With 2022 being the first year of a new MLB postseason format, there have been some mixed reactions.
From 2012-2021, excluding the 2020 season in which 16 teams reached the postseason, the format was three division winners and two Wild Card teams per league.
The Wild Cards would play each other in a one-game playoff to determine who would go on to play the top seed in the league, while the No. 2 and No. 3 seeds would match up for the other Division Series matchup.
This year, the top two seeds get a bye to the Division Series, while the lowest division winner plays the third Wild Card, and the top two Wild Cards match up in a best-of-three series.
On Twitter, one sports betting site expressed that playing best-of-three and best-of-five series after a 162-game season is “ridiculous.”
Baseball having a 162 game season and then playing 3 and 5 game playoff series is completely ridiculous pic.twitter.com/fKkOu6a1vH
— PointsBet Sportsbook (@PointsBetUSA) October 16, 2022
A Look At The New Postseason Format
This is just one opinion, but several fans have expressed concerns about the new format.
On one hand, one division winner is stuck in a best-of-three series.
On the other hand, it gives other teams an opportunity to get into the playoffs and make it easier for certain teams.
It also adds some merit to finishing with one of the top two records, as it means that said team will get a bye to the next round and not have to play the Wild Card Series all together.
At the same time, it can be frustrating for teams to have won their division and still have to play the Wild Card Series.
Fans are going to have differing views on this format for some time, but ultimately, the two-Wild Card format gained popularity over the years, so it might just take some time.
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