One of the issues that separated Major League Baseball and the MLBPA during the offseason lockout was how many postseason teams there would be moving forward.
The two sides eventually agreed on 12 teams, causing a shakeup in the postseason bracket.
The “wild card round” was made in 2020 thanks to the COVID-19 pandemic-shortened season and was thought to be a temporary solution, but it is now here to stay.
Here’s everything you need to know about the wild card round that begins Friday afternoon…
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Overall wide view of Busch Stadium during St. Louis Cardinals vs Los Angeles Dodgers game. Game 4. St. Louis Oct. 7, 2014.
(David E. Klutho /Sports Illustrated via Getty Images)
HOW IT WORKS
Outside the 2020 season, this is the third time the MLB postseason has expanded since the 1995 season. After three division winners and one wild card from ’95 to 2011, the 2012 season saw two wild card teams, which birthed the Wild Card Game – one game, do or die, winner faces the top-seed in the Division Series, loser goes home – until last season.
Beginning this year, there are now three wild cards along with the three division winners. However, much like the NFL’s old playoff format, the top two seeds receive a “bye” into the Division Series.
This weekend, the three-seeds (the division winner with the worst record of the three) will host the six-seeds in – like 2020 – a best-of-3 series where all games will be played in consecutive days at the higher seed. The four seeds are hosting the fives.
WHO’S PLAYING
The third-seeded Cleveland Guardians – who won the AL Central – will welcome the sixth-seeded Tampa Bay Rays, while the Seattle Mariners will travel north to Toronto to face the fourth-seeded Blue Jays.
A general view of the 2020 Wild Card Series logo on the LED scoreboard during batting practice prior to Game 1 of the Wild Card Series between the New York Yankees and the Cleveland Indians at Progressive Field on Tuesday, Sept. 29, 2020 in Cleveland.
(Joe Sargent/MLB Photos via Getty Images)
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In the National League, the five-seed San Diego Padres are flying east to go against the fourth-seeded New York Mets. The NL Central winning St. Louis Cardinals will host the Philadelphia Phillies.
WHAT’S NEXT
In order to ensure that the top seed in each league would not face a division winner in the Division Series, there will not be reseeding. The top-seeded Houston Astros will face the winner of the Rays-Guadians series in the best-of-5 ALDS, while the New York Yankees will have home-field advantage against the Blue Jays or Mariners.
The NL’s one-seed Los Angeles Dodgers await either the Mets or Padres in the next round, while the defending World Series champion Atlanta Braves will go up against either the Cardinals or Phillies.
A general view during pre-game ceremonies for the National League Wild Card game between the New York Mets and the San Francisco Giants at Citi Field on Oct. 5, 2016 in New York City.
(Michael Reaves/Getty Images)
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The Division Series remain best-of-five, while the Championship Series and World Series each still are best-of-seven.
