Major League Baseball is proposing changes to both the regular season and the playoffs as it negotiates a new collective bargaining agreement with players. Multiple outlets report MLB would reduce the regular season from 162 games to 154, beginning as early as 2029, and would also add a regular weekly off day.
Outlets also say MLB’s proposal would reshape the postseason. The changes described include expanding the Division Series (including the LDS) to a best-of-seven format and adjusting how playoff opponents are matched. Some reports note that higher-seeded teams in the early postseason rounds would be allowed to select their opponents.
These proposals are linked to MLB’s push for a salary cap, with the league using schedule and playoff shifts as part of its overall bargaining position. The specific details vary by outlet—particularly around the timing and the exact postseason structure—but the reported core elements are a shorter season, a weekly off day, and a postseason format with more games and new matchup mechanics.
