kbur
In its most recent collective bargaining proposal to the MLB Players Association, Major League Baseball has put forward a plan to trim the regular season from 162 games to 154 beginning in 2029, while also enlarging the Division Series from a best-of-five format to best-of-seven.
The proposal includes a mandated weekly off day, with the league arguing that a condensed schedule would enhance player wellness and provide more chances to spotlight games on a national stage.
Several other alterations to the postseason are also on the table. Starting in 2027, teams with higher seeds would be granted the ability to choose their opponents in both the Wild Card and Division Series rounds. Specifically, the No. 3 seed would pick between the No. 5 and No. 6 seeds in the Wild Card Series, and the No. 1 seed would decide which Wild Card victor it faces in the Division Series.
Additionally, the league has proposed adding nine postseason off days, which would extend the playoff calendar to as many as 42 days and afford starting pitchers more opportunities to appear in multiple games.
Under MLB's proposed 154-game schedule, the season would span roughly 180 days instead of the current 162 games over 187 days. Teams would be given four split doubleheaders, one against each division rival, and most Mondays would become off days, except for games scheduled on national holidays or in limited national broadcast windows.
The league has stated that player salaries would not be reduced due to the shorter season, though thresholds tied to games played and similar incentives would be adjusted. The Division Series would be contested over 11 days rather than nine, with additional rest incorporated into the schedule.
MLB also aims to reduce early weekday afternoon playoff games and stagger postseason start times, changes intended to boost attendance and television viewership while creating more opportunities for top pitchers to work.
The 154-game schedule would represent a return to a format last employed before both leagues adopted the 162-game standard in the early 1960s.
However, the proposal arrives amid deep economic rifts between the two sides. MLB has linked its proposals to a salary-cap-and-floor system, which the union opposes. The current collective bargaining agreement is set to expire on Dec. 1, and a potential lockout threatens the 2027 season if no agreement is reached.
The MLBPA has indicated it will review the league's latest proposals before responding at the bargaining table.
Editorial credit: Robert Way / Shutterstock.com.
Originally reported by kbur.