Major League Baseball proposed returning to a 154-game regular season starting in 2029, expanding the Division Series to a best-of-seven format, and allowing higher-seeded teams to pick their opponents. The changes are part of a league proposal tied to instituting a salary cap and floor system during collective bargaining sessions with the MLBPA.
Major League Baseball Proposes 154-Game Schedule and Postseason Changes for 2029
Major League Baseball proposed a 154-game regular season during a collective bargaining session with the Major League Baseball Players Association, according to an announcement on X. The current 162-game schedule was fully adopted in 1962, following the American League’s shift in 1961 and the National League’s the following year. Before that, the regular season ran at 154 games, prompting the league to frame the shift as a return to that length. The league’s proposal pairs the shorter schedule with the institution of a standard weekly off day intended to benefit player health.
Owners also proposed adding nine additional days off to the current postseason format, extending it to a maximum of 42 days. Teams playing on Mondays would be scheduled to have Thursdays off, except for up to two nationally broadcast games or holidays. Player salaries would not be adjusted downward for the fewer games, and bonus provision thresholds would be altered to reflect the shorter schedule.
https://x.com/TalkinBaseball_/status/2108251237330424045
Expansion of the Division Series and Opponent Selection Rules
Cutting eight games from the regular season aligns with an increase in Division Series games. Expanding that round from a five-game set to a seven-game series would add a maximum of eight extra playoff games starting in 2029. The league argued that the longer playoff series would add extra off-days, provide pitchers with additional rest, and limit the number of weekday daytime playoff games.
“A shorter regular season unlocks making October even better for our fans—with fewer weekday afternoon games, a longer Division Series, and more opportunities to see the game’s best pitchers on the biggest stage,” MLB spokesman Glen Caplin said, as relayed by Bob Nightengale of USA Today.
MLB recommended implementing an opponent selection system starting in the 2027 season. In the Wild Card round, the No. 3 seed would choose between playing the No. 5 seed or the No. 6 seed. In the Division Series, the top seed would pick which Wild Card round winner to face. This system aims to eliminate potential advantages of being the third Wild Card, increase the importance of regular-season records, and stoke fan interest and rivalries.
Salary Cap Contingency Stalls Labor Negotiations
The scheduling and postseason proposals remain contingent on establishing a salary cap and floor system, which has served as the primary sticking point between the league and the union. The existing collective bargaining agreement between MLB and the MLBPA expires on Dec. 1, with a potential work stoppage looming. The union responded via a statement on X regarding the league’s stipulations.
https://x.com/JeffPassan/status/2108249687044264269
“Players will weigh in on these proposals and we will respond at the bargaining table,” the union statement read in part. “Unfortunately, the league once again made it clear that all of its proposals are contingent on players’ agreement to a salary cap, a system that guts player rights and compensation.”
Common Questions Regarding the MLB Scheduling Proposal
When would the 154-game regular season and expanded Division Series begin?
Major League Baseball proposed launching the 154-game regular season, the weekly off-day structure, and the best-of-seven Division Series in the year 2029, coinciding with the start of the league’s next national media agreements.
How would the playoff opponent selection process work?
Under the proposed 2027 rules, the No. 3 seed in the Wild Card round would choose between the No. 5 or No. 6 seed, while the top seed in each league would pick its opponent following the completion of the Wild Card round.
What is the main obstacle preventing the MLBPA from accepting these changes?
The MLBPA stated that all league proposals are tied to player agreement on a salary cap system, which the union argues compromises player rights and compensation.
https://x.com/SBJ/status/2108271607391088983
Teams Played Fewer Games Before Expansion
Major League Baseball teams played a 154-game schedule for decades before the American League expanded to 10 teams in 1961 and the National League followed in 1962, stretching the schedule to 162 games.
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