Due to the pandemic, almost all professional sports have had their playoffs adjusted somehow. It’s tough on the teams and their fans, but fortunately, professional sports figured it out, and the playoffs began.

Baseball is one of these sports affected by COVID-19, and this year instead of the regular playoff decisions (top team from each division making it and the second in the division qualify for a wildcard game), they are doing an extended playoff, which is the top 16 teams in the league makes the playoffs. Instead of playing one wildcard game, it is now the first series of the playoffs, and it is a 3-game series. Winners of the three-game series move to the next round. The following series are 5 and 7 game series, meaning teams will need to win 3 out of 5 games and 4 out of 7 should they move to the next rounds.

This format change made it much easier for teams to make the playoffs, such as the Houston Astros. The Houston Astros would not have made it if it was the regular playoff, which most baseball fans wanted. At the beginning of 2020, the Astros were exposed for cheating and admitted to it, with no punishments inflicted by Major League Baseball. They had their worst year since 2014, and their best players are having their career-worst seasons.

Overall, most players, coaches, and fans don’t like the extended playoff because it is not a true playoff format. However, we will take what they offer, and baseball got off to a great first round. Oakland, who came back to win the final two games with Chicago, will play Houston in round two in a best of five games series. The winner will move on to play for the American League Pennant and represent the AL in the
World Series scheduled to begin on October 20th.