With only a couple of weeks to go in the regular season, MLB fans are understandably turning their attention toward the postseason. We don't officially know each of the teams set to participate in October, but we do have a good idea of which ones will make it there.
With the playoffs right around the corner, it's only appropriate to go over the postseason format. This article will cover that and so much more before the real fun gets going.
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How the MLB postseason format works in 2025
Overall, six teams from each league, 12 in total, will reach the postseason. The winners of the six divisions take up half of the spots, and the other six spots are handed to Wild Card teams. The holders of the Wild Card spots are the three non-division winners with the best record in each league.
There are four series to be played in the postseason. The Wild Card series kicks things off, followed by the Division Series, League Championship Series, and then the World Series.
The format, which is the same in the AL and NL, is constructed as such:
No. Seed | Description |
|---|---|
No. 1 Seed | Best record in AL or NL |
No. 2 Seed | Second-best record in AL or NL among division winners |
No. 3 Seed | Third-best record in AL or NL among division winners |
No. 4 Seed | Best record among non-division winners |
No. 5 Seed | Second-best record record among non-division winners |
No. 6 Seed | Third-best record among non-division winners. |
Wild Card Series
The Wild Card Series is what kicks off the postseason. Eight of the 12 postseason-bound teams participate with the ultimate goal of moving on to the postseason. The four teams that do not participate are the two division winners in each league with the best record. Those teams receive byes and automatically move on to the Division Series.
The series is a three-game set, and it takes place at one venue, with the higher seed hosting all three games. The first team to win two games moves on to the next round. The matchups are as such in each league:
- No. 3 seed (worst division winner) hosts No. 6 seed (Wild Card team with worst record
- No. 4 seed (Wild Card team with best record) hosts No. 5 seed (Wild Card team with second-best record)
Division Series (ALDS and NLDS)
The eight teams that advance past the Wild Card Series advance to the Division Series, either the ALDS for the American League or the NLDS for the National League. The series is a best-of-five, meaning three wins are required to advance to the next round.
The two teams that received byes in each league will have home-field advantage, meaning that the first two and three of the possible five games will take place at their stadium. This is supposed to give the best teams the biggest possible advantage.
League Championship Series (ALCS and NLCS)
The four winners of the Division Series will move on to the League Championship Series, the ALCS for the American League and the NLCS for the NL. This is essentially the semi-finals for the playoffs.
This series is a best-of-seven, meaning four wins are needed to advance. Home-field advantage is held by the team with the highest seed remaining. This means that four of the seven games (the first two and last two) will be played at the stadium of the higher seed.
World Series
The winner of the League Championship Series in each league wins what's called a pennant, which essentially means they've won their respective league. Now, as is the case in the NFL, NBA and NHL, the best teams in each league will face off against each other for all of the marbles. The best AL team will face the best NL team in the World Series.
Like the LCS, the winner of the World Series will need to win four of the possible seven games. The format is exactly the same, too. Home-field advantage will be given to the team with the best regular season record, with that team hosting the first two and last two games.
Why getting the first-round bye is so crucial and which teams will get it
As mentioned above, four teams in total will receive byes, meaning that they won't have to participate in the Wild Card Series. Two teams in each league will receive the byes, and those teams are the two division winners with the best records. The third division winner in each league must play in the Wild Card Series, but will get home-field advantage.
It isn't rocket science to see why earning a first-round bye is so crucial. Automatically advancing to the Division Series without having to play a single game is a privilege most teams hope to get. It not only eliminates any risk of teams getting upset, but it gives players rest at a time when that's extremely hard to come by, and it also gives injured players extra time to heal.
We've seen the Atlanta Braves, losers in the NLDS twice after receiving a bye, complain that the bye hurts them, but I'd guess the other 29 teams disagree with them. A week off from games might impact timing slightly, but the rest and automatic advancement teams with byes receive is just too good a reward to overlook.
If the season ended today, the Toronto Blue Jays and Detroit Tigers would receive byes in the AL, and the Milwaukee Brewers and Philadelphia Phillies would receive byes in the NL. Those are the two division winners in each league with the best record.
The types of teams the Wild Card format favors
In recent years, we've seen the hottest teams have the most success in this postseason format. For example, last season, the New York Mets got off to an abysmal start to their season but were one of the best teams in baseball for four months, allowing them to make the playoffs, but as the last Wild Card team. They were the lowest seed in the NL, but were playing like a team capable of being the No. 1 seed. They promptly made a run to the NLCS.
Another prime example of this can be found in 2023. That year's World Series featured the Texas Rangers and Arizona Diamondbacks, the No. 5 and No. 6-seeded teams in their respective leagues. The Rangers and Diamondbacks didn't have the best regular season records in the world, but pulled off several upsets to make it to the World Series.
This format favors teams playing well down the stretch. The postseason is essentially a one-month sprint. A 162-game grind shows us which teams are really the best, but anyone can thrive in one month. The hottest teams often go on a run even if they're not quite as talented as the opposition.
Why the postseason format is more than fair
As mentioned above, we've seen the Braves complain about receiving a bye, but I think getting the bye is far more beneficial than not. Other than that, what is there to complain about? The higher-seeded teams are given every possible chance to win, from receiving byes to receiving home-field advantage.
My only real complaint is that the Division Series should be a best-of-seven. The reason behind that is it gives the participating teams more of a chance to prove they should advance. Larger sample sizes are always beneficial, and I'm not sure why it can't be a best-of-seven when the League Championship Series is.
These teams are built to thrive under the postseason format
The Seattle Mariners stick out to me as a team ready to go on a deep run in the American League. They have perhaps the most talented rotation in the game (even if they haven't pitched quite as well as expected), a dominant back-end of the bullpen, and a loaded lineup. They also are red-hot right now (11-1 in their last 12), and have been elite at home. If they can win the AL West (which I get is far from a guarantee), watch out with how well they're playing and how loaded their roster is.
In the National League, the Philadelphia Phillies stick out as a team to beat. Like Seattle, their rotation is outstanding, even without Zack Wheeler. The back-end of their bullpen is dominant with Jhoan Duran now in the fold. Their lineup has some question marks, but the trio of Trea Turner, Kyle Schwarber and Bryce Harper can win Philadelphia games singlehandedly.
The Phillies are also winners of 11 of their last 14, playing their best baseball at the most important time, and they have loads of postseason experience. Why can't this be their year?
Teams that are struggling, like the Boston Red Sox and New York Mets, feel less likely to go on a deep run. They can still back their way into the playoffs, but they'll both be Wild Card teams at best and face tremendous challenges roster-wise.