MLB Proposes 154-Game Season and Best-of-Seven Division Series in Labor Talks

Major League Baseball has floated a radical reshaping of its calendar, proposing a 154-game regular season and a best-of-seven Division Series in a Thursday bargaining session with the MLB Players Association. The changes, which would take effect in 2029, would also let higher-seeded teams choose their postseason opponents beginning in 2027. The league argues a shorter schedule would create a standard weekly off day — Monday for most clubs — benefiting player health, while the expanded Division Series would cut down on weekday afternoon playoff games and give aces more chances to start on the biggest stage. "A shorter regular season unlocks making October even better for our fans," MLB spokesman Glen Caplin said in a statement. The 162-game schedule has been in place since 1961 in the American League and 1962 in the National League; the 154-game format ran from 1904 to 1960. MLB says player salaries would not be cut to reflect the shorter season, though bonus thresholds would be adjusted proportionally. The union's response was cool. The MLBPA said it is reviewing the proposals but noted that "the league once again made clear that all of its proposals are contingent on players' agreement to a salary cap, a system that guts player rights and compensation." With the collective bargaining agreement set to expire December 1, the session underlines how far apart the sides remain on the game's economics.