How Many MLB Wild Card Games Are There?

Photo of author

By Valerie Becker

Major League Baseball (MLB) has undergone many changes over the years, including the addition of Wild Card games. A Wild Card game is a one-game playoff between two teams that did not win their respective division but have the next best records in their league. The winner of the game advances to the Division Series.

How Many MLB Wild Card Games Are There?

Since its introduction in 1994, there have been a total of 28 Wild Card games played in MLB. The first Wild Card game was played in 2012 after a new playoff format was introduced. Prior to this, only four teams from each league made it to the postseason – the three division winners and one wild card team with the best record.

The new playoff format allowed for two additional teams to make it to the postseason as Wild Card teams. This means that each league now has five teams make it to the postseason – three division winners and two wild card teams.

Wild Card Game Schedule

The Wild Card games are typically played on back-to-back days at the beginning of October, after all regular season games have been completed. The exact schedule of these games can vary depending on factors such as weather conditions and television broadcasting schedules.

Here is an example of what a possible schedule could look like:

  • Tuesday: American League Wild Card Game
  • Wednesday: National League Wild Card Game

If there are any tiebreaker games needed to determine which teams qualify for the wild card spots, these games would be played prior to the scheduled Wild Card games.

Conclusion

In conclusion, there have been a total of 28 MLB Wild Card games played since its introduction in 1994. The addition of these games has added excitement and unpredictability to the postseason, giving more teams a chance at winning it all. The Wild Card games are typically played on back-to-back days at the beginning of October, after all regular season games have been completed.