The Hunt for October: MLB Postseason Format Explained

Catch the biggest swings in Major League Baseball when playoffs hit in October. Before the final brackets are clinched, brush up on everything you need to know about the MLB Postseason, from the seeding and structure to how teams stay in the race to the World Series.

How Does the MLB Postseason Work?

As it is currently structured, the MLB playoffs are separated between the American League and the National League. Both the National League and American League get six playoff slots: the winners of each division (East, Central, West) and three wild card spots.

Following the end of the regular season, teams that have clinched a playoff spot are ranked in a league bracket based on their regular season record. In both the American League and National League, the four lowest-ranked teams compete in a best-of-three Wild Card Series, followed by two best-of-five match-ups in the Division Series and one best-of-seven League Championship Series. The winning team from each League Championship Series earns their respective league pennant and advances to the best-of-seven World Series.

How many rounds are in the MLB playoffs?

There are four postseason rounds in MLB: the Wild Card Series, the Division Series, the League Championship Series and the World Series.

The teams are seeded as follows:

The number one overall seed is awarded to the division winner with the best overall regular season record. The second and third seeds are given to the remaining division winners in the order of win-loss record. Each wild card slot is awarded to the best overall record of the remaining teams. Both the first and second seeds receive automatic berths to the Division Series.

Across the Wild Card, Division and Championship Series, the higher seed has home-field advantage, regardless of record. In the Wild Card Series, the seed numbers three and six, and four and five, respectively, will square off in a best-of-three series. The Division Series will be decided in a best-of-five series, and the Championship and World Series are both best-of-seven series.

What Updates Were Made to the Baseball Postseason Format?

Two major updates came to the MLB Postseason in 2022. In order to increase the number of teams and overall games featured in the playoffs, the current baseball playoff structure expanded to 12 teams with a pair of best-of-three Wild Card Series replacing the previous one-game Wild Card elimination round.

MLB Postseason FAQs

What is the Format of the Wild Card Series?

Each Wild Card Series is played at the home ballpark of the higher seed. The teams will not alternate home-field advantage, and the games will be scheduled in a three-day window.

Are Teams Reseeded After the Wild Card?

No. The seeds remain the same across the playoffs.

What is the Format of the Division Series?

The format of the Division Series is best-of-five, with the higher seed hosting games one, two and five.

What is the Format of the Championship Series?

Both the ALCS and NLCS are best-of-seven series with the higher seeded teams hosting games one, two, six and seven.

How Many Teams Will Make the MLB Postseason?

Twelve teams make the MLB playoffs. The breakdown is six teams from the National League and six teams from the American League: three division winners and three wild cards from each league.

How Many Games Are in the MLB Postseason?

A team could theoretically play in 22 MLB playoff games in pursuit of winning a World Series. The most number of games in each series are three in the Wild Card, five in the Division, seven in the Championship and seven in the World Series.

Who Gets Home Field Advantage in the MLB Postseason?

Home field advantage is awarded to the higher seed in the MLB playoffs in each round, regardless of record. For the two remaining teams who advance to the World Series, home field advantage is given to the team with the highest regular season win percentage.