Major League Baseball (MLB) is pushing for significant changes to its regular season and postseason structure, according to recent reports and official proposals. The league has put forward a plan to reduce the regular season game count while simultaneously expanding the playoff format, aiming to enhance player well-being and increase postseason engagement.
MLB proposed "returning to a 154-game Regular Season and best-of-seven Division Series," as stated by. This marks a reduction from the current 162-game schedule. The league also detailed further enhancements, including "opponent selection in the Wild Card and Division Series." The official account clarified that, starting in 2029, "shortening the season to a 154-game schedule would create a standard weekly off day benefiting player health." This change is also intended to "allow the addition of up to 8 more Postseason games by moving to a best-of-seven Division Series format." Furthermore, the proposal includes a provision that, "Beginning in 2027, higher-seeded clubs in the Wild Card and Division Series would select their opponents."
These proposals were reportedly made during a bargaining session with the MLBPA. confirmed these details, reporting that "Major League Baseball proposed cutting the regular-season schedule from 162 games to 154 games in a bargaining session with the MLBPA today." ESPN also noted that the league proposed "higher seeds in playoffs getting to choose their opponents, and division series expanding to seven games." The league also broadly stated that it "is proposing enhancements to the Wild Card and Division Series."
