2014 MLB playoff schedule: NLDS begins Oct. 3

LOS ANGELES -- Major League Baseball announced its dates for the 2014 postseason on Thursday, and both National League Division Series will begin on Friday, Oct. 3.

Should the Dodgers win the National League West, they would open their postseason in the NLDS. But a slip to the Wild Card would mean a single game on Wednesday, Oct. 1, at the site of the Wild Card team with the best record.

The NL Wild Card Game will be televised by ESPN, and the NLDS will be televised by Fox Sports 1 and MLB Network.

The way the Dodgers' starting rotation is set up, Hyun-jin Ryu, Zack Greinke and Clayton Kershaw are set to pitch, in that order, in both of their remaining series against the Giants, on Sep. 12-14 and Sep. 22-24. The regular season ends on Sep. 28, lining up Kershaw to pitch either the Wild Card Game or Game 1 of the NLDS, whichever is first.

The National League Championship Series will be televised by FOX and Fox Sports 1 and is set to begin on Saturday, Oct. 11, with the World Series beginning on Tuesday, Oct. 21, on FOX.

Here is the National League playoff schedule (game times will be announced at a later date):

NL Wild Card Game

Wednesday, Oct. 1 (ESPN)

NLDS

(2-2-1 format)

Game 1: Fri., Oct. 3 (Fox Sports 1)
Game 2: Sat., Oct. 4 (Fox Sports 1 or MLB Network)
Game 3: Mon, Oct. 6 (Fox Sports 1 or MLB Network)
Game 4: Tue., Oct. 7* (Fox Sports 1)
Game 5: Thu., Oct. 9* (Fox Sports 1)

NLCS

(2-3-2 format)

Game 1: Sat., Oct. 11 (FOX)
Game 2: Sun., Oct. 12 (Fox Sports 1)
Game 3: Tue., Oct. 14 (Fox Sports 1)
Game 4:, Wed., Oct. 15 (Fox Sports 1)
Game 5: Thu., Oct. 16* (Fox Sports 1)
Game 6: Sat., Oct. 18* (FOX)
Game 7: Sun, Oct. 19* (Fox Sports 1)

World Series

(2-3-2 format)

Game 1: Tue., Oct. 21 at AL (FOX)
Game 2: Wed., Oct. 22 at AL (FOX)
Game 3: Fri., Oct. 24 at NL (FOX)
Game 4: Sat., Oct. 25 at NL (FOX)
Game 5: Sun., Oct. 26 at NL* (FOX)
Game 6: Tue., Oct. 28 at AL* (FOX)
Game 7: Wed., Oct. 29 at AL* (FOX)

*if necessary