The Galaxy have been out of the postseason so long the playoff format has completely changed since their last visit.
That statement is totally true. But it’s also a bit unfair since the one constant about the MLS playoffs is change.
The format the league is using this year is the third since 2018 and the 10th in the league’s 29-year history. It is also, by far, the most confounding. For starters, 18 of the league’s 29 teams made the postseason, meaning MLS played an eight-month, 34-game regular season to eliminate just 11 teams.
Only the NBA, which allows 20 of its 30 teams into the postseason, has a lower bar.