MLB Insider Says Major Playoff Expansion Could Happen in 2020
By Michael Luciano
The MLB is currently in a deep freeze due to the spread of the coronavirus, but they have some very interesting plans for the 2020 season when it returns in earnest.
Jon Heyman reports that MLB is considering expanding the playoffs of the shortened 2020 season from 10 teams to 14, which is in line with the expanded format that has been proposed over the last few years.
MLB may expand the playoffs from 10 teams to 14 this year. It’s been proposed for subsequent years but this could be the time to experiment. Would also be a way to add big games, boost excitement and yes revenue. Nothing close to final. Almost anything is on table.
— Jon Heyman (@JonHeyman) March 27, 2020
Unless the league is satisfied with the possibility of playing into late November and December, they will likely construct a truncated regular season that ends around late September or early October.
MLB has discussed expanding the playoffs to 12 teams from the current 10 team format, and this could be a chance to experiment and see how this new format works. It could also serve as a chance for the MLB to make back some of the revenue they lost when they in effect cancelled a large chunk of their regular season.
However, some fans have taken issue with the notion that the MLB is going to experiment with this new format simply because extraordinary circumstances forced the league to play a shortened regular season.
Playing less games and letting more teams in makes little sense to me
— Mack (@MackNY_) March 27, 2020
There's only one way to find out if an expanded MLB playoff format works, and that's through practice. When we get baseball back, we'll also likely get a funky new playoff bracket that could be a smashing success or colossal failure.