How does the World Series work?
By Thomas Erbe
How does the World Series work? Whether you’re a casual baseball fan watching the Fall Classic for the first time or a die-hard, this is how it works.
The Major League Baseball playoffs offer some of the most exciting moments in sports, from the one-game wild card round to a potential Game 7 in the World Series. In order to make it into the playoffs, however, teams must endure one of the most demanding schedules in sports.
The 162-game baseball season is a marathon of sorts that takes months to develop teams into contenders and pretenders alike. How we get to an eventual World Series matchup is an endurance test of its own.
How do you make the playoffs?
There are thirty teams in the MLB, and only ten of them will play a postseason game each year. Inside each league (American League and National League), there are three divisions: East, Central, and West. Each division has five teams divided regionally across the country. The team that wins each division makes it to the playoffs – that’s six of the ten spots right there. Once those teams are locked and set, the next two best records in each league (4 teams) will make the playoffs and compete in the wild card game.
Seeding
Seeding in the playoffs is done by determining the best records of the division winners in each league, followed by the winner of the wild card spot. The top seed in each league is given to the division winner with the best record. The second seed is the division winner with the second-best record, and the third seed is the division winner with the worst record of the three division winners. The fourth seed (wild card) is automatically given to the winner of the wild card game.
The one-game wild card playoff
This is the only round of the playoffs that is only a one-game playoff, making it truly win-or-go-home. Winning this game gives the team the one and only wild card spot, moving them onto the divisional round to face the top seed in their league.
As an example, this year the Boston Red Sox and the New York Yankees were the next two best records in the American League and made it into the wild card game. Because the Red Sox had a better record in the regular season, they hosted the Yankees at Fenway Park in the one-game playoff. The Red Sox won, and they moved on in the playoffs while the Yankees season was ended.
Divisional Series (Best of Five)
The divisional round in the playoffs is a best of five series, with the higher seed having home-field advantage. Games one and two are played at the higher seed’s home field. Games three and four (if necessary) are played at the lower seed’s home. Game five (if necessary) will return to the higher seed’s home field.
Championship Series (Best of Seven)
The championship round of the playoffs is a best of seven series, with the remaining higher seed having home-field advantage. Games one and two are played at the higher seed’s home field. Games three, four, and five (if necessary) are played at the lower seed’s home. Games six (if necessary) and seven (if necessary) will return to the higher seed’s home field.
World Series (Best of Seven)
The World Series is a best of seven series with the team with the best regular-season record having home-field advantage. Games one and two are played at the home field of the team with the best record. Games three, four, and five (if necessary) are played at the home of the team with the worst record. Games six (if necessary) and seven (if necessary) will return to the home field of the team with the best record.