Major League Baseball has put forward a proposal to trim down the regular season from 162 games to 154 games, commencing in 2029. Additionally, they suggested expanding the Division Series to best-of-seven as part of negotiations with players.
Moreover, team owners proposed a new rule allowing higher-seeded teams in the initial two post-season rounds to choose their opponents starting from the following year. They also recommended making Mondays a day off for most teams by 2029, with exceptions for teams involved in one or two nationally broadcast games.
The reduction in regular-season games would impact players’ chances to set both season and career records. MLB spokesperson Glen Caplin emphasized that the move to a 154-game schedule would provide players with a weekly off day, promoting player health, and creating a new national broadcast window to showcase top teams and players.
MLB highlighted that player salaries would not be altered to align with the fewer games. However, bonus provisions tied to games played would be adjusted to match the shortened schedule.
The proposal to shorten the regular season to 154 games harks back to the setup adopted by the National and American Leagues in 1904, where each team in the eight-team circuit faced all opponents 22 times. The American League transitioned to a 162-game schedule in 1961 when it expanded to 10 teams, with the National League following suit the subsequent year.
The League Championship Series (LCS) commenced in 1969 as best-of-five before transitioning to best-of-seven in 1985. The Division Series, which began in 1995, has always been best-of-five. Wild card games were introduced in 2012 when the playoffs expanded to 10 teams, evolving into best-of-three Wild Card Series with the expansion to 12 clubs in 2022.
