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Wild Card team
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Wild Card team

baseball
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Quick Summary

In baseball, a "Wild Card" refers to a team that qualifies for the postseason without winning its division. This concept was introduced to expand playoff opportunities and increase fan interest.12

Baseball Wild Card Explained

  • Qualification: A Wild Card team is the non-division winner with the best regular-season record in its league.1
  • Playoff Structure: The addition of Wild Card teams allows more teams to compete for the championship, making the postseason more unpredictable.12
  • Evolution: The number of Wild Card spots has increased over time, with leagues now often having multiple Wild Card teams.1

The term "wild card" itself originates from card games, where a wild card can represent any other card, symbolizing an unpredictable element.23

Summary created from Britannica articles using AI. AI can make mistakes, so verify using Britannica articles.
3 Britannica Sources
  1. history of baseball - Franchise relocation and league expansion
  2. wild card
  3. Playing the 'Wild Card'

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