Prior to the 2022 season, MLB introduced a new postseason format in which the top two seeds in each league secure first-round byes and an automatic spot in the Division Series.
The changes have been criticized due to the belief that the teams with extra time off are at a disadvantage when they play the winner of the Wild Card Series. There have also been calls for playoff re-seeding after the Wild Card winners are determined.
This year alone saw three top division winners in the Atlanta Braves, Baltimore Orioles and Los Angeles Dodgers be eliminated in the Division Series, with two of the series finishing as sweeps.
MLB commissioner Rob Manfred likes the current postseason format but said the league will consider making potential changes, per Evan Drellich of The Athletic:
“It will at least motivate a conversation about whether we have it right,” Manfred said prior to Game 1 of the World Series. “I’m sure that conversation will take place in the postseason. Enough has been written and said that we have to think about it and talk about it.
Prior to the current postseason format, the two Wild Card winners in each league played a winner-take-all matchup for a spot in the Division Series, which was held four or five days after the final game of the regular season.
With the current setup, the teams that earn a first-round bye don’t play their first postseason game until six days after the conclusion of the regular season.
The Houston Astros were the only division winner to advance to the Championship Series this year, and the final four teams all won 90 or fewer games during the regular season.
It will take more time to accurately find out how much the bye week makes an impact for the division winners, but players and managers have talked about the struggle of not playing competitive baseball for an extended period before jumping back in to the most important series of their season.
Max Muncy not sure if MLB postseason is to blame for Dodgers’ struggles
After the Dodgers were swept by the Arizona Diamondbacks in the NLDS, Max Muncy couldn’t say for sure whether the first-round bye had a negative impact on the team.
“I can’t answer that without having done the other one,” Muncy said when asked if he would rather play in a Wild Card Series or have off days before starting in the NLDS.
“So for us, this is the second year we’ve had this format. We’ve been off both times. I don’t know what it’s like on the other side, so I can’t really answer that question fairly.
“I could say that, yeah, we’d rather be playing right away or not. But the reality is if you have the days off, you’re one of the top seeds and you have home-field advantage.
“And really when you think about it, that’s the most important thing. But I can’t give you a fair answer because we haven’t done the other side.”
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