The MLB playoffs have begun with the Wild Card Series getting underway. The New York Yankees, Chicago White Sox, Atlanta Braves and San Diego Padres were all victorious in Game 1, placing the Boston Red Sox, Houston Astros, Philadelphia Phillies and Chicago Cubs all in must-win scenarios for Game 2 of their series on Wednesday. While some games were competitive — the Braves narrowly defeated the Phillies 5-3 thanks to a clutch Austin Riley home run — others were not quite as close. For example, Cam Schlittler's dominant start and the Yankees' strong offensive performance led to a 9-0 win over the Red Sox on Tuesday.

While some teams appear to be closer than others, the reality of the situation is that it was only one game for each of these losing ball clubs. They can bounce back and even the best-of-three series 1-1 with wins on Wednesday.

Here's how the Phillies, Cubs, Red Sox and Astros can save their seasons in Game 2 of the Wild Card Series on Wednesday. We will be going in order of the schedule for Wednesday's slate of games.

Phillies have intriguing approach to winning on Wednesday

The Phillies stumbled into the postseason as the No. 6 seed in the National League. They narrowly reached the playoffs on the final day of the regular season. Now, they are one loss from heading home.

It would be easy for me to sit here and write about how a Cristopher Sanchez (18-7, 2.91 ERA) stellar outing would save the Phillies. Would a quality Sanchez start help? Absolutely. The real problem on Tuesday was Chris Sale for Philadelphia, though.

Braves manager Walt Weiss turned to the bullpen in the 7th inning of a 2-1 game after Sale's stellar outing. The bullpen immediately coughed up the lead. Philadelphia held a 3-2 advantage until Riley's three-run homer saved Atlanta.

When Sale isn't on the mound, this Phillies team has an opportunity to win. Tyler Mahle (7-10, 3.99 ERA) is set to pitch on Wednesday. He's not a bad hurler, but the Phillies should be more than capable of scoring more runs against him. An offensive explosion is how they can bounce back.

First pitch is scheduled for 2 PM ET.

Astros have their ace on the mound

Hunter Brown (6-4, 3.19 ERA) is set to start against Sean Burke (11-7, 3.34 ERA). It could be a pitcher's duel in Houston on Wednesday afternoon. Tuesday's bullpen game did not go according to plan for the Astros in the 6-3 loss, but Brown should be ready to give Houston a strong outing.

The bullpen will need to be ready to back him up, though. While Brown has allowed two runs or less in each of his most recent three starts, he's also failed to pitch more than 5.1 innings in any of those outings. If Brown can contain the White Sox for five or six innings and if he can hand the bullpen a lead, Houston will be in a position to earn the win. Getting the ball from Brown to Josh Hader will be the obstacle.

Houston is going to need to put some runs on the board, but pitching will ultimately tell the story of Game 2 between these ball clubs.

First pitch is scheduled for 5 PM ET.

Clutch time for the Red Sox in the Wild Card Series

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Yankees and Red Sox games are often competitive. Tuesday's 9-0 lopsided affair was an exception. It would not be shocking to see a much more competitive game on Wednesday.

The Red Sox are sending Sonny Gray (18-5, 2.72 ERA) to the mound against Yankees southpaw Max Fried (5-5, 2.80 ERA). With All-Star caliber hurlers on the mound, this New York-Boston contest could see a limited amount of runs.

The Red Sox are going to need to find a way to get the big hit late in the game. Capturing the momentum in the late innings will be of the utmost importance. Entering the 9th inning with a lead will be pivotal. Momentum is key in the playoffs, especially while playing at Yankee Stadium.

Boston's clutch performance will ultimately determine if the ball club can save their season.

First pitch is scheduled for 8 PM ET.

Cubs need an early lead

The Padres have one of the best bullpens in the game. If San Diego is able to enter the late innings with a lead, this game will be all but over. The Cubs must find a way to grab an early lead and hold onto it.

Of course, early leads are important for every team in the MLB playoffs. Some of the other ball clubs in the MLB Wild Card Series don't have especially strong bullpens, though. That is not the case for the Padres. Their Mason Miller-led relief core is among the best at shutting the door in the sport.

The Cubs realistically need an early lead more than any other ball club mentioned in this story.

First pitch is scheduled for 10 PM ET.