MLB proposes returning to 154-game regular season, adopting best-of-seven division series and opponent selection in playoffs

Major League Baseball is proposing significant changes to the structure of both its regular season and postseason, as part of the league's desired salary cap and floor system, including permitting higher-seeded teams in the wild-card and division series to select their opponents.

MLB has suggested that, starting in 2029, the league return to a 154-game regular season for the first time since the 1960s. Back in 1961, the American League moved from 154 games to 162. The next year, the National League followed suit.

Also in 2029, MLB could begin putting on best-of-seven division series, the league explained online following a bargaining session with the MLB Players Association on Thursday.

Currently, division series take on a best-of-five format, whereas the American League and National League championship series are best-of-seven, as is the World Series. Stretching the ALDS and NLDS in that manner would allow for as many as eight more postseason games.

Plus, according to MLB, more prime-time matchups would be possible in that scenario, given that there'd be an increase in playoff off days, which simultaneously would provide pitchers extra rest.

As for the opponent selection wrinkle, MLB is recommending to enact that in 2027. Upon the conclusion of the regular season, the No. 3 seed, or third-best division winner in the AL and NL, would pick whether to play the No. 5 seed or No. 6 seed in their wild-card series.

Then, following the completion of the wild-card series, the No. 1 seed in the AL and NL would select which wild-card winner to face.

MLB spokesman Glen Caplin explained the reasoning behind the proposed changes in a statement on Thursday, via USA Today's Bob Nightengale :

"Returning to a 154-game schedule would allow us to introduce a weekly off day, which is good for player health, while also creating a new national broadcast window to showcase our most exciting teams and players. "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. "And allowing the top seeds to select their opponents in the first two rounds would create compelling storylines, intensify existing rivalries and create new ones."

"Returning to a 154-game schedule would allow us to introduce a weekly off day, which is good for player health, while also creating a new national broadcast window to showcase our most exciting teams and players.

"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.

"And allowing the top seeds to select their opponents in the first two rounds would create compelling storylines, intensify existing rivalries and create new ones."

"The league made multiple scheduling proposals today. We are reviewing these materials, including the proposed changes to the playoff format. Players will weigh in on these proposals, and we will respond at the bargaining table. "Unfortunately, the league once again made clear that all of its proposals are contingent on players' agreement to a salary cap, a system that guts player rights and compensation, as well as its other anti-player proposals."

"The league made multiple scheduling proposals today. We are reviewing these materials, including the proposed changes to the playoff format. Players will weigh in on these proposals, and we will respond at the bargaining table.

"Unfortunately, the league once again made clear that all of its proposals are contingent on players' agreement to a salary cap, a system that guts player rights and compensation, as well as its other anti-player proposals."

At the moment, MLB is in the middle of its thrilling postseason. But a potential, and seemingly inevitable, lockout is on the horizon, with the existing collective-bargaining agreement between MLB and the MLBPA set to expire on Dec. 1.

Considering that a work stoppage could be imminent, MLB sent a 34-page memo to owners and executives on Oct. 1 , instructing them how they should operate during the lockout, as detailed in a Wednesday report from The Athletic's Evan Drellich .