How do Wildcards Work in MLB
In Major League Baseball (MLB), wildcards are teams that qualify for the postseason despite not winning their division. Since 1994, the number of wildcards has varied from one to two per league.
For the 2023 season, each league has three wild cards. The top two wild card teams automatically advance to the Division Series. The third wild card team faces the team with the worst record among the division winners in a Wild Card Game. The winner of the Wild Card Game advances to the Division Series.
To determine the wild card teams, the league standings are used at the end of the regular season. The top three teams that have not won their division are awarded wild cards. If two teams are tied for the final wild card spot, a tiebreaker game is played to determine the winner.
Wildcards provide an opportunity for teams that may not have the best record to still have a chance to win the World Series. In recent years, several wild card teams have advanced deep into the playoffs, including the 2015 Kansas City Royals, who won the World Series.
FAQs
- When were wildcards first introduced in the MLB? 1994
- How many wildcards are there in each league? Three
- Which teams automatically advance to the Division Series? The top two wildcard teams
- Which team faces the team with the worst record among the division winners? The third wildcard team
- What is the format of the Wild Card Game? A single-elimination game
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