This is a cut and past job since my fingers are tired of typing it out.
(It's all broken down in my blog too)
In the event that two teams are tied for the top wild card spot, no tiebreaker game is played. Instead, here's what happens to determine which of those two teams will host the Wild Card Game:
Finally, let's lay out a grid that details each of the four wild card contender's records against the other three teams. That way you can calculate those combined 2021 head-to-head records on your own depending on which teams are involved in the tiebreaker(s). Forthwith:
(It's all broken down in my blog too)
- Two teams tie for one wild card: Very straightforward. One-game tiebreaker with home-field advantage going to the team with the better head-to-head record.
- Three teams tie for one wild card: Teams A, B and C are assigned as noted above and they play as noted above -- i.e., B at A, followed by the winner of A-B at home against C with the bid at stake.
- Four teams tie for both wild cards: Team A plays Team B, and Team C plays Team D. The winners of those two games meet in the AL Wild Card Game.
- Three teams tie for both wild cards: Game 1: Team B at Team A, winner gets wild card; Game 2: Team C at loser of Game 1, winner gets remaining wild card.
In the event that two teams are tied for the top wild card spot, no tiebreaker game is played. Instead, here's what happens to determine which of those two teams will host the Wild Card Game:
- Team with the best head-to-head record plays at home.
- If that's tied, then the team with the best division record (e.g., the Yankees' record against AL East teams) would play at home.
- If that's tied, then the team with the best intraleague record (i.e., NL vs. NL and AL vs. AL) would play at home.
Finally, let's lay out a grid that details each of the four wild card contender's records against the other three teams. That way you can calculate those combined 2021 head-to-head records on your own depending on which teams are involved in the tiebreaker(s). Forthwith: