There will be no true postseason at the Triple-A level this year, but they will crown a Triple-A Final Stretch Winner.
MLB and Minor League Baseball announced Wednesday that after the 120-game Triple-A Season ends in mid-September, all 30 AAA teams will play a 10-game "Triple-A Final Stretch," five road games and five home games that will help determine an overall Triple-A Champion.
For the East and West (formerly the International and Pacific Coast Leagues), a regular-season champ will be crowned at the end of the 120-game season, and then the team with the highest overall winning percentage in the Final Stretch will be crowned that winner and receive a prize from MLB.
"We think this format will add excitement to the end of the season while also allowing our teams a chance to reschedule games that were lost earlier in the year," Major League Baseball Senior Vice President of Minor League Operations and Development Peter Woodfork said in the release announcing the addition. "With all 30 teams participating in this Final Stretch, all Triple-A players and communities will have the opportunity to win this year's postseason tournament."
The Final Stretch will give fans one last Triple-A Subway Series, as the first five-game set will see the Syracuse Mets visit the Scranton/Wilkes-Barre RailRiders. Syracuse will then host Buffalo (Jays affiliate) in the second half, while SWB will head to Rochester (Nationals).
And, for those looking for one last Triple-A moment in Trenton, where the Buffalo Bisons are playing their home games this year, they will be hosting Lehigh Valley (Phillies affiliate) in the first half.
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