Major League Baseball currently has three wild card teams in each league (American League and National League), making a total of six wild card teams in the MLB postseason. This format has been in place since the 2022 season when MLB expanded the playoffs to 12 teams (six per league), including three division winners and three wild card teams per league
. The postseason begins with a Wild Card Series, a best-of-three series where the three wild card teams and the lowest-seeded division winner in each league compete. The top two division winners in each league receive a bye to the Division Series
. To summarize:
- Number of wild card teams per league: 3
- Total wild card teams in MLB postseason: 6
- Wild Card Series format: Best-of-three series involving the three wild card teams and the lowest-seeded division winner
- Top two division winners per league get a bye to the Division Series
This system replaced the previous format (2012–2019, 2021) where there were only two wild card teams per league playing a single-elimination Wild Card Game
