MLB Owners Pitch 154-Game Season, Expanded Playoffs in Labor Talks
Owners seek to return to a schedule length not used for 65 years.
MLB team owners are advocating for significant changes in their ongoing negotiations with the MLB Players Association, including a return to a 154-game regular season and an expanded playoff structure. A regular season last used in the American League since 1960 and in the National League since 1961 would eventually begin in 2029, while the current postseason rounds would remain the same.
Owners also want to introduce a weekly off day, likely on Mondays, to boost player health and create additional national broadcast opportunities. Furthermore, higher playoff seeds would be able to select their opponents in the wild card and Division Series rounds, beginning in the 2027 season. These changes aim to increase the postseason's share of the baseball calendar, generating more viewership and creating compelling storylines, intensified rivalries, and new matchups.
However, the proposals are contingent on the acceptance of a salary cap by the players, which the union strongly opposes, leading to the expectation of a management lockout upon the expiration of the current collective bargaining agreement in December.
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