MLB raises playoff field to 16 for ’20

Major League Baseball and the players’ union agreed Thursday to expand the playoffs from 10 teams to 16 for the pandemic-delayed season, a person familiar with the deal said, a decision that makes it likely teams with losing records will reach the postseason.

The agreement was reached hours before the season opener between the Yankees and World Series champion Nationals, according to the person who spoke to The Associated Press on condition of anonymity because the agreement was subject to owner approval.

Sixteen of the 30 teams will advance to a best-of-three first round. Those winners move on to the best-of-five Division Series, where the usual format resumes. The final four teams are in best-of-seven League Championship Series, and the pennant winners meet in the best-of-seven World Series.

As part of the deal, MLB agreed to guarantee a postseason pool that would be $50 million if the entire postseason is played. The postseason pool usually comprises ticket money from the postseason, but baseball anticipates playing the entire year in empty ballparks due to the coronavirus.

“It’s such a unique season, why not try a little something different and make it as exciting as possible,” said Rockies shortstop Trevor Story, whose team has never won a World Series title. “I know it’s going to be such a sprint with the 60-game season; adding more playoff teams will just add to the fire and the excitement and the fandom around the game. Anything can happen in a 60-game season. I’m all for it.”

The change means 53% of the 30 teams reach the playoffs.

The new format created a minimum 14 additional postseason games and as many as 22 if each first-round series goes the distance.

“It would be a great way to keep fan bases engaged throughout the entire season,” Brewers star Christian Yelich said.

“You’d have a really tight race all the way down to the last day of the season. I think there’d be a lot of teams in it within a game or two of each other going into that final day.”

Two additional NFL teams reach the playoffs this season for a total of 14 of 32 NFL teams (44%) in the playoffs. Sixteen of 30 (53%) usually go to the playoffs in the NBA and 16 of 31 in the NHL (52%), which expands to 32 franchises next season.