MLB Proposes 154-Game Season and Best-of-7 Division Series in 2029

MLB proposes shortening regular season to 154 games and expanding Division Series to best-of-7 in 2029, aiming to boost player health and fan engagement.

Editorial Desk

October 9, 2026 One Min Read

POLICY WIRE — New York, United States — Major League Baseball has proposed a significant restructuring of the regular season and postseason format for the 2029 season, including reducing the number of regular-season games from 162 to 154 and expanding the Division Series to a best-of-seven format.

The proposal, shared with players during collective bargaining discussions, also includes adding nine additional days off to the postseason schedule, which would extend it to a maximum of 42 days. This change aims to allow top starting pitchers to appear more frequently and provide a new national broadcast window to showcase the league’s top teams and players.

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MLB also plans to give higher-seeded teams in the first two rounds of the postseason the ability to pick their opponents starting in 2027, while most teams will have a day off on Mondays, except for those playing up to two nationally broadcast games. The union has yet to respond to the proposal, as the current five-year labor contract expires on December 1, with a potential lockout looming that could impact the 2027 season.

Reporting by Policy-Wire (PW)

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