MLB and the MLBPA are still working toward a new collective bargaining agreement. While the threat of a lockout likely hinges on the salary cap discussion, there are other issues that are being proposed as well. Jeff Passan of ESPN shared MLB's latest proposal on Thursday, with topics including the regular season schedule as well as postseason changes.

“Major League Baseball proposed cutting the regular-season schedule from 162 games to 154 games in a bargaining session with the MLBPA today. Also part of its proposal: higher seeds in playoffs get to choose their opponents, and division series expand to seven games,” Passan wrote on X, formerly Twitter.

The idea of shortening the schedule to 154 games and expanding the division to seven games are not overly-drastic measures. However, the highest seeds in the postseason receiving the opportunity to select their opponents would be a highly-debated topic if it was implemented.

If the seeding were to stay how it currently is, you would have years where an 85-win division winner may get to pick an opponent while a Wild Card team with 90 or more wins wouldn't. For example, the Cleveland Guardians won 85 games this season and won the AL Central. They were also the No. 2 overall seed.

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Meanwhile, the New York Yankees and Boston Red Sox both finished behind the Tampa Bay Rays in the AL East and ended up as Wild Card ball clubs despite both having better records than Cleveland (as well as the Houston Astros, who won the AL West with 81 victories). One would have to imagine that seeding would have to change if this idea was added. Otherwise, ball clubs that are often higher seeds in the playoffs like the Los Angeles Dodgers would consistently get to select their postseason opponents.

For now, these are simply proposals. It remains to be seen if any of the proposed ideas will gain real traction.