Sox releivers in a 6-3 loss. Now, the White Sox will try to close it out behind right-hander Sean Burke (11-7, 3.34 ERA). The Astros won the AL West with a .500 record, while the White Sox won 84 games and finished a game behind the Guardians in the AL Central. The SportsLine model has Chicago winning in 47% of its simulations as a plus-money underdog, and the White Sox cover the run line 69% of the time.
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Yankees vs. Red Sox Over 6.5
The Yankees got by just fine Tuesday without Aaron Judge as Ben Rice hit two home runs and drove in six while ace Cam Schlittler held Boston to two hits in 6 1/3 innings in a 9-0 victory in the opener. Now, New York will look for another strong pitching performance when it sends out left-hander Max Fried (5-5, 2.80 ERA) to face Boston righty Sonny Gray (18-5, 2.72 ERA). The pitching matchup looks like a good one, but the SportsLine Projection Model likes the Over here on a pretty low total as Over 6.5 runs hits in 61.7% of simulations.
Cubs +120 vs. Padres
San Diego won Tuesday's game 8-0, and Wednesday will be a battle of right-handers with Nick Pivetta (3-2, 2.86 ERA) going for the Padres and Kevin Gausman (9-12, 4.51 ERA) on the mound for the Cubs. Presumptive NL MVP Pete Crow-Armstrong, who led an offense that scored the most runs in MLB, went 1-for-3 with a walk in the opener, and Chicago will be looking for more from everyone after it was held to three hits and yielded 13. The SportsLine model has Chicago winning as plus-money underdogs in 46% of its simulations.
