If you’re a baseball fan, you’re probably familiar with the Wild Card Series in MLB. This is the first round of playoffs where teams that didn’t win their division compete for a spot in the Division Series.
But how many games are played in this series? Let’s dive into it.
What is the Wild Card Series?
The Wild Card Series is a best-of-three playoff series between two teams that finished with the best records among non-division winners in each league. It’s a relatively new addition to the MLB playoffs, having been introduced in 2012. Before that, there was only one wild card team per league and they played a single game against another wild card team to determine who advanced to the Division Series.
How Many Games Are Played?
As mentioned earlier, the Wild Card Series is a best-of-three series. This means that the first team to win two games advances to the next round of playoffs. The team with home-field advantage hosts all three games.
Game 1
In Game 1 of the Wild Card Series, both teams send out their starting pitchers and compete head-to-head for nine innings (or more if necessary). The winning team takes a 1-0 lead in the series, while the losing team faces elimination in Game 2.
Game 2
If neither team wins both Games 1 and 2 of the series, they move on to Game 2. This game is also played at the home field of whichever team has home-field advantage and follows the same format as Game 1.
Game 3 (if necessary)
If one team wins both Games 1 and 2 of the series, they advance to the next round of playoffs without playing Game 3. However, if each team has won one game, they play a third and final game to determine who advances. This game is played at the home field of the team with home-field advantage.
Conclusion
In summary, the Wild Card Series is a best-of-three playoff series between two teams that didn’t win their division. The first team to win two games advances to the next round of playoffs.
Game 1 and Game 2 follow the same format with both teams starting their pitchers, while Game 3 (if necessary) is played to determine who advances. With this knowledge, you can now better understand what’s at stake in this exciting round of MLB playoffs.