MLB Playoffs 2022: Schedule, Tickets & Predictions
In the sports world, there’s nothing quite like playoff baseball. The 162-game regular season sometimes gets a little tedious, but the postseason offers non-stop excitement, with every pitch being important. The MLB playoffs in 2022 have been expanded to 14 teams, which adds to the fun. This year, fans will have even more opportunities to get their hands on MLB tickets during the playoffs and experience the intensity of postseason baseball in person. To get you ready for the 2022 MLB postseason, let’s take a look at everything you need to know, including the new format, the schedule, the best way to get tickets, and predictions on who will win it all!
When Do the MLB Playoffs Begin?
The 2022 MLB Playoffs will begin on Friday, October 7, two days after the end of the regular season on Wednesday, October 5. This timeframe leaves one day to make up for any rainouts that may have occurred during the final week of the season. However, MLB rules have changed. Starting this season, all tiebreaker rules will apply, thereby removing the need for teams to play a one-game playoff to get into the playoff.
As mentioned above, the playoffs will begin on October 7 with the Wild Card Round. The Wild Card Round will end on October 9, and the four Division Series will start on October 11. The last possible game for a Division Series will be October 16 in the National League and October 17 in the American League. Therefore, the NLCS will begin on October 18, and the ALCS will commence on October 19. If necessary, Game 7 of the NLCS will be played on October 25, while Game 7 of the ALCS (if needed) will be played on October 26. Regardless of how long each League Championship Series lasts, Game 1 of the World Series is scheduled for October 28. If the series lasts the full seven games, Game 7 of the 2022 World Series will be played on November 5.
What Will the New Format Look Like?
The new MLB playoff format will include six teams from each league, as opposed to the previous format, which gave playoff spots to five teams from each league. This means that the three division winners from each league will qualify for the playoffs, as will three Wild Card teams. However, the division of the Wild Card teams isn’t a factor, which means one division could have multiple Wild Card teams in the postseason.
The two division winners in each league with the best records will receive a bye in the Wild Card Round, advancing directly to the Divisional Round. In the Wild Card round, the remaining division winner will play the Wild Card team with the worst record, while the two remaining Wild Card teams will play each other. The Wild Card Round will be a best-of-three series with the remaining division winner and the Wild Card team with the best record hosting all three games of the series.
The winner of the series between the remaining division winner and the lowest-seeded Wild Card team will play the second-best division winner in the Divisional Round. The winner of the series between the two remaining Wild Card teams will play the division winner with the best record in the Divisional Round. The Divisional Round remains a best-of-five series, and the League Championship Series remains a best-of-seven series with no changes to the previous home and away schedule.
How to Get MLB Playoff Tickets
Individual teams are responsible for selling playoff tickets to their home games. Typically, teams give season-ticket holders the first opportunity to buy playoff tickets before opening up ticket sales to the general public. It’s impossible to predict what tickets will be left available after season-ticket holders have had an opportunity to buy tickets. However, once the playoff schedule is known and teams start selling tickets, the secondary market is usually flooded with playoff tickets, which is often the best way for fans who aren’t season-ticket holders to buy playoff tickets.
Finding the Best Deal on MLB Playoff Tickets
The price of playoff tickets depends on the demand to see that particular team or a particular game. The most expensive tickets for a series tend to be each team’s first home game of a series and any game in which that team has a chance to clinch the series. Any other game will be the best opportunity to find a great deal. Also, playoff games on the weekend tend to have a higher demand and be more expensive than games played on a weekday or weeknight. This can also provide an opportunity to find the best deals on MLB playoff tickets.
Who’s Going to Win the 2022 World Series?
With an expanded field, it’s even more challenging than ever to pick the winner of the 2022 World Series. However, the Dodgers have clearly established themselves as the best team in baseball during the regular season with the Astros not far behind. The Mets, Yankees, and Braves have also separated themselves to some extent. In all likelihood, the World Series champion will be one of those five teams with the Dodgers being likely the team to beat heading into the playoffs.