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Major League Baseball has three Wild Card teams in each league, giving the postseason six teams from the American League and six from the National League.
The three division winners receive the top three seeds. The three best non-division winners become the Wild Card teams and receive seeds No. 4 through No. 6.
But not all six teams play in the opening round.
The top two division winners in each league receive a bye directly to the Division Series. The remaining four teams play in the best-of-three Wild Card Series:
- No. 3 seed vs. No. 6 seed
- No. 4 seed vs. No. 5 seed
The higher seed hosts every game of the Wild Card Series.
What Is an MLB Wild Card Team?
A Wild Card team is a club that reaches the postseason without winning its division.
MLB has three divisions in each league:
American League
- AL East
- AL Central
- AL West
National League
- NL East
- NL Central
- NL West
Each division winner automatically reaches the postseason.
After those six division winners are determined, the three remaining teams with the best records in each league receive Wild Card spots.
That produces 12 total playoff teams: six from each league.
How Are MLB Playoff Teams Seeded?
Each league uses the same six-seed structure.
| Seed | Team |
|---|---|
| No. 1 | Division winner with the best record |
| No. 2 | Division winner with the second-best record |
| No. 3 | Division winner with the third-best record |
| No. 4 | Wild Card team with the best record |
| No. 5 | Wild Card team with the second-best record |
| No. 6 | Wild Card team with the third-best record |
One important consequence is that a Wild Card team can have a better record than a division winner but still receive a lower seed.
Division winners receive the top three seeds.
Which Teams Get a First-Round Bye?
The No. 1 and No. 2 seeds in each league skip the Wild Card Series entirely.
They advance directly to the Division Series.
The other four teams play:
No. 3 vs. No. 6
and
No. 4 vs. No. 5
This gives the two strongest division winners a significant reward for their regular-season performance.
How Does the Wild Card Series Work?
The Wild Card Series is a best-of-three series.
The first team to win two games advances.
Unlike many playoff series, the games do not alternate between the two teams’ stadiums.
All three potential games are played at the higher seed’s home ballpark.
Therefore:
No. 3 hosts No. 6.
No. 4 hosts No. 5.
There is no travel day needed during the series.
For the 2026 postseason, MLB scheduled the Wild Card Series for September 29 through October 1, with Game 3 played only if necessary.
What Happens After the Wild Card Series?
The bracket is predetermined.
The winner of:
No. 3 vs. No. 6 → plays No. 2
The winner of:
No. 4 vs. No. 5 → plays No. 1
There is no reseeding after the Wild Card Series.
For example, imagine the No. 6 seed upsets No. 3.
MLB does not rearrange the bracket simply because No. 6 is now the lowest remaining seed.
That team still advances to the matchup assigned by the bracket.
How Many Games Are in Each MLB Playoff Round?
The postseason progresses like this:
| Round | Format |
|---|---|
| Wild Card Series | Best of 3 |
| Division Series | Best of 5 |
| League Championship Series | Best of 7 |
| World Series | Best of 7 |
The No. 1 and No. 2 seeds therefore need to win only three postseason series to become World Series champions.
Teams playing in the Wild Card round need to win four.
What Happens If Two Teams Finish With the Same Record?
MLB no longer plays a Game 163 to break ties for postseason qualification or seeding.
Since the expanded playoff format began in 2022, ties are resolved mathematically.
The first tiebreaker between two clubs is their head-to-head record.
If that does not resolve the tie, MLB proceeds through additional tiebreakers, including intradivision and interdivision records where applicable.
This means regular-season games between playoff contenders can determine postseason qualification even when the clubs finish with identical overall records.
Does the Wild Card Series Use the Automatic Runner in Extra Innings?
No.
MLB’s regular-season rule that places an automatic runner on second base at the beginning of extra innings does not apply during the postseason.
If a Wild Card Series game is tied after nine innings, the 10th begins with the bases empty.
The teams continue playing traditional extra innings until there is a winner.
Does the ABS Challenge System Apply in the Playoffs?
Yes.
The Automated Ball-Strike (ABS) Challenge System, introduced to MLB in 2026, also operates during the postseason.
Each team begins with two ABS challenges and retains successful challenges.
If a team begins an extra inning with no ABS challenges remaining, it receives an additional challenge for that inning.
This is separate from manager replay challenges.
How Did the MLB Wild Card Format Change?
MLB’s Wild Card system has changed several times.
1995: One Wild Card Per League
MLB introduced one Wild Card team in each league when the sport reorganized into three divisions per league.
This created a four-team playoff field in each league.
2012: Two Wild Cards
MLB added a second Wild Card team.
The two Wild Card clubs in each league played a single winner-take-all Wild Card Game.
That system remained through 2019 and returned for 2021.
2020: Temporary Expanded Postseason
The pandemic-shortened 2020 season used a temporary 16-team postseason with eight playoff clubs per league.
This was not the format that became MLB’s current system.
2022: Three Wild Cards
MLB expanded the permanent postseason field to 12 teams.
Each league now sends:
- Three division winners
- Three Wild Card teams
The single Wild Card Game was replaced by the best-of-three Wild Card Series.
That basic format remains in place for 2026.
Can a Wild Card Team Win the World Series?
Absolutely.
Wild Card teams have repeatedly reached and won the World Series.
One famous example is the 2004 Boston Red Sox, who entered the postseason as the American League Wild Card before ending the franchise’s 86-year championship drought.
Another is the 2019 Washington Nationals, who entered through the Wild Card and eventually defeated the Houston Astros in the World Series.
A Wild Card berth therefore does not mean a team is necessarily weak.
It simply means that the club qualified for the postseason without winning its division.
Frequently Asked Questions
How many MLB Wild Card teams are there?
There are six Wild Card teams total: three in the American League and three in the National League.
How many teams make the MLB playoffs?
Twelve teams qualify: six from each league.
Each league sends three division winners and three Wild Card teams.
Is the MLB Wild Card still one game?
No.
The old winner-take-all Wild Card Game is gone.
The current Wild Card round is a best-of-three series.
Who hosts the Wild Card Series?
The higher seed hosts all three potential games.
Which teams get a first-round bye?
The No. 1 and No. 2 seeds in each league advance directly to the Division Series.
Are teams reseeded after the Wild Card round?
No. MLB maintains its predetermined playoff bracket.
Is there still a Game 163?
No.
MLB uses mathematical tiebreakers instead, beginning with head-to-head results between tied teams.
Final Answer
MLB currently has three Wild Card teams in each league.
Together with the three division winners, that gives each league six postseason teams.
The No. 1 and No. 2 seeds receive first-round byes, while:
No. 3 plays No. 6
and
No. 4 plays No. 5
in best-of-three Wild Card Series hosted entirely by the higher seed.
The winners advance through a fixed bracket to the Division Series.
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