MLB is proposing a 154-game season

When I say I don't expect to see a 162-game season in 2027, I mean that the potential labor stoppage on the horizon could drag on.

But now Major League Baseball has taken this to a whole new level.

Basically, Rob Manfred and the owners of the 30 teams have decided to propose a change to the number of games to the players as part of union negotiations.

Among the proposed changes is a 154-game season.

There would also be changes to the playoffs. The division series would switch to a best-of-7 format, instead of the current best-of-5.

And teams with home-field advantage in the first two rounds (wild card and division series) would choose their opponents.

The series would be longer, which would give pitchers more rest and result in fewer games in the middle of the workweek. This would—

Wait a minute. Let's revisit the idea of choosing your opponent.

In the current series, the Yankees would have had the choice to face either the Red Sox or the White Sox. Then, the Rays would have chosen between the Yankees and the White Sox.

Talk about a prime example of “the one who chooses gets the short end of the stick.” That would be… unique.

Except that all of this is contingent on the players accepting the salary cap. So it's a non-starter for the players.

But reading their statement, let's just say it's clear they don't seem completely opposed to the idea of reforming the system a bit. But not on the condition of having a salary cap…

Created by humans, assisted by AI.