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MLB playoffs 2024: Postseason predictions, MLB postseason history and FAQ
By Matt Johnson,
2023-10-29
Who will make the MLB playoffs this year? We’re tracking the postseason with regular updates for the MLB postseason brackets and the playoff seeding outlook for the American League and National League in 2024.
As we do every season, Sportsnaut’s MLB playoffs picture will take a look at where things stand across the league. You can find our MLB postseason predictions from spring training further below, with the latest playoff outlook atop the page.
Bookmark this page for updates throughout the season, including detailed predictions, MLB postseason schedule updates and more. For now, here is everything you need to know about the MLB playoffs this year along with our MLB postseason predictions for 2024.
Sportsnaut’s 2024 MLB postseason predictions are created before Opening Day and will be updated right before the start of the regular season. After that, updates throughout the regular season will focus on the latest MLB postseason race.
No MLB teams have clinched a playoff spot in 2024. Opening Day is in March and in a 162-game season, no team will clinch a playoff spot until September. Stay tuned for updates.
The 2024 MLB playoffs will likely start on Tuesday, October 1 with the the first games of the Wild Card Series. While MLB doesn’t release its postseason schedule until early in the regular season, the playoffs typically begin two days after the final game of the regular season ( Sunday, September 29 ).
In the new MLB playoff bracket, 12 teams make the playoffs. There are six teams in the American League and six teams in the National League, with the two division-winning teams with the best records receiving a first-round bye and automatically advancing to the Divisional Round. The third division winner hosts a Wild Card Series against the third Wild Card team (No. 6 seed).
Twelve teams make the MLB playoffs, with six each from the National League and American League. The top two division winners with the best record in the AL and NL each receive a first-round bye, while the No. 3 division winner and the three Wild Card teams play in the Wild Card round of the MLB playoffs bracket.
Major League Baseball expanded its playoff field in the COVID-shortened 2020 season but the playoffs returned to the standard 10-team format in 2021. While league officials pushed for a 14-team MLB postseason format in 2022, players wouldn’t go for it. and settled on a 12-team playoff.
The MLB postseason starts in October, with the 2024 regular season ending on September 29. The World Series typically ends in November, depending on how long the series goes.
Yes, MLB uses a 12-team bracket with six teams from the National League and six teams from the American League separated into two sides of the bracket. The winner from each side of the bracket then meets in the World Series.
There are six wild card teams in the MLB playoffs. Under the new MLB collective-bargaining agreement, the postseason was expanded starting in 2022. There are three wild card teams in the NL and the teams in the AL. Each wild card team with the lowest seed faces the division winner with the lowest record. The format looks like this, with playoff positioning determined by the latest MLB standings.
No. 6 wild card team vs No. 3 division winner
No. 5 wild card team vs No. 4 wild card team
Each AL and NL Wild Card series is a best-of-three set. The No. 1 seed, the team with the best record in each league, hosts the winner of the 4 vs. 5 matchup. Meanwhile, the No. 2 seed faces the winner of the No. 3 vs No. 6 in the Divisional Round.
The number of games in the MLB postseason depends on how long it takes teams to win each series, ultimately advancing and being crowned World Series champion. Here is a breakdown of the length of each playoff series.
What team has the most MLB postseason appearances?
The New York Yankees have the most playoff appearances in MLB history, appearing in the MLB playoffs 58 times.
MLB postseason tiebreakers
MLB eliminated ‘Game 163’, which it used as a tiebreaker for teams to determine postseason eligibility. With its elimination, MLB is moving towards a tiebreaker system that will determine postseason eligibility and seeding for the MLB playoffs. Here is the order of determination for each MLB playoff tiebreaker.
1. Head-to-Head record
2. Intradivisional Record
3. Interdivision Record
4. Last Half of Intraleague Games
5. Last Half of Intraleague Games plus one (continues until the tie is broken)
The Wild Card round matchups between the No. 3 vs No. 6 and No. 4 vs No. 5 seeds are a best-of-three series. The winner of 3 vs 6 plays the No. 2 seed and 4 vs 5 faces the No. 1 seed.
Twelve teams made the 2022 MLB playoffs, following the expansion of the MLB postseason format implemented under the new collective bargaining agreement. Here are the teams that made the postseason in 2022 and how they fared.
Houston Astros – World Series champion
Philadelphia Phillies – National League champions, World Series runner-up
New York Yankees – Lost ALCS in four games to Houston Astros
San Diego Padres – Lost NLCS in five games to Philadelphia Phillies
Los Angeles Dodgers – Lost NLDS in four games to San Diego Padres
Atlanta Braves – Lost NLDS in four games to Philadelphia Phillies
Seattle Mariners – Lost ALDS in three games to Houston Astros
Cleveland Guardians – Lost ALDS in five games to Cleveland Guardians
New York Mets – Lost NLWC in three games to San Diego Padres
St. Louis Cardinals – Lost NLWC in two games to St. Louis Cardinals
Tampa Bay Rays – Lost ALWC in two games to Cleveland Guardians
Toronto Blue Jays – Lost ALWC in two games to Seattle Mariners
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