How Many Games in Wild Card Series? Breaking Down MLB’s Exciting Best-of-Three Format
Curious about how many games in Wild Card Series for the MLB playoffs? Here’s a complete guide to the format, schedule, and matchups for 2025, with everything fans need to know.
Every fall, Major League Baseball brings a surge of excitement with its postseason, and one of the biggest talking points among fans is always the Wild Card Series. The question often asked is simple: how many games in Wild Card Series are played before a team advances? Since 2022, MLB has shifted its playoff structure, creating more drama and more opportunities for underdog stories.
In this article, we break down the exact number of games, the unique format, and the schedule for the 2025 postseason. Along the way, we’ll also look at current matchups and why this new format has quickly become a fan favorite.
How Many Games in Wild Card Series?
The Wild Card Series follows a best-of-three format, meaning that a team needs to win two games to move on. Depending on the outcomes:
-
A series could end in just two games if one team sweeps.
-
If each side wins once, a decisive Game 3 decides the winner.
This structure ensures that teams are not eliminated by just one bad performance, unlike the old single-game Wild Card format that was in place from 2012 to 2019 and briefly in 2021.
Hosting Rules for the Wild Card Series
A key feature of the Wild Card Series is the home-field setup. Unlike other rounds where games are split, the higher-seeded team hosts all games.
This means:
-
Game 1, Game 2, and Game 3 (if necessary) are all played at the same ballpark.
-
Travel fatigue is reduced, giving the higher seed a clear advantage.
-
Fans of the top-seeded club get the full Wild Card experience at home.
MLB 2025 Wild Card Series Schedule
The 2025 MLB postseason schedule sets the Wild Card Series from September 30 to October 2. If Game 3 is necessary, it will be played on the final day.
Here’s a quick breakdown of the timeline:
| Date | Games | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Sept 30 | Game 1 (AL & NL) | Four total matchups |
| Oct 1 | Game 2 (AL & NL) | Possible sweeps decided |
| Oct 2 | Game 3 (AL & NL) | If teams are tied 1–1 |
This setup creates back-to-back intensity, where each day feels like a mini-tournament.
Current Wild Card Matchups in 2025
This year’s Wild Card Series has already brought attention to some exciting rivalries and storylines.
-
Detroit Tigers vs. Cleveland Guardians – A classic AL Central showdown with postseason stakes.
-
Chicago Cubs vs. San Diego Padres – Two teams with big fan bases battling for NL survival.
-
New York Yankees vs. Boston Red Sox – Baseball’s most historic rivalry takes center stage in October.
-
Los Angeles Dodgers vs. Cincinnati Reds – A mix of veteran stars and young talent clashing in the NL.
Each of these series has the potential to go to three games, keeping fans glued to every pitch.
Why the Best-of-Three Format Works
Many fans wondered at first whether expanding the Wild Card from a single game to a series would dilute the excitement. In reality, it has done the opposite.
-
Teams get a fairer chance to showcase their talent.
-
Pitching rotations and bullpen depth play a bigger role.
-
Fans get at least two guaranteed playoff games instead of risking elimination in one.
It also gives baseball a dose of unpredictability—lower-seeded teams can still pull off upsets, but now they must prove it across multiple games.
What Comes After the Wild Card Series
The winners of the Wild Card Series advance to the Division Series, which follows a best-of-five format. From there, the road continues to the League Championship Series (best-of-seven) and eventually the World Series.
This means that while the Wild Card is a thrilling start, it’s just the first hurdle on the long march toward a championship.
