MLB Playoff Seeding Will Determine Home, Away Teams for 2020 World Series

Since there won't be an official home-field advantage during the 2020 Major League Baseball playoffs, seeding will be used to determine home teams for the World Series. 

Per the Associated Press, the higher-seeded team will bat last in Games 1, 2, 6 and 7 in the Fall Classic. 

In an effort to minimize the risk of players and coaches contracting COVID-19 during the postseason, MLB and the MLB Players Association announced a playoff bubble last week.   

Under the expanded 16-team playoff format, being a higher seed doesn't necessarily mean a club will have a better record than its opponent. The top two teams in each division are guaranteed a playoff spot, with the two wild cards in each league determined by best record of the remaining clubs. 

For example, the San Diego Padres have the second-best record in the NL at 34-20 but hold the No. 4 seed because they are in second place behind the Los Angeles Dodgers (38-16) in the NL West. 

Even though the No. 2 seed Chicago Cubs and No. 3 seed Atlanta Braves (both 32-22) have worse records than the Padres, they would have the last at-bat for four games in a potential seven-game playoff series against the Padres because of their seeding. 

The 2020 MLB postseason will begin Sept. 29. Globe Life Field in Arlington, Texas, will host the World Series, starting Oct. 20.