On Thursday, Minor League Baseball announced six games have been added to the Triple-A schedule for 2022, extending the season from 144 to 150 games. The change was made to "help Triple-A baseball better align with the Major League season and push the end date of the Minor League campaign to September 28."
The Triple-A regular season was originally scheduled to run from Tuesday, April 5 to Wednesday Sept. 21 this year. That is six days after MLB Opening Day to a week and a half before the end of the MLB season. The Triple-A season will still begin on April 5, though it will now end a week later, four days before the end of the MLB regular season.
Under the old Sept. roster expansion rules (up to 40 players on the active roster) teams could simply call up any Triple-A players they wanted to have available when the Triple-A season ended. With the new Sept. roster expansion rules (only one additional hitter and pitcher), all those Triple-A players who could be called up at some point don't really have anywhere to go to stay sharp. Expanding the Triple-A season allows them to stay game ready deeper into the season.
When MLB took over the minors last year, the schedule was adjusted to one six-game series and one off-day per week. Previously it resembled the MLB schedule, with three and four-game series and off-days scattered throughout the year. The new schedule reduces travel in general and also gives teams a dedicated travel day.
The Double-A, High Class-A, and Low Class-A schedules remain unchanged. Teams at those levels will play their usual 144-game season beginning on Friday, April 8. Short season rookie level affiliates begin play in June.
