Since 1995, Major League Baseball’s first postseason with wild cards and a five-game Division Series, no World Series champion has had to play more than 18 playoff games, with the 2017 Houston Astros the most recent titlist to reach that mark.That 18-game run came over 28 days, with days off wedged into each series, ending with a five-pitcher tag team in Game 7 of the World Series.Yet, those Astros, and the 2019 Washington Nationals, who prevailed after 17 games over 30 days, didn’t face anything like the potential crucible 2020 teams may encounter.The pandemic-shortened 60-game regular season has given way to an expanded, 16-team postseason in which a potential champion – division winners and wild cards, all – could play 22 games in 29 days, or 19 in 23 days.Adding to the wrinkle: No off days during the division and league championship series, which will be great for testing the depth of a pitching staff.Yet it may also pose ethical dilemmas for coaching staffs that lean heavily on high-leverage relievers to navigate October – particularly when pitching any more than three days in a row is considered verboten.“No doubt, with no days off, it’s hard to push bullpens like you would in the past,” says New York Yankees pitching coach Matt Blake. “Typically, three (days in a row) is where we draw the line, the industry standard of pushing a guy.“That’s one we’re going to have to take it case-by-case. It will have to be a little bit subjective. Not putting them at risk for the team and making sure there’s a fine balance there.”Those dilemmas won’t arise immediately; the eight best-of-three wild card series that begin Tuesday will be over before any reliever can pitch more than three days in a row.AL WILD CARD: Rays-Blue Jays previewAL WILD CARD: White Sox-AthleticsThen, victorious teams will have at least three days off as they enter neutral-site “bubbles” in Texas and California before the AL and NL Division Series, beginning Oct. 5 and 6. And that’s where the it gets challenging: Up to five games in five days. If the Division Series goes the distance, that will allow just one off day before the ALCS and NLCS – which could bring another seven games in seven days.That’s potentially 12 games in 13 days – all creating high-leverage situations that will force managers into a balancing act: Victory today vs. a healthy pitcher the rest of October – and the rest of his career.“Guys want it,” Marlins manager Don Mattingly says of the ever-ready mentality of relievers. “Now, if it’s a risk of injury, you can’t do it. If I’m putting a guy in danger, I don’t want to do that. I’m going to take care of that player to the very end.“But they’re going to want to do it. It’s just, is it safe, and is it even right to ask them to do it?”For the Tampa Bay Rays, October brings both luxuries and limitations. The expanded 28-man roster will continue into the postseason, and manager Kevin Cash and pitching coach Kyle Snyder can tap a deep and flexible staff that posted a 3.5
Expanded MLB playoffs, fewer off days create quandary for managers, top relievers: 'Is it safe?'
Since 1995, Major League Baseball’s first postseason with wild cards and a five-game Division Series, no World Series champion has had to play more than 18 playoff games, with the 2017 Houston Astros the most recent titlist to reach that mark.That 18-game run came over 28 days, with days off wedged into each series, ending with a five-pitcher tag team in Game 7 of the World Series.Yet, those Astros, and the 2019 Washington Nationals, who prevailed after 17 games over 30 days, didn’t face anything like the potential crucible 2020 teams may encounter.The pandemic-shortened 60-game regular season has given way to an expanded, 16-team postseason in which a potential champion – division winners and wild cards, all – could play 22 games in 29 days, or 19 in 23 days.Adding to the wrinkle: No off days during the division and league championship series, which will be great for testing the depth of a pitching staff.Yet it may also pose ethical dilemmas for coaching staffs that lean heavily on high-leverage relievers to navigate October – particularly when pitching any more than three days in a row is considered verboten.“No doubt, with no days off, it’s hard to push bullpens like you would in the past,” says New York Yankees pitching coach Matt Blake. “Typically, three (days in a row) is where we draw the line, the industry standard of pushing a guy.“That’s one we’re going to have to take it case-by-case. It will have to be a little bit subjective. Not putting them at risk for the team and making sure there’s a fine balance there.”Those dilemmas won’t arise immediately; the eight best-of-three wild card series that begin Tuesday will be over before any reliever can pitch more than three days in a row.AL WILD CARD: Rays-Blue Jays previewAL WILD CARD: White Sox-AthleticsThen, victorious teams will have at least three days off as they enter neutral-site “bubbles” in Texas and California before the AL and NL Division Series, beginning Oct. 5 and 6. And that’s where the it gets challenging: Up to five games in five days. If the Division Series goes the distance, that will allow just one off day before the ALCS and NLCS – which could bring another seven games in seven days.That’s potentially 12 games in 13 days – all creating high-leverage situations that will force managers into a balancing act: Victory today vs. a healthy pitcher the rest of October – and the rest of his career.“Guys want it,” Marlins manager Don Mattingly says of the ever-ready mentality of relievers. “Now, if it’s a risk of injury, you can’t do it. If I’m putting a guy in danger, I don’t want to do that. I’m going to take care of that player to the very end.“But they’re going to want to do it. It’s just, is it safe, and is it even right to ask them to do it?”For the Tampa Bay Rays, October brings both luxuries and limitations. The expanded 28-man roster will continue into the postseason, and manager Kevin Cash and pitching coach Kyle Snyder can tap a deep and flexible staff that posted a 3.5
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