2025 MLB Playoff Format Explained: Bracket, Wild Card, Series Lengths

October’s here, and if you’re a baseball fan, you know what that means: Major League Baseball’s postseason cranks up the intensity. This year’s playoffs start Tuesday with four Wild Card Series games, all under the expanded format that debuted in 2022.

Now, 12 teams get a shot—division winners and wild card hopefuls. The new system has really changed the path to the World Series, adding more strategy, drama, and, honestly, a real shot for underdogs to make some noise.

How MLB’s Expanded Playoff Format Works

So, how does it work? Six teams from each league make the postseason—three division champs and three wild cards.

The top two division winners in both the American and National League get a sweet first-round bye. They skip straight to the Division Series.

The other eight teams fight it out in the Wild Card Series. It’s a best-of-three, all at the higher seed’s park, and it happens over three days. No time to catch your breath.

Seeding and Series Structure

Seeding matters a lot. It’s simple, but it can make or break your run.

Once the Wild Card round wraps up, there’s no reseeding. The No. 1 seed always faces the winner of the 4 vs. 5 matchup in the Division Series.

The No. 2 seed gets whoever survives from the 3 vs. 6 bracket. That’s set in stone, for better or worse.

Here’s how the rest shakes out:

• Division Series: Best-of-five, with the 2-2-1 home/away split.
• Championship Series: Best-of-seven, using a 2-3-2 format.
• World Series: Also best-of-seven, same 2-3-2 setup.

The Appeal of the Expanded Field

When MLB bumped the postseason to 12 teams in 2022, it wasn’t just about numbers. It sent a message—more teams can dream, more fans stay glued to the action, and parks stay lively all fall.

With three wild cards per league, the playoff race stays alive deep into September. There’s more at stake, and fans can’t help but feel the buzz.

Underdog Success Stories

The expanded playoffs give underdogs a real shot. Lower seeds can catch fire and suddenly find themselves in the spotlight.

Just look at the 2022 Phillies, who made it all the way to the World Series as a wild card. The Diamondbacks pulled off something similar in 2023. And in 2024, the sixth-seeded Mets reached the NLCS before falling to the Dodgers, who eventually took the crown.

A Look Back at MLB’s Playoff Evolution

Before 1969, the postseason was dead simple: AL and NL champs met in the World Series. No fuss, just a straight shot.

Then came divisional play and the League Championship Series. The wild card arrived in 1995, opening the door for teams that didn’t win their division.

In 2012, MLB amped things up with a single-elimination Wild Card Game. That made things a lot more tense for lower seeds.

The Road to the Current Structure

Jumping to six playoff teams per league in 2022 was the biggest shakeup in over 20 years. MLB’s still trying to match what fans want, keep things competitive, and, let’s be honest, cash in on the chaos that makes October baseball unforgettable.

Why This Year’s Playoffs Matter

With four Wild Card Series kicking off the postseason, fans are in for three days of high-stakes baseball right from the start. The format gives byes to the Division Series for teams that crushed it in the regular season.

But there’s still hope for those lower-seeded teams itching to make some noise. These days, the difference between contenders and pretenders feels razor-thin—every pitch and every managerial call could change everything.

MLB keeps tweaking its postseason format, but October baseball always brings some of the wildest moments in sports. Whether you’re cheering for a dominant No. 1 seed or rooting for the wild cards hoping to pull off an upset, the expanded playoffs guarantee a ride full of suspense and intensity.

 
Here is the source article for this story: MLB Playoff Format: Bracket, Wild Card Series, Best-of Structure