How Many Games are in the Baseball Playoffs?
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The MLB postseason consists of the World Series and the three rounds of the playoffs leading up to it.
How the Playoffs Work
The Major League Baseball playoffs are a best-of-seven tournament held after the conclusion of the MLB regular season to determine the season’s champion. The American League (AL) and National League (NL) winners play each other in the AL Championship Series (ALCS) and NL Championship Series (NLCS), respectively.
The Wild Card
In baseball, the Wild Card is given to the team in each league that has the best record after all of the teams that have won their division have been determined. So, if a team doesn’t win their division but still has one of the best records in their league, they will be given a spot in the playoffs as a Wild Card.
The team with the best record in each league receives a bye in the first round of the playoffs and automatically advances to the League Championship Series. The two Wild Card teams play each other in a one-game playoff to determine who will advance to play the number one seed in the divisional round of the playoffs.
The Division Series
The Division Series is a best-of-five playoff that pits the two winners of the Wild Card Game against the top two seeded teams in each league. The divisional winners host Games 1, 2, and 5 (if necessary), while the Wild Card Game winners host Games 3 and 4 (if necessary). The American League plays its Division Series games before the National League.
The Division Series used to be a best-of-five affair, but was changed to a best-of-seven format in 1985. That format lasted until 1995, when it reverted back to best-of-five.
The League Championship Series
The American and National League Championship Series (ALCS and NLCS) are a best-of-seven series played in October after the Division Series to determine who will represent their leagues in the World Series. The two remaining teams in each league face off in a best-of-seven series, with the winner advancing to play in the World Series.
The League Championship Series began in 1969 as a best-of-five affair. It expanded to a best-of-seven format in 1985. The American League has used a 2–3–2 home field advantage since 1985 while the National League has used a 1–2–1–1–1 home field advantage since 1985.
Under the current format, the AL and NL Division Series winners play each other in the ALCS or NLCS. The two league champions then face each other in the best-of-seven World Series to determine which team is crowned baseball’s Fall Classic champion for that year.
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 determined through a best-of-seven playoff and is a contest between the champions of baseball’s National League (NL) and American League (AL). Often referred to as the “Fall Classic”,[1] the World Series has been played every year except 1904 and 1994, when it was canceled due to the players’ strike. Until 1969, the AL champ hosted all games of even-numbered years, with the NL hosting in odd-numbered years. Since then, home field for each game of the Series has been alternated yearly between the two leagues.
The winner of the World Series receives a commemorative ring. Players on World Series winners also receive gold watches.[2] The Commissioner’s Trophy is awarded to each year’s champion club by Commissioners Rob Manfred (since 2015).[3][4]
The current home field advantage system in which the league champion of the previous year hosting Games 1, 2, 6, and 7 began in 1985.[5] Prior to that, home-field advantage alternated yearly between the two leagues.
When evaluated objectively, it would appear that there is some level of bias giving one team an extra home game over their competitor; however, when analyzed further this does not seem to have had much impact on who wins the actual World Series. In fact, out of 113 instances where one team had home-field advantage over their opponent, that team only went on to win 63 times—a success rate of only 56%.[6]
How Many Games are in Each Playoff Series?
The baseball playoffs are a series of games that take place after the regular season ends. The playoffs determine which team will be the World Series champions. There are four rounds of playoffs: the Wild Card Game, the Division Series, the League Championship Series, and the World Series.
The Wild Card
In each league, the team with the best record that did not win its division automatically earns a playoff berth. This is known as a “wild card” berth.
The two wild-card teams in each league play each other in a one-game playoff. The winner of that game goes on to play the division winner with the best record in a best-of-five series.
The Division Series
The first stage of the postseason is the Division Series (ALDS and NLDS), a best-of-five series between the two division winners from each league. The higher seed hosts games one, two and five (if necessary), while the lower seed hosts games three and four (if necessary).
The League Championship Series
In each league, the divisional series is a best-of-seven playoff. The team that finishes with the best record in each league plays the team with the wild-card berth, while the two other division champions play each other. The winners of those series advance to the best-of-seven league championship series.
The World Series
The World Series is a best-of-seven playoff series played between the American League and National League champions to determine Major League Baseball’s (MLB) annual champion. The winning team is awarded the Commissioner’s Trophy. As of 2018, the World Series has been contested 114 times, with the AL winning 66 and the NL winning 48. The 2018 World Series took place between the Los Angeles Dodgers and Boston Red Sox from October 23–31, with the Red Sox winning in five games to earn their ninth championship.
