MLB Reportedly Discussing Postseason Plan Featuring Bubble After 1st Round

Major League Baseball is finalizing a plan to conduct the final three rounds of its postseason in Texas and Southern California amid the COVID-19 pandemic, per Bill Shaikin of the Los Angeles Times.  

American League playoff games would likely occur at Dodger Stadium in Los Angeles and San Diego's Petco Park. National League postseason matchups would take place in Arlington, Texas, at Globe Life Park or Houston's Minute Maid Park.

Globe Life Park in Arlington would host the World Series.

Those hypothetical bubbles would not include the expanded portion of this year's playoffs, which consists of best-of-three series involving the top eight teams in the American and National Leagues. Those games would be played at the higher seeds' respective ballparks.

The MLB season was delayed by four months and shortened to 60 games due to the COVID-19 pandemic. The campaign has forged ahead despite numerous team outbreaks causing mass postponements of games, namely for the St. Louis Cardinals and Miami Marlins.

The season appears on track to end on time by late September, however, with teams playing on previously scheduled off days and suiting up for seven-inning doubleheaders frequently. 

The NHL has done something similar to the proposed MLB bubble idea with its postseason, featuring 24 teams split into two locations in Edmonton and Toronto.

The league has not encountered any delay issues due to COVID-19 as four teams remain standing in the conference's final rounds.

The MLB playoffs are scheduled to begin Tuesday, Sept. 29 with the advent of the best-of-three first-round series. The divisional series will follow soon after.