Why MLB’s Bold Postseason Experiment Lasted Just One Year—What Went Wrong?

Talk about stirring the pot—Major League Baseball decided last year to shake things up by introducing a flexible start date for the World Series. The idea? Cut down those awkward gaps where championship teams steamroll through the league playoffs only to be forced into an agonizing week of twiddling their thumbs before the big show begins. I mean, who wants their adrenaline to flatline right before the season’s climax? Fitting a four-round postseason into just one month is no picnic, and MLB rightly recognized that the traditional schedule sometimes drains the juice right out of the moment.

Here’s the twist MLB cooked up: if both teams wrapped up their league championship series in five games or fewer, the World Series would start three days earlier. A smart move, in theory, since nothing kills momentum like a long layoff. But last season? That clever tweak never saw the light of day — the Yankees clinched in five, sure, but the Dodgers needed six games. So, the league’s gamble on flexibility didn’t quite pay off. Fast forward to now, and MLB’s tossed that flexibility overboard, opting instead for a fixed World Series start date. Reason being, the logistical headache of juggling two possible start dates—scheduling promos, booking hotels, coordinating travel—proved tougher to manage than anyone expected.

This fall, the World Series is locked in to kick off on Friday, October 24, with a potential Game 7 landing on November 1. The wild-card round fires up on September 30, followed by the division series starting October 4, where only the top two teams from each league get a first-round bye. The Dodgers are sitting pretty as the No. 3 seed in the NL, trailing just behind the Brewers and Phillies, while the Cubs, Padres, and Mets battle for wild-card spots—meaning last year’s NLCS contenders, Dodgers and Mets, might cross paths much earlier this time around.

Trust me, as a guy who’s seen how schedule tweaks can make or break postseason excitement, this shift back to a fixed date is a nod to stability over spontaneity. For now, it’s about making the experience smooth for teams, broadcasters, and fans alike. Want to dig deeper into all the drama and details? LEARN MORE

The World Series could end in November this year. Major League Baseball can do without all the “Mr. November” jokes, so the league took a creative step last year: a flexible start date for the World Series.

It’s not easy to cram a four-round postseason in a month. But it’s even less ideal if the World Series teams roll through the league championship series, then sit around for close to a week before the World Series starts.

MLB unveiled this creative reform last year: If both World Series teams complete the league championship series in no more than five games, the start of the World Series would move up three days. Nothing kills interest in an everyday sport like a week off before the most important games of the season.

The reform did not come into play last season. Although the New York Yankees won the American League Championship Series in five games, the Dodgers needed six games to complete the NLCS.

When MLB announced its postseason schedule Tuesday, the flexible start date for the World Series was gone. With the Dodgers coming within one victory of making that happen last season, league officials and television partners had the chance to prepare for two possibilities for the start of the World Series. The uncertainty of what date to promote, and the need for alternate travel plans and hotel blocks, left the parties with the thought that a fixed date for the World Series remained a better plan.

The World Series this year is set to start on Friday, Oct. 24, with a possible Game 7 on Saturday, Nov. 1.

The wild-card round starts Tuesday, Sept. 30, with the division series round starting Saturday, Oct. 4. The teams with the top two records in each league earn a bye in the first round and advance directly to the division series.

If the postseason started Tuesday, the Dodgers (68-51) would be the No. 3 seed in the NL, behind the Milwaukee Brewers (74-44) and the Philadelphia Phillies (69-49). The wild card teams, in order of seed, would be the Chicago Cubs (67-50), San Diego Padres (67-52) and the New York Mets (63-55).

In that scenario, the Dodgers and Mets — the NLCS combatants last season — would meet in the wild-card round this season.

This story originally appeared in Los Angeles Times.