By the time the second round of the MLB postseason comes around, just eight teams have their World Series dreams still alive.
The expansion of the Wild Card format has meant there's more playoff squads than ever, but of those 12, three-quarters of them will actually play more than two or three postseason games. The division series is where postseason runs really get going — teams are forced to go deeper into their rotation and bullpen, testing the depth of their roster.
Unlike the Wild Card, the NLDS and ALDS are not a best-of-three series where just two victories can send a team to the next round.
Here's what to know about MLB's division series, including the bracket and format in the American and National Leagues.
MORE: Full guide to the number of games, rules and more in the MLB wild-card round
Are MLB divisional games best of 5?
Yes, MLB’s divisional playoff round (the ALDS and NLDS) is best-of-five.
That has been the case since its inception in 1995, when MLB expanded to three divisions per league and added a Wild Card team for the first time. Since then, the eight teams have met in the divisional round for a best-of-five series.
However, the format for home-field advantage has evolved over time. Initially, the higher-seeded team was away for the first two games and then hosted the final three (2-3 format). In 1998, the ALDS and NLDS switched to a 2-2-1 structure, with the higher seed hosting Games 1, 2, and 5. Although MLB briefly returned to the 2-3 format in 2012, the 2-2-1 structure is the current format for home-field advantage.
Higher seeds host the first two games of the series, travel for the next two (if necessary), and then host the winner-take-all Game 5.
MORE: Most home runs in an MLB Game, from Lou Gehrig to Nick Kurtz
MLB playoff bracket
Here is the 2025 MLB playoff bracket.
In 2025, the top seed in the American League, the Toronto Blue Jays, will take on the No. 4 New York Yankees after a rivalry Wild Card matchup with the Boston Red Sox. Meanwhile, the No. 2 Seattle Mariners, with star catcher Cal Raleigh, will face the No. 6 Detroit Tigers in the ALDS.
In the National League, the No. 1 Milwaukee Brewers, owners of MLB's best regular season record in 2025, will host the No. 4 Chicago Cubs in the NLDS. As for the No. 2 Philadelphia Phillies, they'll take on the No. 3 Los Angeles Dodgers.
MORE: Ranking the 9 biggest playoff collapses in MLB history
MLB playoff format
The MLB postseason has a total of four rounds: wild card, divisional series, championship series, and the World Series.
The wild-card round contains two best-of-three series in each league. The No. 3 seed hosts the No. 6 seed, and the No. 4 seed hosts the No. 5 seed. All three games are played at the home stadium of the higher seed.
In the divisional series, the winner of the 3-6 series advances to face the No. 2 seed, while the winner of the 4-5 series advances to face the No. 1 seed. The divisional series is a best-of-five series, with the higher seed hosting Games 1 and 2 and a possible Game 5. The lower seed hosts Games 3 and 4, if necessary.
The championship series is a seven-game series between the two divisional-series winners. The higher seed hosts Games 1, 2, 6, and 7, if necessary, while the lower seed hosts Games 3 through 5.
The World Series is also a best-of-seven series played between the pennant winners in each league. This series follows a 2-3-2 format, with the team that holds the higher regular-season record hosting Games 1, 2, 6, and 7, if necessary.