One-and-done unfair to Cubs, Pirates? Too bad, says Commissioner Rob Manfred

The Pittsburgh Pirates had the second-best record in the major leagues this season. The Chicago Cubs had the third-best record, better than any team in any division but their own.

However, because both teams finished behind the St. Louis Cardinals in the National League Central, the Pirates and Cubs will play in the NL wild-card game Wednesday. The losing team will be done for the season.

The situation has evoked cries to seed the playoffs based on the record of each team, regardless of division. Under that scenario, the Dodgers and New York Mets would be playing in the NL wild-card game.

Since the wild-card era started in 1995, never before have three teams in one division finished with the three best records in the major leagues. Commissioner Rob Manfred said he is not about to revise the playoff format because of a historical anomaly.

“I think it is a mistake to set or adjust your playoff format based on the outcome in a particular year,” Manfred told the Los Angeles Times. “I think you should establish your playoff format based on fundamental incentives that you want in your system.

“The fundamentals for us in the current format are No. 1, you’ve got to play your tail off to win your division because it’s a huge advantage; No. 2, the two wild-card spots keep more teams in contention right through the end of the season, and you saw that with Anaheim, Texas, Houston and the Yankees; and No. 3, I think the one-game play-in disadvantages wild cards appropriately, without putting division winners at a disadvantage of too long a layoff.

“Because I think those three fundamental incentives are good, I don’t worry too much about who won and who lost in particular numbers this year. I think the incentives in the system are really sound, fundamentally.”

Manfred also said he expected to consider changing the rule that enables teams to carry as many as 40 active players in September, although any changes probably would not take effect until 2017.

“I do think there is a competitive issue, but I also think it’s a time-of-game issue for us,” Manfred said. “When you give the fraternity of managers more arms, it leads to more pitching changes, which leads to longer games.”

You can read the entire interview with Manfred here.