Major League Baseball announced a new format for the 2022 postseason, which increases the number of qualified teams and the inclusion of the Wild Card Round.
Here, we answer some questions you might have with the new format.
How many teams qualify for the postseason?
The postseason bracket features 12 teams (six from each league) – different from the 10-team format (five from each league) prior to 2022. The bracket features three division champions and three Wild Cards per league.
Does the Wild Card Game still exist?
No, the single Wild Card elimination game, which was used between 2012 and 2019, and again in 2021, has been replaced with a best-of-three series.
How are the teams seeded?
In each league, they will be distributed like this:
First seed: Best record in the league.
Second seed: Second best division champion.
Third seed: Third best division champion.
Fourth seed: Best record among the Wild Cards.
Fifth seed: Second-best record among the Wild Cards.
6th seed: Third-best record among the Wild Cards.
The first and second teams will receive a bye and advance directly to the Division Series.
As for the Wild Card Series, No. 3 will meet No. 6, while No. 4 will meet No. 5.
What if a Wild Card team has a better record than one of the division champions?
No matter. The winner of the division will occupy the position corresponding to the seed.
What is the format of the Wild Card Series?
All games in this series will be played at the stadium of the team with the highest seed (thus, the third and fourth seeds will play at home). All matches will be played over a three-day period, so the teams that received the bye won’t have to wait as long.
The winners of the Wild Card Series will advance to the Division Series and the losers will be eliminated.
Do the teams go back in order after the Wild Card Series?
No. The first seed will clash against the winner of the duel between fourth and fifth, while the second will do the same against the team that came out unscathed from the clash between third and sixth. This ensures that the top-seeded club does not face a division champion in the second round.
Is the Division Series still five games?
Yes. The only thing that changes about this series is the way teams come into it. It still has a 2-2-1 format, with the team with the best record enjoying home advantage.
Any other postseason changes?
No. The NLCS and World Series are still best-of-seven, with a 2-3-2 format for home-field advantage.
What if two teams (or more) in pursuit of a division title or postseason berth end up with identical records at the end of the regular season?
The playoff games (also known as the 163rd match) were eliminated. All ties will be resolved mathematically, with direct matches being the first factor to take into account.
Which league champion will have home field advantage in the World Series?
Home-field advantage in the Fall Classic will go to the team with the best regular-season record, regardless of which seed they qualified for the postseason.
If the two teams had identical records, head-to-head records, interdivisional record and then divisional record, in that order, will be taken into account.
Anthony Castrovince/MLB.com
