MLB proposes returning to 154-game regular season, adopting best-of-seven division series and opponent selection in playoffs
Yahoo Sports • • sports
Key Points:
- Major League Baseball is proposing a return to a 154-game regular season starting in 2029, reducing games from the current 162, to improve player health and create new national broadcast opportunities.
- MLB plans to expand the division series from a best-of-five to a best-of-seven format in 2029, increasing the number of postseason games and allowing more prime-time matchups with additional pitcher rest days.
- Beginning in 2027, higher-seeded teams in the wild-card and division series would gain the ability to select their opponents, aiming to create compelling storylines and intensify rivalries.
- MLB's proposals are tied to the implementation of a salary cap system, which the MLB Players Association opposes, citing concerns over player rights and compensation.
- With the current collective bargaining agreement expiring on December 1, these proposed changes come amid ongoing negotiations and the looming threat of a potential lockout.
