Blue Jays playoff schedule released; Games 1 and 2 are in the afternoon

If you’re planning on attending the Blue Jays playoff games, you’d better start working on your excuses for skipping work.

Games 1 and 2 of the American League Division Series, in which the Blue Jays will host the Texas Rangers, are both afternoon games according to the official schedule released Monday by Major League Baseball.

According to the schedule, the Blue Jays will host the Texas Rangers at Rogers Centre on Thursday afternoon at either 3:37 or 4:07 p.m. ET – depending on who wins Tuesday night’s AL Wild Card game. If the Astros win, first pitch will be at 3:37 p.m. If it’s the Yankees, the game will begin at 4:07 p.m. David Price will pitch for the Jays.

Regardless of the Wild Card winner, Game 2 of the Jays-Rangers series is at 12:45 p.m. on Friday.

Game 3 in Texas is scheduled to start at 8:10 p.m. on Sunday night, so you’ll have to set your DVR to record the season premiere of The Walking Dead at 9 p.m.

Times for the rest of the first-round schedule have not been released, but if Games 4 and 5 are necessary, Toronto will play in Texas on Monday, Oct. 12 and will host Game 5 at home on Wednesday, Oct. 14.

But we’re confident Games 4 and 5 won’t be necessary, right?

Here’s the schedule (all times ET):

Oct. 6, 8:08 p.m. – Houston at New York (AL Wild Card)

Oct. 7, 8:08 p.m. – Chicago at Pittsburgh (NL Wild Card)

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If the Yankees win the Wild Card game:

Oct. 8, 4:07 p.m. – Texas at Toronto

Oct. 8, 8:07 p.m. – New York at Kansas City

If Houston wins the Wild Card game:

Oct. 8, 3:37 p.m. – Texas at Toronto

Oct. 8, 7:37 p.m. – Houston at Kansas City

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Oct. 9, 12:45 p.m. – Texas at Toronto

Oct. 9, 3:45 p.m. – Hou/NYY at Kansas City

Oct. 9, 6:45 p.m. – Chi/Pit at St. Louis

Oct. 9, 9:45 p.m. – NY Mets at Los Angeles

Oct. 10, 5:37 p.m. – Chi/Pit at St. Louis

Oct. 10, 9:07 p.m. – NY Mets at Los Angeles

Oct. 11, 4:10 p.m. – Kansas City at Hou/NYY

Oct. 11, 8:10 p.m. – Toronto at Texas