A long-standing flaw in Major League Baseball’s playoff structure has ensured that the top two teams in the American League would inevitably face off in the Division Series—if they were to meet at all. The format, designed decades ago, created a system where only one path to the postseason guaranteed a matchup between the league’s best squads. Critics argue this outdated rule has deprived fans of more competitive early-round games, as the division champions were often preordained to clash. The debate over reforming the system continues as baseball evaluates whether to modernize its postseason setup.
Because of an MLB playoff format that was antiquated at inception, the two best teams in the AL were always going to meet in the Division Series if they were going to meet at all.
