October is a different beast. Honestly, you can spend six months watching 162 games of "regular" baseball, but once the National League playoff games start, the sport fundamentally changes. It’s faster. The tension is thick enough to choke on. If you’ve ever sat in the stands at Citizens Bank Park or Dodger Stadium during a winner-take-all game, you know the air even smells different—sorta like hot dogs mixed with pure, unadulterated anxiety.
There is a lot of noise out there about how the bracket works or why certain teams get a week off while others are fighting for their lives in a three-day sprint. It's confusing. MLB keeps tweaking the knobs to get more teams into the dance, and if you haven't been paying attention since 2022, you might feel like you're watching a different sport.
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The Wild Card Sprint: Three Days of Chaos
The biggest shift in recent years is the death of the one-game playoff. Remember when a whole season came down to nine innings? It was high drama, sure, but it was also kinda cruel. Now, we have the Wild Card Series.
Basically, the two teams with the best records in the National League get to sit on their couches for a few days. They’ve earned a bye. The other four teams—the third division winner and three "wild card" teams—face off in a best-of-three series.
Here is the kicker: Every single game in that first round is played at the higher seed’s home stadium.
If you're the No. 6 seed, you’re essentially a road warrior. You have to win two out of three in a hostile environment just to see the Divisional Series. It’s a brutal way to start October, but it makes the regular season actually matter. Teams like the 2024 Dodgers or the Brewers have fought tooth and nail for those top seeds specifically to avoid this meat grinder.
Why the Bye Week Isn't Always a Blessing
There’s a massive debate among baseball purists about whether the "bye" actually helps.
On one hand, your pitchers get to rest their arms. On the other, your hitters lose their rhythm. We’ve seen it happen. A team like the Phillies or the Braves sits out for five days, watching other teams play high-stakes, high-adrenaline baseball. When they finally take the field for the NLDS, they look... flat.
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Expert analysts like Tom Verducci have pointed out that "rust vs. rest" is a real thing. In 2023, the Arizona Diamondbacks—a team that barely squeaked into the playoffs—absolutely demolished higher-seeded teams because they were already "in the flow." They had the momentum. The National League playoff games often reward the team that's currently hot, not necessarily the team that was the best in June.
Breaking Down the Rounds
If you're trying to track the path to the World Series, it looks like this:
- Wild Card Series: Best of three. All games at the higher seed.
- National League Division Series (NLDS): Best of five. This is where the big dogs enter. The No. 1 seed plays the winner of the 4/5 matchup.
- National League Championship Series (NLCS): Best of seven. This is for the Pennant. The winner gets the trophy and a ticket to the Fall Classic.
One thing people get wrong: MLB does not re-seed. In the NFL, the top seed always plays the lowest remaining seed. Not here. The bracket is fixed. If the No. 6 seed upsets the No. 3 seed, they stay on their side of the bracket. This creates some weird matchups, but it also allows fans to fill out brackets just like March Madness.
The Ghost of Game 163
We have to talk about what's missing. Honestly, I miss "Game 163."
For years, if two teams were tied at the end of the season, they’d play a tiebreaker game. It was legendary. Now? It’s all math. MLB uses a tiebreaker system based on head-to-head records. If you tied for the division but lost the season series, you're out. No game. No drama. Just a spreadsheet.
It’s efficient, sure. It prevents the schedule from getting pushed back. But man, the atmosphere of those tiebreakers was something else.
What to Watch For in 2026
As we look at the current landscape of the National League, the power balance is shifting. The Dodgers are always going to be there—they’ve basically bought a permanent residence in the postseason—but the "New Guard" is coming.
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Teams are leaning harder into "bullpenning." You’ll see managers like Dave Roberts or Rob Thomson pull a starter after four innings even if he’s pitching a shutout. Why? Because the data shows that the third time a hitter sees a pitcher in one game, the advantage swings wildly to the batter.
It’s "nervous manager" season. Every pitch is scrutinized. Every stolen base attempt is a massive gamble.
Strategy Shifts to Keep an Eye On:
- The Pitch Clock: In the playoffs, where every pitch feels like an hour, the clock keeps the game moving. It prevents pitchers from overthinking and keeps the pressure on.
- The "Opener": Don't be surprised if a team starts a relief pitcher for one inning just to mess with the top of the opponent's lineup.
- High-Leverage Relief: The best closers aren't always used in the 9th anymore. If the bases are loaded in the 7th, expect the "ace" of the bullpen to come in right then.
Actionable Insights for Fans
If you're planning to follow the next slate of National League playoff games, here is how to actually enjoy it without losing your mind:
- Check the Tiebreakers Early: Don't wait until the final weekend of September. Start looking at head-to-head records in August. That determines who gets home-field advantage.
- Watch the Bullpen Usage: A team's regular-season ERA doesn't matter as much as their "high-leverage" stats. Look for teams with three or more relievers who can throw 98+ mph.
- Ignore the "Season Series": Just because the Mets beat the Phillies six times in May doesn't mean a thing in October. Playoff baseball is a different sport.
The National League is historically the "senior circuit." It’s older, it’s got more history, and lately, it’s had a lot more parity than the American League. Whether it's the "Shot Heard 'Round the World" or a modern walk-off at Petco Park, these games are where legends are minted.
Stay on top of the standings, watch the injury reports for starting rotations, and keep an eye on those mid-tier teams that start winning eight out of ten in September. They’re the ones who usually wreck the bracket.