What Is A Wild Card (MLB) In Baseball? Definition & Meaning

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You are here: Home / All The Lingo / Sports Terms That Begin With ‘W’ / Wild Card (MLB)

wild card

What Is The Definition Of Wild Card In Major League Baseball?

1. The wild card in Major League Baseball is the term used to describe a team who makes the playoffs without winning their division. There are two wild card teams each from the National League and the American League that can make the playoffs every season.

The wild card format was first introduced in 1994 to the MLB, when there was only one wild card team per league. During the initial years of the format, the wild card winner would play against a division winner in the opening round, Division Series of the playoffs. In 2012, the format then changed slightly to a total of two wild card teams per league. With this format that is still used today, the two wild card teams would play against each other in a play-in game, where the winner would advance to then play a division winner in the Divisional Series, with the remaining team’s season then coming to an end.

Example Of How Wild Card Is Used In Commentary

1. The Red Sox are five games behind the Yankees and in second place in the AL East, but they’re still two games up in the Wild Card standings.

Sport The Term Is Used

1. Baseball

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