Rob Manfred hopes this year's innovations -- expanded playoffs and starting extra innings with runners on second base -- stick over the long-term.

"People were wildly unenthusiastic about the changes. And then when they saw them in action, they were much more positive," Manfred said.

Even before the pandemic-shortened season, Manfred advocated a future expansion of the playoffs to 14 teams.

"I like the idea of, and I'm choosing my words carefully here, an expanded playoff format," the commissioner said. "I don't think we would do 16 like we did this year. I think we do have to be cognizant of making sure that we preserve the importance of our regular season. But I think something beyond the 10 that we were at would be a good change."

With the added runner rule, the longest of 68 games of 10 innings or longer were a pair of 13-inning contests.

"I think the players like it,'' Manfred said. "I think it's really good from a safety and health perspective that keeps us from putting players in situations where they're out there too long or in positions they're not used to playing."