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10/08 12:50 CDT MLB proposes shortening regular season to 154 games in 2029,
expanding Division Series to best-of-7
MLB proposes shortening regular season to 154 games in 2029, expanding Division
Series to best-of-7
By RONALD BLUM
AP Baseball Writer
NEW YORK (AP) --- Major League Baseball proposed to shorten the regular season
to 154 games from 162 games starting in 2029 and to expand the Division Series
to best-of-seven in bargaining with players on Thursday.
Owners also proposed to allow higher-seeded teams in the first two rounds of
the postseason to pick their opponents beginning next year and to make Monday a
day off for most teams starting in 2029 except for those in one or two
nationally broadcast games.
Cutting regular-season games would reduce the opportunity for players to set
season and career records.
"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," MLB spokesman Glen
Caplin said in a statement.
"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."
MLB said player salaries would not be adjusted to reflect fewer games and bonus
provision thresholds --- like those that pay players for games played --- would
be adjusted to reflect the shortened schedule.
The National and American Leagues adopted 154-game schedules in 1904 that had
every team in each eight-team circuit playing all opponents 22 times.
The AL switched to a 162-game schedule when it expanded to 10 teams for 1961
and the National League followed suit the next year.
The LCS started in 1969 and were best-of-five through 1984, then expanded to
best-of-seven.
Division Series have been best-of-five since their inception for annual use in
1995. Wild card games started with the expansion of the playoffs from eight to
10 teams in 2012 and became best-of-three Wild Card Series when the postseason
increased to 12 clubs in 2022.
___
See AP's full MLB coverage here
