Major League Baseball and the MLB Players Association are apparently in agreement on a 12-team playoff in the upcoming collective bargaining agreement, reports Bob Nightengale of USA Today (Twitter link). As part of that deal, Nightengale adds that the league is likely to keep the penalties for exceeding the luxury tax in a similar level as they’d been under the previous CBA.
The league’s desire for an expanded postseason field has been evident throughout negotiations. MLB had pushed to expand from the previous 10-team field up to 14 clubs throughout discussions, but the union had resisted that possibility. It seems the league has agreed to settle for 12 during this round of negotiations, presumably via adding one more Wild Card team in each league.
Specific terms of the format being discussed are unclear. Hypothetically, it seems the likeliest scenario would see the top two teams in each league receive a bye through the first playoff round (similar to the format utilized in the NFL until that league expanded its own playoffs two years ago). That’d leave the division winner with the worst record and the three Wild Card teams in each league playing some kind of series to advance to the second round.
MLB reportedly offered more player-friendly terms on issues like the minimum salary and pre-arbitration bonus pool to try to get the union’s approval on a 14-team playoff. However, the PA continued to express concerns that broadening the field to that extent could reduce the incentive for teams to earnestly pursue upgrades to their rosters.
There’s a high degree of variability in the MLB postseason — just last year, the playoff team with the worst regular season record went on to win the World Series — and the union fears that under a 14-team system, front offices might be content to build marginally above-average rosters and let the chips fall where they may once the playoffs begin. That could have a trickle-down effect of diminishing free agency spending, one with which the MLBPA was surely uncomfortable.
In recent discussions on playoff expansion, the union has floated the concept of a “ghost win” in the first round for the division winner that doesn’t receive a bye. As Ken Rosenthal of the Athletic reported (on Twitter), that’d system involve the division winner playing the Wild Card team with what amounts to an automatic 1-0 lead in a five-game series. So under that setup, the division winner would only need to win twice in the remaining four games to advance. The Wild Card qualifier, on the other hand, would need to take three out of four.
It’s not clear whether that kind of format made it to the end of discussions on the issue. It also remains unclear how many games each first-round series would comprise. What is apparent is that the parties’ reported willingness to settle on a 12-team postseason marks a key step in their progress towards eventually hammering out a CBA. Postseason expansion has been one of the most important topics of these negotiations for years — with Commissioner Rob Manfred voicing support for a 14-team field as early as October 2020.
14 teams would have been awful.
This is good news. If a deal is signed tonight, when is the earliest transaction likely to take place? Any guesses?
not for at least 12 hours because if it’s right away MLB gonna get suspicious
I don’t that will stop anyone. They could just as easily be finishing a deal that was ready before the lockout started.
I’m sure Correa will signed by the Angels by this time tomorrow night.
Winslow Leach…
Correa and the Tigers contract offer is still on the table. A reunion with Hinch and a team on the rise like the Tigers is just too enticing to pass up especially since clubs like the Yankees, Red Sox, Dodgers, and Giants haven’t exactly shown much interested before the lockout. He’s burned his bridges with Houston and the Braves have no use for him either. Other than the Blue Jays and Cardinals I don’t see a team looking to pay him anything close to what he’s looking for. I think the Tigers will be looking to go all in by signing him to a contract right around $280 mil over 8 years with multiple player opt-out clauses after 2 years…3 years…and 4 years.
Good! Get him out of the AL WEST.
OneLongGone— You forgot the Phillies. Tigers don’t need Correa, not at that price.
Arte doesn’t bring in players who cheat. Correa is hip deal in a cheating scandal and that isn’t his style.
my guess is not for another day or two as the players association actually needs to have vote to ratify it. I believe right now the “council” is putting together the measures in the “best” interests for the rest of the league that the overall players would want. Once back and forth done and they think they have completed negotiations they then pitch it to the players and they vote to make it official.
This is kinda what I was wondering. If that is indeed the case, I will be holding my breath. Lol
Vladatatat 2 — It’s better than a 14-team post season, but it still sucks. The 10-team post season was already atrocious after playing a 162-game season. Why water down the regular season. Bad enough that a 88-game winner won the series last year when there were clearly ELEVEN teams better.
FUrussiaCK
Who is Russia ck
lewis’ brother
That was a decent quip with awful execution….it’s Louis!
Before my boy chimes in with his trifling, ridiculous remarks in favor of the owners, I want to apologize for him. We tried our best.
@father, Don’t worry, he’s already muted by most
The mute doesn’t work on the mobile app. So annoying.
@Tcsbaseball I only signed up for this site just so I could mute him
Won’t happen because I’m now of the opinion that it was mostly just a feeble attempt to try to drum up headlines and ‘interest’ for a culturally irrelevant sport. Maybe not completely, but mostly.
You tried to make your kid think the same way as you? How very cult-y of you.
Honestly I’m more with him at this point. The owners have moved quite a bit more than the MLBPA. Players need to show some good faith and take a compromise soon.
“…reports Bob Nightengale of USA Today.”
These words always concern me.
Is this the first time since the season ended they agreed on something?
They’ve agreed to disagree quite a bit.
I know that. Finally both of them agreed something they both wanted….kinda. the owners caved on the playoff expansion
Are we actually heading towards an agreement??
Of course. You think Max wants to lose $232k/day bickering over $20k/year for some rookie?
The guy made $200MM his last contract alone. To put it terms us regulars understand, that’d be like having $200 and worrying about not getting $0.23 every 5 days. Yeah, no.
MLB Tonight will be live again at 12:30am and Pelt just had Rogers on but he’s not reporting this yet.
They’re on live now with Sherman and Kenny, although seems to be a lead in to the 12:30 am show.
Oh Boy that means The Pirates have a chance at The PS
It says 12 team playoffs, not 24
Please work out a deal I need baseball back in my life.
Get rid of the 1 game playoffs. Doesn’t even feel like a playoff game. You win the right to go to the actual playoffs.
Which of these unlikely World Series matchups would be the most entertaining?
A. Rockies/Rangers
B. Diamondbacks/Orioles
C. Pirates/Royals
D. Marlins/Tigers
E. Reds/Mariners
Speaking as a rangers fan…
None of them
Gotta ask since I know people who brag about the white Sox Winning a world series before the cubs.
Are you still hung up on Ron Washington pitching to Berkman and Freese?…. twice.
i dont like the groupings but if i had to choose amongst those teams i would say the Marlins and Mariners mainly because both are very young teams and they are literally opposite sides of the country. The jet lag and complete difference in weather would make it very interesting. hot sunny florida and cold wet Seattle.
I agree with Flyby. Maybe I would say Reds vs Mariners with Mariners winning it all
I approve this message
Rockies/Rangers – neither franchise has ever won a World Series, and there would be a lot of offense, between parks and pitching staffs that have middle of the pack type upside.
@rh, I think you’re thinking of the older rangers teams. Outside of semien and seager the rangers have no offense
By ESPN park factors, both teams’ home stadiums were first and second for offense in 2017, 2018 and 2019.
And the Rockies just plain suck.
Reds/ Mariners.
From a competitive standpoint, MLB had things right with the 8 team playoffs – not many unworthy teams were let in, not too many worthy teams were left out, the regular season remained very important, and given that record variations between playoff teams largely were about the luck of navigating the marathon and not underlying team quality having the teams compete on an almost-level playing field made so much sense.
Now the quality of the “product” is being watered down, extra games makes it harder and less worth it to take the entire playoffs in, more fluke outcomes occur, etc. What a shame. The NHL and NBA could mess around as they like, and the NFL had it right to have a decent number of playoff teams given the single-elimination nature of the entire bracket, but with long playoffs series to cap a long season baseball had it right years ago. It’s ruined, now and forever. Oh well, at least it’s still baseball!
I bet people said this in 1995
Of course we did. And I’m sure bean counters have kept track of how much money expanded playoffs have made for the sport, but I’m not sure they really increased the game’s appeal. Maybe for some.
I really don’t care for the gameplay changes of recent years, but the one game playoffs are a big win imho
DonOsbourne — Hate the expanded playoffs. I’m 100% with redsoxu571 above.; waters down the meaning of a 162-game season. A pure money grab by the owners that weakens the game.
Didn’t players association say no expanded playoffs if games were missed? I still don’t think season starts on time. At best, we might get started a week or two late with some 7 inning double headers mixed in to keep a full season. I’m not even sure that will happen.
They could agree to this now, but if things break down, they could then say it doesn’t get implemented this season. Nothing is official on either side until the CBA is signed.
12 team playoff significantly diminishes the regular season. Teams need only be good enough to reach the playoffs, then all bets are off no matter how “stacked” a roster may seem. In a shortened series, there is no true favorite, as the sample size is far too small for any even remotely predictable outcome.
From the owners perspective, the better chance the team is competitive deeper into the season, the more tickets and everything else to be sold. For the TV networks, far better viewership for playoff games. But why would the players want this?
I’m thinking they are getting something they want in exchange for expanded playoffs. By not agreeing to a 14 team system, they leave it open to be bargained for next CBA 5 years from now.
If a significant labor stoppage is averted, maybe MLB can establish its own Groundhog Day-style holiday to assess MLB-MLBPA relations each February 28 featuring Derek Jeter.
This is good news. 14 teams out of 30 would have really diluted the 162 game season.
So ESPN will get four first round series, three games each, versus the two one game playoffs that they presently have. Could have been six series, so I’m sure MLB will get most of that 100 million, but they’ll take a hit.
I think it’s gonna be done within a couple hours and that Heyman was right yesterday all along. And Nightengale tonight’s MVP so far… I thought my spirit was broken but gotta say, the last few hours have been insanely riveting after all this!
I don’t like a division winner playing in a wild card unless every team plays equal schedules.
How about cross-league playoffs? I’d love to see the Yankees play the Knicks! Get the old-timer and millennial markets!
But what sport? Yankees and Knicks play hockey? Buccaneers and Lightning play basketball?
No, maybe they can play shuffleboard and rugby. Lol
They can play Mario Party/Mario Kart.
What about an ultimate duel of Pokémon?
BASEketball of course.
You know all millennials are in their 30’s?
Where can I find the direct links to the pictures of Tony Clark and Rob Manfred? I tried looking on google images for the Clark pic of him smiling and the Manfred pic where he looks serious… lol
Try USA today or Getty Images
I voted for March 1st being the end of the lockout, they better get this done by the end of today/tomorrow! I forget, do I win anything (besides a T-shirt at a basketball game when I was like six I don’t think I have ever won anything)?
16 team playoffs is what it should be. The division winners get in BUT teams are ranked according to record with top 3 picking their opponent. This would make winning that much more important and competitive.
How people are saying extra teams waters down competition is beyond me. When you have a bad divisions that have winners and so so records while three teams in another division have a better record then the bad division winner and they don’t make the playoffs? Then one maybe two of the best teams that get into the playoffs get to play the weaker team(s) because they won a bad division? People think this is better than having to play a gauntlet of mostly good teams to prove you are the champs? If its to many games shorten the season to get to the playoffs faster.
i think the union is looking at this all wrong with a 12 team playoff they should be pushing for more teams +. more games = more money
It’s not that more teams water down competition. What it does do is make the regular season matter less. There are no “Pennant races” anymore. Once a team is securely in a playoff spot they’ll just sit back and rest players. Happens in the NFL and NBA (probably in NHL as well but I don’t watch that). It sucks to watch as a fan.
Also the playoffs become this long, drawn out march that takes forever. The NBA playoffs are very much this way. There are so many rounds and so many games that each individual game means so much less. This is where the NFL system of 1 game “series” works so well. Now obviously you can’t do this in baseball, but it would be fun!
If we are going to have 12 teams in the playoffs, they should have a reverse setup. What I mean by that is…first round should be 7 game series, then 5 game series after that. This would give the better team a greater chance to move on in the early rounds. I HATE when the barely 500 team gets passed the 1st place team because the 500 team has an ace or hot pitcher. 1 and 3 game series should NEVER be a thing in baseball. unless it is that way the entire playoffs.
Just my 2cents.
I think expanded playoffs are more likely to result in less selling by the .500ish teams, than less buying by the “Real” contenders. Plus, everyone knows what Atlanta just did.
Atlanta did what they did because the Mets suck. We thank the Mets for handing us our trophy.
@48-team MLB
You truly are deluded..
Manfred is evil!
just let everyone in
manfred can host selection sunday on 10/1
12 teams are enough for the playoffs.
Baseball started going down hill when they started implementing all theses SISSY RULES…….like when they started fining Ty Cobb for supposedly sharpening his spikes……
Manfred is just continuing the tradition…..
No sense burying the lede here. We might have baseball. Yay!
Remember when you had to be a good team to make the playoffs?
pbfog, When I was born the postseason still consisted of only TWO teams making the playoffs; the best team from each league going directly to the World Series. IMO Both 12 and 14 are way too much. At most it should be 8 total, 4 from each league.
Completely right, Dunedin020306!
What a joke this is. MLB becomes more politically correct & woke by the day. Why not hand out participation certificates as well. Rewarding mediocrity is a complete farce.
Fred, this isn’t about political correctness or being woke. It’s about money, capitalism, more playoff games to sell.
@gbs42
It may be about money, but intertwined into that indirectly is political correctness and wokeism in the form of giving teams a play off berth that should not be there in the first place. Rewarding mediocrity is everything sport is NOT about, but that is what it is becoming.
I doubt there are too many politically correct, woke ownership groups.
The players, who are more likely to fit those descriptions, are largely against playoff expansion because it waters down teams’ needs to spend to improve their teams, though some will appreciate the added opportunity to make the playoffs, win a championship, and get some extra salary along the way.
For fans, it’s a mixed bag. Some are purists who prefer teams really earn their way into the playoffs, while some will stay more engaged in the season if their team is in pursuit of a playoff spot longer.
So, owners get more TV revenue, may spend less on players, and get more butts in seats and eyes in front of TVs. The net result: It’s the owners’ pursuit of more and more $$$$$$$.
This does seem excessive. Why not just eliminate play offs and literally play off from game 163 on where every single team, no matter their season ranking for wins and losses, gets a chance to beat each other one by one in head to head match up’s of equivalent rankings until a possible world series where two last place teams happen to get hot and go on win streaks at the perfect moment…. Yeesh.
6 teams in each league making the playoffs is really making the concepts of divisions with an unbalanced schedule obsolete. A lot more is based on record now, so in order to make the records fair, the schedule has to be fair. Chicago winning 91 games with 19 each against 4 weak Central teams is not the same as one of the east teams winning 90 games against 3 really strong east teams (and the Orioles). But in that scenario, Chicago gets the higher seed/playoff spot.
Please, MLB, let’s go to a western/eastern conference format, reduce travel, and enter the 21st century.
12 teams in the playoffs is too many. The idea of a “ghost win” is horrible as well. Wins are fought for and earned. Don’t think I’m a fan of a Bye series either. Baseball is a marathon, that’s just too much time off.
Expanded playoffs?!! Damn, it’s already pretty bad when an 88-win team wins the World Series when there were ELEVEN teams better than them over the rigorous 162-game season.
Just pure greed from the owners with no respect for the game. I’m sorry the players gave in on this one.
@{Pete’sView
An 88 games win team that won their division, because their division was tougher and more evenly balanced, the Braves were not beating up on Arizona and Colorado every other day to increase their win total. It amazes me that you want to cheapen & disrespect the Braves World Series win when they beat the Dodgers in the play offs anyway., and then put Houston to the sword. You call yourself a ‘sports fan’ or ‘baseball fan’, then you’ve got no analytical or baseball credibility., because the Braves deserved to be there and proved they did by winning it all. Cry me a river.
I can understand why the league doesn’t want to raise the tax threshold. You have a 1/3 of the league not even getting close to half of that payroll. It would create such an unfair balance in the league than what it is right now.