Major League Baseball is putting forward substantial modifications to its regular-season and playoff formats. These adjustments are tied to the league’s pursuit of a payroll cap and floor structure, and they include a feature allowing top-seeded squads in the wild-card and Division Series rounds to choose their own matchups.
Under the proposal, the league would revert to a 154-game regular season beginning in 2029, marking the first time such a schedule has been used since the 1960s. The American League originally expanded from 154 to 162 games in 1961, with the National League adopting the same length the following season.
Additionally, starting in 2029, the Division Series could transition to a best-of-seven format, as detailed by the league in an online post following a collective bargaining meeting with the MLB Players Association on Thursday.
Presently, the Division Series is contested as a best-of-five matchup, while the AL and NL Championship Series and the World Series are played as best-of-seven contests. Expanding the ALDS and NLDS to seven games would add up to eight additional playoff games to the schedule.
Furthermore, MLB notes that this setup would facilitate more primetime television broadcasts due to a higher number of built-in playoff off-days, a change that would also offer pitching staffs more recovery time.
The proposal for team-selected opponents is slated for a potential 2027 debut. At the end of the regular season, the third-seeded team—representing the lowest-ranked division champion in both the AL and NL—would be allowed to choose between playing the fifth or sixth seed in the wild-card round.
Once the wild-card matchups conclude, the top seed in each league would then get to select which of the advancing wild-card winners they want to play in the next round.
League representative Glen Caplin shared the rationale for these recommended updates in a statement issued Thursday, as reported by Bob Nightengale of USA Today:
“Going back to a 154-game calendar enables us to establish a regular weekly rest day, enhancing player wellness, while simultaneously opening up a fresh national TV slot to highlight our most compelling clubs and athletes.
“A condensed regular season paves the way for a superior October experience for baseball fans, featuring fewer afternoon games on weekdays, extended Division Series matchups, and more chances to watch elite pitchers perform under the highest pressure.
“Furthermore, permitting the highest seeds to pick their postseason adversaries during the opening rounds will generate fascinating narratives, deepen traditional rivalries, and forge brand-new feuds.”
This report will continue to be updated.
