There's nothing quite like postseason baseball.
It's the stage where Reggie Jackson earned the nickname "Mr. October" after a historic three-home-run performance in Game 6 of the 1977 World Series. It's where Derek Jeter became "Mr. November" after hitting a walk-off homer in Game 4 of the 2001 World Series just after the stroke of midnight on Nov. 1.
While the World Series is Major League Baseball's grand finale, the wild-card series is the opening act of the postseason. Check out key facts about the MLB wild-card process and history below.
What is a wild card?
A wild card is given to MLB teams in each league (American League and National League) that qualify for the postseason despite not winning their division. The wild-card teams are the clubs that finish the regular season with the best winning percentages after the three division winners.
How many teams earn a wild-card spot?
Since 2022, three teams in each league earn a wild-card spot, bringing the total number of playoff teams to 12: three AL division winners, three AL wild-card teams, three NL division winners and three NL wild-card teams.
What is the format of the wild-card series?
The third-best division winner in each league (as the No. 3 seed) hosts the third-best wild-card team (the No. 6 seed) in a best-of-three series. The other two wild-card teams (No. 4 and No. 5 seeds) play each other, with the higher-seeded team hosting all three games.
When was the wild card introduced?
MLB introduced the wild card in 1995 along with the realignment of three divisions per league. Back then, a single wild-card team in each league earned a postseason berth and played the team with the league's best record in a best-of-five series, unless the two teams were in the same division. In which case, the wild-card team would face the second-best division winner.
A second wild-card team was added to each league in 2012, and the two clubs began the postseason with a one-game playoff. Two wild-card teams from the same division were allowed to play each other.
During the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020, the postseason field was expanded to 16 total teams (eight per league): three division winners, three second-place teams and two additional teams with the next-best record. The 2020 postseason marked the debut of the best-of-three wild-card series.
The postseason format reverted to two wild-card teams in each league facing off in a single-game playoff in 2021 before switching to the current format in 2022.
Who were the first wild-card teams?
The Seattle Mariners (AL) and Cincinnati Reds (NL) were the first wild-card teams in 1995. The Mariners defeated the New York Yankees in the ALDS in five games, while the Reds swept the Los Angeles Dodgers in the NLDS. Both teams lost their respective league championship series.
How many wild-card teams have reached the World Series?
A total of 16 wild-card teams have advanced to the World Series:
▪︎ Texas Rangers, 2023
▪︎ Arizona Diamondbacks, 2023
▪︎ Philadelphia Phillies, 2022
▪︎ Washington Nationals, 2019
▪︎ San Francisco Giants, 2014
▪︎ Kansas City Royals, 2014
▪︎ St. Louis Cardinals, 2011
▪︎ Colorado Rockies, 2007
▪︎ Detroit Tigers, 2006
▪︎ Houston Astros 2005
▪︎ Boston Red Sox, 2004
▪︎ Florida Marlins, 2003
▪︎ San Francisco Giants, 2002
▪︎ Anaheim Angels, 2002
▪︎ New York Mets, 2000
▪︎ Florida Marlins, 1997
How many wild-card teams have won the World Series?
A total of eight wild-card teams have won the World Series:
▪︎ Texas Rangers, 2023
▪︎ Washington Nationals, 2019
▪︎ San Francisco Giants, 2014
▪︎ St. Louis Cardinals, 2011
▪︎ Boston Red Sox, 2004
▪︎ Florida Marlins, 2003
▪︎ Anaheim Angels, 2002
▪︎ Florida Marlins, 1997
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