National League fueling MLB Postseason gains

The following article " National League fueling MLB Postseason gains " originally appeared on Sports Media Watch .

MLB Postseason viewership continues to rise, with the National League the driving force.

Tuesday’s Dodgers-Padres Game 3 averaged a 2.3 rating and 4.65 million on FS1 (4.97M including Fox Deportes), marking the most-watched LDS game on FS1 since 2017 (Indians-Yankees Game 3: 5.29M) and second-largest audience of the postseason on any network. Saturday’s Mets-Phillies Game 1 on FOX holds the top spot (4.86M).

San Diego’s win, which peaked with 5.01 million viewers in the 9:45 PM ET quarter-hour, held steady in ratings and increased 12% in viewership compared to last year’s equivalent window, Orioles-Rangers Game 3 on FOX (2.3, 4.14M).

Game 4 was markedly lower with a 1.6 (-10%) and 3.34 million (+1%) Wednesday night — 3.67M including Fox Deportes — affected not just by the Dodgers’ rout but by overlap with a considerably closer Yankees-Royals game. Viewership did not peak until 10:45 PM ET (4.21M), an indication that some viewers did not tune in until the conclusion of the Yankee game, which itself peaked late at 10 PM (3.4M).

As for the other NL series, Mets-Phillies concluded with a 1.9 and 4.05 million for Game 4 on Wednesday (4.27M including Fox Deportes) — the third-largest audience of the playoffs. New York’s win, which peaked with 5.43 million in the 8:15 quarter-hour, actually declined 13% in ratings from the same window last year (Phillies-Braves Game 3: 2.2) but increased 1% in viewership (vs. 4.02M).

Game 3 drew a 1.9 (+27%) and 3.79 million (+39%) — 4.02 million including Fox Deportes — placing fifth for the postseason. The LCS-bound Mets have played in five of the top six playoff games thus far and six of the top eight.

The National League Division Series is averaging 3.78 million viewers across FOX and FS1, the networks’ highest average at this point of the LDS since FS1 launched in 2014. The NLDS is outpacing the ALDS on TBS, which is averaging 2.8 million.

Speaking of the American League, Wednesday’s Yankees-Royals Game 3 averaged a 1.8 and 3.42 million across TBS and truTV — up 30% and 27% respectively from Astros-Twins Game 4 on FS1 last year (1.4, 2.70M).

Game 2 drew a 1.6 and 3.50 million on the same networks Monday night, up a tick and 28% respectively from Diamondbacks-Dodgers last year (1.5, 2.74M).

Tigers-Guardians preceded with 2.5 million on Monday afternoon — down sharply from last year’s equivalent Phillies-Braves game (4.33M) — and 2.1 million on Wednesday.

Visit Sports Media Watch for more sports media news and information.