MLB Proposing 154-Game Season, Expanded Playoffs Doesn’t Sit Well With Fans: “Manfred Needs to Go”

The MLB adapted the 162-game regular season format first in 1961 when the American League expanded from 8 to 10 teams.

MLB Proposing 154-Game Season, Expanded Playoffs Doesn’t Sit Well With Fans: “Manfred Needs to Go”

MLB Commissioner Rob Manfred (Image via Imago)

On Thursday, the Major League Baseball (MLB) made a huge statement. The league proposed shortening the regular season to 154 games and expanding the playoffs. This proposal did not sit well with the fans on social media.

At the moment, the league has 162 games in the regular season. This was adapted first in 1961 in the American League when teams were expanded from 8 to 10. The National League followed it in the following year and adapted the 162-game format when they expanded to 10 teams as well.

According to reports from MLB.com, the league has now proposed to reduce this number back to the 154-game format. They are targeting this change from the 2029 season.

Apart from that, they are also working on expanding the playoffs. As of now, the postseason includes 4 best-of-three Wild Card Series, 4 best-of-five Division Series, 2 best-of-seven League Championship Series and the best-of-seven World Series.

The MLB is proposing to increase the division series games and make it a best-of-seven series as well. With a shortened season, they are aiming for more playoff games.

A shorter regular season unlocks making October even better for our fans — with fewer weekday afternoon games, a longer Division Series and more opportunities to see the game’s best pitchers on the biggest stage.

MLB spokesman Glen Caplin said

The most drastic change in this however, would be the ability to select opponents in the playoffs. In the Wild Card Round, the No.3 seed (the division winner with the 3rd best record) will get the chance to select whether to play the No.5 or No.6 seed team. This decision will be made immediately after the end of the regular season.

As for the Division Series, the No.1 seed team (the team with the best record in their league) could choose which Wild Card winner they want to face. This changes could come into effect starting from the 2027 season.

The ability to select opponents could create several storylines. The No.1 seed team could avoid going up against a potentially stronger opponent. There could be a scenario where they could lose to a weaker opponent they selected.

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Social media reacts to MLB’s proposed changes

The MLB is planning to make some big changes to their current structure. They have proposed reducing the number of regular season games and going back to the 154-game format, increasing the number of games in the division series and allowing the top seeded teams the chance to select their opponents.

Rob Manfred
Rob Manfred (Image via MLB)

This proposed changes sparked furious reactions on social media. On X, many fans blasted Commissioner Rob Manfred and the other league executives for this. One wrote, “Manfred has to go” while slamming the top boss of the league.

Check out that and some other reactions below:

This is not the first time the league has come up with some big proposals. Last year, Manfred discussed the idea of realignment of the divisions. The fans were left furious then as well and slammed the Commissioner.

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MLBPA calls proposals by league as “anti-players”

After the MLB revealed their proposed changes, the MLB Players’ Association (MLBPA) responded. In their statement, they called his proposals as “anti-players.“

Bruce Meyer
MLBPA interim director Bruce Meyer (Image via Imago)

The union, who are in a core standoff regarding the salary cap issue, sharply criticized the league’s proposals.

Unfortunately, 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, as well as its other anti-player proposals.

MLBPA said in their statement

This development has also raised concerns regarding a potential lockout. The current Collective Bargaining Agreement (CBA) will expire on December 1, 2026. The last time it expired in 2021, there was a 99-day lockout which resulted in a late start to the Spring Training and the 2022 regular season.

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