Wait, MLB tiebreaker games are gone? Here’s what the rule change means for this season
There have been 12 single-game tiebreakers in MLB history. Each of them brought the nerves and anticipation of a playoff matchup, even though they were played as regular-season games — but game No. 163 is now a thing of the past.
With an expanded playoff format launching this October, MLB decided there wasn’t enough room on the calendar to break ties in that extra-game manner anymore. Instead, a set of tiebreaking rules will now decide not only seeding but also who gets into the postseason altogether if 162 games aren’t enough to determine the 12-team field. This means that the series your favorite team played way back in the first half could have a huge impact on its playoff hopes.
“It’s going to become a big deal when everyone [the fans] wakes up and realizes what’s going on,” Milwaukee Brewers manager Craig Counsell said last month.
Counsell’s team could be impacted directly, as Milwaukee is currently on the outside of the last wild-card berth in the National League, chasing the San Diego Padres for that final postseason spot. But the Brewers will have to make up a little extra ground this year since they lost their season series to the Padres 4-3, meaning if the teams finish with the same record, San Diego is in and Milwaukee is out.
“We finished games against them in … early June,” Counsell said. “We were aware of it at the time, but there’s 110 games left at that point. There’s not much to be done.
“We knew the rule,” Counsell said. “Everyone knew it …They felt fitting a tiebreaker game into the schedule wasn’t feasible.”
The league understands some of the angst that could exist if a team is eliminated by a season series played around Memorial Day but says the trade-off of more teams in the mix for a playoff spot is worth it.
“We are excited that more of our fans will get to experience postseason baseball this year as part of the expanded playoff format,” Morgan Sword, executive vice president of baseball operations, said. “Due to the increased number of postseason games, we had to ensure that the regular season would end on time.”
Though the postseason format is spelled out in the recently signed collective bargaining agreement, there is discretion when it comes to the specifics of the tiebreaker rules that will allow the league to examine the impact and make changes if needed. As players and teams realize the stakes, the new rules could also lead to a further emphasis on head-to-head matchups.
“If they beat us, more than we beat them, it should go to them, so I’m totally fine with the rule,” St. Louis Cardinals manager Oliver Marmol said. “Our job is to not lose, so if someone did that better than us, then you go home.”
That will be highlighted more starting next year when each team will play only 13 games — down from 19 — within its own division. And the results in the first year of the new format already show the added importance of beating other teams with playoff hopes in head-to-head intraleague matchups.
“When we played the Padres, it was not like we put more of an emphasis on winning those games versus any other games,” Philadelphia Phillies president of baseball operations Dave Dombrowski said in an email. “However, after we won the series, we did discuss how big this series could become.”
The Phillies are just ahead of the Padres in the NL wild-card race, and though both teams might get in, their seed will be determined by the tiebreaker system if the two teams have the same record after 162.
Philadelphia won its season series against both San Diego (4-3) and Milwaukee (4-2), so it would win any tiebreakers between either of those NL teams. The Brewers now understand the task at hand: Beat the opponents above them by at least a game to take the tiebreaker out of it. Otherwise, it’ll be a heartbreaking end to their season.
“You are treating every game as an important game, but there’s a game the next day and the next day and the next day,” Counsell said. “You have to manage with both concepts in mind every day.”
What the new tiebreaker rules look like
With the new procedures already affecting this season’s homestretch, here are the five rules that govern tiebreakers:
Head-to-head record: Self-explanatory. And if more than two teams tie, then the team with the best combined winning percentage against the other teams wins the tiebreaker.
Intradivision record: If the head-to-head records are tied — this would happen only between wild-card teams that played an even number of games — then the best record within their own divisions determines the winner.
Interdivision record: If the first two tiebreakers don’t settle it, then the next one rates teams’ records within their own leagues but not including their own divisions.
Second-half intraleague games: If teams are still tied by this point, a winner will be determined by the winning percentage of each team within its own league over the final 81 games of the season.
Second-half intraleague games plus one (or more): If teams remain tied after the first four tiebreakers, then a winner will be determined by working backward from the final intraleague game of the first half until the tie is broken.
It should be noted, there are extreme scenarios, such as five-team ties, that the league doesn’t have an exact answer for. In these instances, there’s a clause that kicks in that would call for “commissioner’s discretion.” In other words, Rob Manfred might be choosing which team makes the postseason and which team doesn’t — though the scenario is far-fetched.
What does it all mean for this season’s races?
There are many close races this season, so there’s a chance that the tiebreakers could come into play. That being said, there is little to no chance of needing to use more than the first tiebreaker in any scenario this year. Either way, let’s take a look at how the new procedures impact some of the more exciting playoff and divisional races.
National League East: The New York Mets lead the season series over the Atlanta Braves 9-7. If the Braves sweep the final three games against New York, they’ll win the tiebreaker; otherwise, the Mets will come out on top. The winner will be the likely No. 2 seed and will get a bye. The loser will host a first-round playoff series.
NL Wild Card: As stated above, the Brewers lose a tiebreaker to both the Padres and the Phillies, while Philadelphia wins one over San Diego.
American League Central: It’s a three-team battle among the Cleveland Guardians, Chicago White Sox and Minnesota Twins, with the two losers likely left out of the postseason.
The White Sox currently lose tiebreakers to both teams, but they still have a chance to flip that script. They’ll need to sweep the Guardians this week in Chicago to win that season series, while they’re 6-7 against the Twins this season with six games left to play.
Cleveland has already won its season series with the Twins, so Minnesota would have to win one more game than the Guardians to beat them out for the division title.
AL Wild Card: This is where a tie has the best chance of occurring. The Seattle Mariners, Toronto Blue Jays and Tampa Bay Rays are neck and neck for all three wild-card spots. The two bottom teams of a tiebreaker won’t get a home game in the best-of-three first round.
The Mariners win a tiebreaker with the Blue Jays but lose one against the Rays. Meanwhile, Tampa Bay leads the season series with Toronto 8-7 with four games remaining between the teams.
The new system — and the elimination of game No. 163 — is bound to create some headlines if head-to-head records bounce someone from the playoffs or deliver a bye to a division winner. This year still has all the possibilities.
CHARLOTTE, N.C. — Two NASCAR teams, one owned by NBA Hall of Famer Michael Jordan, on Tuesday argued to a federal judge why the organizations still should be issued a preliminary injunction to be recognized as chartered organizations until their antitrust suit against the stock car racing series is finished.
The 11-page filing in U.S. District Court for the Western District of North Carolina was in response to NASCAR notifying Judge Kenneth Bell it would not redistribute any charters to new participants while the case heads toward its Dec. 1 court date. NASCAR’s backtrack Friday came one day after an acrimonious hearing that included the disclosure of expletive-laden emails and text messages from Jordan and other high-profile litigants.
23XI Racing, the team owned by Jordan and three-time Daytona 500 winner Denny Hamlin, and Front Row Motorsports, owned by entrepreneur Bob Jenkins, are suing NASCAR over antitrust claims regarding the charter system. A charter is the equivalent of a franchise and guarantees chartered cars both a spot in the 40-car field each week, as well as a significantly larger chunk of payouts.
NASCAR last September, after more than two years of contentious negotiations, presented teams with its final offer on charter extensions; 13 organization signed the agreements, but 23XI and Front Row refused.
The two teams initially won a preliminary injunction to be recognized as chartered for this season until a jury verdict on the antitrust allegations. That was overturned, and 23XI and FRM are currently competing as “open” teams. NASCAR wants the money back the teams were paid during the portion of the season they were chartered.
The teams also have appealed to have the chartered status reinstated, but NASCAR argued in court last week it has an interested buyer for one of the six charters previously held by 23XI and FRM, and it plans to immediately begin redistributing the charters. NASCAR backtracked after Thursday’s hearing, and a ruling on the preliminary injunction is expected to come from Bell this week.
NASCAR maintains that in holding off on redistributing charters, 23XI and FRM are no longer in danger of suffering irreparable harm. The teams countered Tuesday the threat still exists “because of the risk of breach claims from their irreplaceable drivers and loss of sponsors in the absence of charter rights.”
Tyler Reddick of 23XI has a clause in his contract that says the team would be in breach if his Toyota is not chartered. Jeffrey Kessler, the attorney for the two teams, indicated in court that Reddick has notified 23XI it is in breach.
Kessler also argued that NASCAR agreeing not to redistribute any charters now “does not moot Plaintiffs’ Motion for Preliminary Injunction or eliminate Plaintiffs’ irreparable harm if no relief is provided.”
The 13 teams that are chartered are becoming frustrated with the case — Bell warned last week the entire charter system is in danger of imploding if a settlement is not reached — and the non-suing teams believe their valuations are being harmed by the litigation.
Dan Towriss, the majority owner of the Spire Motorsports’ NASCAR team, as well as owner of Cadillac F1, Andretti Global and other motorsports properties, said he was “very disappointed with the direction” the lawsuit has taken.
“We had meetings with the NASCAR brass a few weeks ago and it’s ‘How can we help?'” Towriss said at last weekend’s IndyCar season finale. “What we saw [in court], what was released in that case is very inconsistent with what they [NASCAR] say privately. And so I need to understand, ‘Who am I dealing with? Which one is it? Is it the people we meet with privately, or is what you say when we’re not around?'”
Towriss said he’d also like to see NASCAR reach a settlement with 23XI and FRM.
CHARLOTTE, N.C. — A federal judge on Wednesday denied two teams — one owned by NBA Hall of Famer Michael Jordan — a preliminary injunction in their antitrust suit against NASCAR to be recognized as chartered teams for the remainder of the season.
Judge Kenneth Bell of the U.S. District Court for the Western District of North Carolina said there was no reason to issue 23XI Racing and Front Row Motorsports the injunction because NASCAR last Friday vowed not to sell the six charters the teams previously held until the end of the legal battle.
Bell has repeatedly said he doesn’t want to rule on the likelihood of one side prevailing over the other, and reiterated that Wednesday.
“As the Court noted at the hearing on this motion, the Court believes that it is best not to provide its forecast of the Plaintiffs’ likelihood of success on the merits, and thereby potentially bias the jury pool, unless it is necessary to do so, which is not here,” Bell wrote.
He also cautioned on what the landscape of NASCAR may look like if the case is not settled before trial.
“The uncertainty about what the 2026 season will look like unfortunately exists not just for the Parties, but for the other teams, drivers, crews, sponsors, broadcasters, and most regrettably, the fans,” he wrote.
NASCAR in a statement said the ruling “brings much-needed clarity to the remainder of the 2025 NASCAR season.”
“For nearly 80 years, NASCAR and the France family have championed a bold vision by taking many personal and financial risks to build a sport that fuels livelihoods, inspires generations, and delivers world-class competition,” NASCAR said. “That commitment remains unwavering, and we will continue to defend the integrity of NASCAR and preserve the values that have guided its growth.
“To the fans: We won’t let this lawsuit distract from what matters most — delivering the unforgettable moments you’ve come to expect from our great sport and crowning the next NASCAR Cup Series champion on November 2.”
The trial is set for Dec. 1.
“With trial in this matter now less than three months away and the season on its proverbial last laps, NASCAR has agreed to extend those representations, in material effect,” Bell wrote in denying the motion for a preliminary injunction.
“This will effectively maintain the status quo pending a final decision on the merits and any permanent injunctive relief following trial that is, Plaintiffs will be able to race and disputed Charters will not be sold or otherwise transferred.”
Jeffrey Kessler, attorney for the teams suing NASCAR, wasn’t necessarily disappointed by the ruling.
“We are grateful that Judge Bell has made clear that the status quo is being maintained — protecting my clients’ rights to regain their charters if they prevail at trial and ensuring their ability to continue racing through the 2025 season based on NASCAR’s commitments,” Kessler said. “Equally important, Judge Bell reaffirmed his broad power to order meaningful changes in NASCAR should we succeed, so that teams, drivers, sponsors, and fans can benefit from a sport positioned for long-term growth and restored competition.
“We are ready to present our case at trial in December.”
23XI Racing, the team owned by Jordan and three-time Daytona 500 winner Denny Hamlin, and Front Row Motorsports, owned by entrepreneur Bob Jenkins, are suing NASCAR over antitrust claims regarding the charter system. A charter is the equivalent of a franchise and guarantees chartered cars both a spot in the 40-car field each week, as well as a significantly larger chunk of payouts.
NASCAR last September, after more than two years of contentious negotiations, presented teams with its final offer on charter extensions; 13 organization signed the agreements, but 23XI and Front Row refused.
The two teams initially won a preliminary injunction to be recognized as chartered for this season until a jury verdict on the antitrust allegations. That was overturned, and 23XI and FRM are currently competing as “open” teams. NASCAR wants the money back the teams were paid during the portion of the season they were chartered.
The teams also have appealed to have the chartered status reinstated, but NASCAR argued in court last week it has an interested buyer for one of the six charters previously held by 23XI and FRM, and it plans to immediately begin redistributing the charters. NASCAR backtracked after Thursday’s hearing.
NASCAR maintains that in holding off on redistributing charters, 23XI and FRM are no longer in danger of suffering irreparable harm. The teams countered Tuesday the threat still exists “because of the risk of breach claims from their irreplaceable drivers and loss of sponsors in the absence of charter rights.”
Tyler Reddick of 23XI has a clause in his contract that says the team would be in breach if his Toyota is not chartered. Jeffrey Kessler, the attorney for the two teams, indicated in court that Reddick has notified 23XI it is in breach.
Bell wrote in his Wednesday decision that “the loss of the ‘fixed’ Charter payouts and the uncertainty of ongoing relationships with drivers and sponsors can either be compensated with money damages at trial or is simply inherent in the risks associated with the lawsuit.”
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