MLB wild card predictions: Who will move on? Expert picks, schedule for opening round

After an extra day of regular season, Major League Baseball's 2024 playoffs are set and begin Tuesday with the opening games of the best-of-three wild-card round.

We're set for quadruple-headers, with the Detroit Tigers and Houston Astros getting things underway at 2:23 p.m. ET on Tuesday. The Baltimore Orioles host the Kansas City Royals at 4:07 p.m., the New York Mets face the Milwaukee Brewers at 5:32 p.m. and the San Diego Padres and Atlanta Braves wrap things up in the nightcap at 8:38 p.m.

The second games will be played Wednesday with potential Games 3s scheduled for Thursday. Winners will move on to the best-of-five Division Series, which begin on Saturday.

Here's how the USA TODAY Sports MLB team sees this week playing out:

Detroit Tigers at Houston Astros

Predictions:

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• Bob Nightengale: Astros in 3
• Gabe Lacques: Tigers in 2
• Steve Gardner Astros in 3
• Jesse Yomtov: Astros in 3
• Scott Boeck: Tigers in 3

Schedule

• Game 1, Tuesday: LH Tarik Skubal vs. LH Framber Valdez, 2:32 p.m. ET, ABC
• Game 2, Wednesday: TBA  vs. TBA, 2:32 p.m. ET, ABC
• Game 3, Thursday, if necessary: TBA vs. TBA, 2:32 p.m. ET, ABC

Kansas City Royals at Baltimore Orioles

Predictions:

• Bob Nightengale: Orioles in 3
• Gabe Lacques: Orioles in 2
• Steve Gardner: Orioles in 3
• Jesse Yomtov: Orioles in 2
• Scott Boeck: Orioles in 3

Schedule

• Game 1, Tuesday: LH Cole Ragans vs. RH Corbin Burnes, 4:08 p.m. ET, ESPN2
• Game 2, Wednesday: RH Seth Lugo vs. RH Zach Eflin, 4:38 p.m. ET, ESPN
• Game 3, Thursday, if necessary: RH Michael Wacha vs. RH Dean Kremer, 4:08 p.m. ET, ESPN

New York Mets at Milwaukee Brewers

Predictions

• Bob Nightengale: Brewers in 2
• Gabe Lacques: Brewers in 2
• Steve Gardner: Brewers in 2
• Jesse Yomtov: Mets in 3
• Scott Boeck: Brewers in 2

Schedule

• Game 1, Tuesday: TBA vs. RH Freddy Peralta, 5:32 p.m. ET, ESPN
• Game 2, Wednesday: TBA vs. TBA, 7:38 p.m. ET, ESPN
• Game 3, Thursday, if necessary: TBA vs. TBA, 8:30 p.m. ET, ESPN2

Atlanta at San Diego Padres

Predictions

• Bob Nightengale: Padres in 2
• Gabe Lacques: Padres in 2
• Steve Gardner: Padres in 2
• Jesse Yomtov: Atlanta in 3
• Scott Boeck: Padres in 2

Schedule

• Game 1, Tuesday: TBA vs. RH Michael King, 8:38 p.m. ET, ESPN,
• Game 2, Wednesday: TBA vs. RH Joe Musgrove, 8:38 p.m. ET, ESPN2
• Game 3, Thursday, if necessary: TBA vs. RH Dylan Cease, 7:08 p.m. ET, ESPN

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