How many teams in the MLB make it through to the Play-Offs?

Question

I have recently moved to the US and I'm trying to work out how many teams for each of the 2 leagues make it through to the play offs. I would like to know how many teams go through from the standings and how the wild card works.

Answer 1

A total of 8 teams make it, 4 from each league.

Each division winner gets into the post season. That is a total of 6 (3 divisions in each league).

Then 1 wild card team also makes it from each league. The wild card is the team with the best record in the league that is not a division winner.

Hope that helps. Where did you move from?

Answer 2

8 teams make it

1 in the NL east

1 in the NL central

1 in the NL west

1 in the NL wild card

1 in the AL east

1 in the AL central

1 in the AL west

1 in the AL wild card

Answer 3

8... 3 American League divisional winners and 1 wild card (the team with the next best record). The same is true for the National League... making 8 to make the playoffs

Answer 4

8 teams make it to the playoffs but only 1 makes it through the playoffs as Champion.

Answer 5

First, a little history on how many teams from each league make the postseason:

1903, 1905 - 1968: 1, the league champion makes the World Series

1904: 0, New York Giants refuse to play the Boston Pilgrims in the World Series, no Series held.

1969 - 1980: 2, both division champions make the playoffs, winner makes the World Series.

1981: Strike forces owners to call a split-season, 4 teams make the playoffs and play in a divisional series

1982 - 1993: See 1969-1980.

1994: 0, no playoffs

1995: 4, three divisional winners and the Wild Card make the playoffs and play in "divisional  series"

There are three divisions in each league...the Wild Card is the team with the best record in the league that does NOT win its division.  The team with the best record in the league plays the team that makes the playoffs with the worst record, unless those two teams are in the same division...then it's 1 vs. 3 and 2 vs. 4.