How Do Baseball Playoffs Work?

How do baseball playoffs work? What is the process for teams to make it to the World Series?

Introduction

In order to understand how the baseball playoffs work, it is important to first understand the divisional system in Major League Baseball (MLB). Each team in MLB is placed into one of two divisions: the American League (AL) or the National League (NL). The AL is made up of 14 teams, while the NL has 16. The AL is split into three divisions: the East, Central, and West. The NL is split into four divisions: the East, Central, West, and Wild Card.

How the MLB Divisional Playoffs Work

The MLB playoffs are a best-of-seven tournament held after the conclusion of the MLB regular season to determine the eventual World Series champion. In recent years, the playoffs have expanded to include four teams from each league, but the format has otherwise remained the same. Here’s a closer look at how the MLB divisional playoffs work.

The Wild Card Game

In order to make the playoffs, teams need to win their division or earn a spot as a wild card team. The two wild card teams with the best records play each other in what is called the Wild Card Game. The winner of that game moves on to play the team with the best record in baseball in the Divisional Series.

So, for example, let’s say the Red Sox are the best team in baseball with a record of 108-54 and the Yankees are second best with a record of 103-59. The Rays are a wild card team with a 90-72 record and the A’s are also a wild card team with an 89-73 record. The Rays would play the A’s in the Wild Card Game and the winner would move on to play the Red Sox in the Divisional Series.

The Divisional Series

In each League, the Divisional Series is a best-of-five series with home field advantage (Games 1, 2, and 5 at the home ballpark of the higher seed) going to the team with the better regular-season record.

The first two games are played on consecutive days, followed by a day off. The remaining games are played on consecutive days as well.

If one team wins the first two games at home, it can sweep the Series with a victory in Game 3 in the opponent’s ballpark. If one team loses the first two games at home, it faces elimination in Game 3.

The Divisional Series features two rounds of play. In the first round, known as the Wild Card Game, the two Wild Card teams face each other in a one-game playoff. The winner advances to play the top seed in its League’s Divisional Series.

In each League’s Divisional Series, the lower seeded team plays at home first. The schedule for subsequent games depends on whether either team has swept or been swept in their previous series:

-If one team sweeps (wins all four games), that team will have a “travel day” before resuming play on regular rest against its next opponent;

-If both teams are swept or neither was swept, both teams will have a “travel day” before resuming play against their next opponent;

-If one team wasswept but its opponent was not, that team will have to travel and play its next game on short rest (one day’s rest).

The League Championship Series

The League Championship Series (LCS) is a best-of-seven playoff and one of two semi-final postseason contests leading to the Major League Baseball (MLB) World Series. The LCS is played between the winners of each divisional series, the American League (AL) Championship Series and National League (NL) Championship Series.

How the MLB World Series Works

The Major League Baseball (MLB) World Series is a best-of-seven playoff between the champions of the American League (AL) and National League (NL). The winner of the World Series championship is determined through a best-of-seven playoff.

The World Series

The World Series is the annual championship series of Major League Baseball (MLB) and concludes the MLB postseason. First played in 1903, the World Series championship is a best-of-seven playoff and is a contest between the champions of MLB’s two leagues, the American League (AL) and the National League (NL). Often referred to as the “Fall Classic”,[1][2] the World Series since 1904 has been scheduled for play during the late autumn/early winter months, when most North American sporting events are not in season. As a result, it can be difficult for baseball fans living outside North America to follow.

The 2016 World Series was played between the Cleveland Indians and the Chicago Cubs. The Cubs won in seven games, bringing their championship total to 108—more than any other team in professional American sports.

The World Series Championship

The World Series is the annual championship series of Major League Baseball (MLB). The event begins in late October as the two teams with the best records during the MLB regular season face off in a best-of-seven game series.

In order to make it to the World Series, a team first has to make it through their league’s playoff system. In the American League, there are three rounds of playoffs. The first round is a best-of-five series between the two teams with the best records in each division. The winner of that series moves on to play the winner of the next series, which is a best-of-seven affair between the winners of each league’s two divisions. The final round, before the World Series, is also a best-of-seven series and is between the winners of each league’s American and National Divisional Series’.

The National League operates under a slightly different playoff system. In their case, four teams from each division qualify for the playoffs regardless of record. These eight teams are then seeded according to record and play each other in two separate best-of-five series’. The winners of those two series’ then advance to play each other in a best-of-seven National League Championship Series’. Finally, the winner of that event moves on to play in the World Series.

Conclusion

In order to ensure that all teams have a fair chance at making the playoffs, baseball has a rule in place called the Wild Card. The Wild Card is given to the team with the best record who did not win their division. For example, if Team A has the best record in the league but Team B won the division that Team A is in, then Team B would get the division title and Team A would get the Wild Card. The Wild Card team is not guaranteed a spot in the playoffs, but they do have a chance to play their way in.