MLB Proposes Shorter Regular Season and Playoff Changes
Major League Baseball has put forward a proposal to reduce the regular season to 154 games during a collective bargaining session with the MLB Players Association. This proposal also includes expanding the Division Series to seven games and allowing higher-seeded teams to select their playoff opponents.
The current 162-game schedule has been in place since 1962, and the league's proposal aims to return to the previous 154-game format. The announcement highlights the introduction of a standard weekly off day to enhance player health.
These changes, which would take effect in 2029, are designed to provide additional rest for pitchers and reduce weekday daytime playoff games. The playoff opponent selection process would allow the No. 3 seed to choose between the No. 5 or No. 6 seed in the Wild Card round, while the top seed in the Division Series could select its opponent from the Wild Card winners. However, the proposals are contingent on the implementation of a salary cap system, which the players' union has expressed concerns about.
