After a long and bitter negotiating period, MLB and MLBPA agreed to a 60-game regular season schedule that did not include the addition of an expanded postseason system – but the league announced an agreement on Thursday for a single year of expanded playoffs in 2020, which means that 16 teams will have a chance to make a World Series run this fall.
Previously, five teams from each league qualified for the playoffs – the three division winners, and two Wild Card teams.
In 2020, a total of eight teams from each league will qualify: The three division winners, the three second-place teams in each division, and the next two remaining teams with the best record.
There will be no byes for top-seeded teams under the new format. The 2020 playoffs will open with Wild Card Series, which include all 16 playoff teams. The Wild Card Series will be a best-of-three, with the higher seed hosting all three games. The top seed in the American League, for example, will host the No. 8 seed, the No. 2 seed will host the No. 7 seed, and so on.
The rest of the playoff system will remain unchanged. The Divisional Series will be a best-of-five. The winner of the 1 vs. 8 series will play the winner of the 4 vs. 5 series, and the winner of the 2 vs. 7 will play the winner of the 3 vs. 6. The playoffs will continue with a seven-game League Championship Series, and a seven-game World Series.
In all series, the team with the best record will have home-field advantage.
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