All MLB season finales will start at same time

The A’s clinched the second wild-card spot on the final day of the season last year. (USATSI)

In an effort to boost the drama and excitement of the final day of the regular season, MLB has scheduled Game 162 for all 30 teams at the exact same time this year according to Bill Shaikin of the Los Angeles Times. All 15 games on Oct. 4 will begin at 3pm ET.

“If a game impacts another game, they’re all occurring at the same time, so no team would be put into a lame-duck situation because their fate already had been decided by an earlier result,” said Tony Petitti, MLB chief operating officer.

“If we do have games coming down to the wire, we want to make sure we maximize that day.”

Last season both the NL Central title and the second AL wild-card spot came down to the final day of the regular season. The Pirates lost to the Reds in Game 162, giving the Cardinals the division title and allowing them to scratch ace Adam Wainwright later that afternoon so he could start Game 1 of the NLDS. That kind of situation happen this year.

Okay, this is awesome. The last day of the season has been pretty important in recent years thanks to the two wild-card system, and this is going to make it even more exciting. More scoreboard watching, more nail-biting, that sort of stuff. I can’t wait.

Hopefully we have multiple races come down to Game 162 in a few months. Following all of them will be difficult, but gosh, it’ll be a blast.

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