MLB’s expanded playoffs are keeping more fans engaged as the regular season hits the final stretch
Associated Press— J.J. Picollo sat in the Kansas City dugout on an unseasonably warm autumn afternoon, waiting for the Royals to play the Detroit Tigers in a matchup of AL Central rivals that few thought would be fighting for the postseason this year. “I think it’s done exactly what they wanted it to do, which is keep a lot of people interested, and a lot of teams in it,” said Atlanta manager Brian Snitker, whose team watched the Phillies run away with the NL East but were still alive for a wild card. “I was involved in two wild cards where it was, ‘Win or go home,’” said Orioles manager Brandon Hyde, whose team began this week in the first AL wild-card spot. “That was like the Super Bowl, it felt like, that one night.” Two years ago, a third wild card in each league expanded the playoffs to 12, and the play-in game was replaced by best-of-three series featuring those three teams and lowest-seeded division winner. It doesn’t make it any more exciting in the last part of the season.” “I kind of like the new format,” countered Jack Mixon, a Braves fan from Hall County, Georgia.
History of this topic
News Analysis: Is MLB’s new playoff format too harsh on division winners? The debate continues
LA TimesMLB playoffs back at the Globe with Texas Rangers part of them, and not neutral 3 years after COVID
Associated Press
Rosenthal: This year’s races demonstrate the potential issues MLB would face if the playoffs were expanded to 14 teams
New York Times
What To Expect From Major League Baseball Playoffs
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