Expert: Geoff - 9/1/2007

Question
Can you tell me how the Wild Card playoffs are determined?

Answer
Hi Dianne,

Thanks for writing.

Four teams make the play-offs in each league:  the 3 Division Winners and the 2nd place team with the best record.  This "best 2nd place team" is the Wild Card.

In the 1st round of the play-offs the two Division winners with the best records get home-field advantage.  The Division winner with the best record plays the Wild Card team unless that team is from the same Division.  If that's the case, the Division Winner with the best record will play the Division winner with the worst record; and the Division winner with the 2nd best record would play the Wild Card.  

This means that the Red Sox-Yankees; Cleveland-Detroit; and Los Angeles-Seattle would never play each other in the 1st round.

Hope this helps!

Best Wishes,

Geoff