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Reports: MLB considers expanding to 14 playoff teams with reality TV twist

Three teams in each league would get to choose their opponent in the first round.
Credit: AP
The postseason logo is seen on first base during the seventh inning of Game 2 of the American League baseball championship series between the Baltimore Orioles and the Kansas City Royals Saturday, Oct. 11, 2014, in Baltimore. (AP Photo/Patrick Semansky)

Major League Baseball is considering expanding the playoffs to nearly half the teams and allowing higher-seeded wild-card teams to choose opponents, according to multiple reports.

The playoffs would grow from 10 teams to 14 under the plan.

There would be three division winners in each league as there are now, but there would be four wild card teams. The division winner with the best record would receive a wild-card bye to the Division Series.

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The division winner with the second-best record would then get to choose which of the three lowest-seeded wild-card teams it wants to play. The third-best division winner gets to then choose from the remaining two lowest-seeded wild cards.The final two wild cards would play each other, with the higher seed getting home-field advantage.

The selections would be made on TV at the end of the season.

The wild-card round would be expanded from the current one-game, winner-take-all to a best-of-three series.

Any proposal would have to be negotiated with the players' association.

The change would reportedly happen starting in 2022 if approved, according to ESPN.

Major League Baseball would have 47% of its teams qualify for postseason play if the proposal is approved. The Associated Press notes that could persuade fewer franchises to go into rebuilding mode and tank the season by getting rid of its good players and piling up high-round picks.

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