Major League Baseball commissioner Rob Manfred is looking to keep the expanded postseason. Doing so would end what makes the MLB regular season so special.
The 2020 Major League Baseball season has been one of the more interesting experiences in the history of the game. Aside from the postponed games and numerous pauses due to positive COVID tests, this has been an experimental year. MLB has tested different rule changes, such as the seven inning doubleheader and having a runner on second during extra innings.
One of those experiments involves having an expanded postseason. Instead of the usual ten teams, 16 teams in total will make the playoffs. Because of this, we currently have two teams – the Astros and Giants – who would make the postseason with a losing record.
While this expanded postseason makes sense this season, it is not the case going forward. Nonetheless, Rob Manfred has reportedly indicated that the additional playoff teams will remain going forward.
This puts MLB on par with the NBA and NHL. Both leagues have 16 teams reach the postseason, making the regular season seem somewhat irrelevant. We see teams, particularly in the NBA, resting players over the final two months of the season. Their 82 game regular season schedules are essentially worthless.
That is part of what makes Major League Baseball so unique. Only ten teams reach the postseason. Every game matters over the course of their 162 game schedule, as teams scramble to be one of that small percentage to play in October. The divisions matter as well, as that allows those winning teams to avoid the winner take all play-in game.
But the expanded playoffs takes that away. Winning the division does not matter because of the three game series. Teams will aim for .500, since that should be enough to reach the playoffs. The trade deadline will not be as active since more teams will feel they have a chance. MLB was different because of how important the season was. And that is being taken away.
Major League Baseball is looking to keep the expanded postseason. While it makes sense for 2020, it is just another way that the game is losing what makes MLB so unique.