#Why Yankees aren’t too thrilled with MLB’s new playoff system

The Yankees entered 2020 with championship aspirations and those haven’t changed despite the delayed start to the season and the vast changes the game is experiencing this year.

But the new expanded playoff system, which was only put into place hours before the Yankees and Nationals opened the season in Washington on Thursday, is an unpopular one within the Yankees’ clubhouse.

With 16 teams — up from 10 — set to make the postseason this year, the only incentive for winning the division is hosting all the games of the best-of-three first-round series, since the one-game wild card is out, at least for this season.

“I definitely think it’s good for the game to create more high-leverage games, if that’s what you want to call it, more excitement,’’ Zack Britton said before the Yankees’ 9-2 loss to the Nationals on Saturday. “But I wasn’t a big fan of division winners not being rewarded in some form or fashion. So I wasn’t really for this, but I do see the benefit of increasing playoffs and adding that to our sport.”

In years past, if the Yankees won the AL East, they would advance directly to the ALDS and face either the winner of the wild-card game or the division winner with the worst record. This season, they’ll have to deal with a series immediately just to get to the ALDS.

“It’s good for the future,’’ Britton said. “I just felt like it was kind of rushed. But the only thing I would’ve liked to see is division winners — whether that’s us or another team — get a bye or something to show you won your division.”

Chad Green said he’s “not really sure [and] a little hesitant,’’ about the changes.

“To have over half the league make the playoffs, I would like to see a reward for winning the division,’’ the right-hander said. “I’d probably need to learn more about the actual specifics of it, [but there] needs to be more incentive for winning the division.”

And though Aaron Boone is OK with the format this year, the manager hopes it’s not extended.

“I really don’t see it,’’ Boone said of a 16-team playoff in a normal year. “I see maybe something in-between last year and this year. But I don’t see 16 teams in a 162[-game] scenario. I think this year, all bets are off.”

Green also wasn’t thrilled with the new rule where teams start extra innings with a runner on second base, joining fellow reliever Adam Ottavino, who said last week, “It’s just not real baseball.’’

“It’s gonna be different,’’ Green said. “A lot of guys are gonna have to adjust to it. You’ve got to have your stuff as soon as you get in there. If you start the 10th inning, the game could be over real quick.”

And he expects pitchers to change their approach.

“It’s gonna be more of a mental thing than anything,’’ Green said. “Guys are just gonna be coming in and trying to attack guys right away and see what happens. … I’m personally not a huge fan of it. When you’re playing a 60-game season and every game matters, just to throw a guy on second base is not the answer.”

It was on display Friday night for the first time in Oakland in the A’s win over the Angels. Oakland’s Marcus Semien started the bottom of the 10th on second and scored on Matt Olson’s grand slam.

Green didn’t watch the game, but was aware of the result Saturday.

“It’s gonna be different,’’ Green said. “A lot of guys are gonna have to adjust to it. You’ve got to have your stuff as soon as you get in there. If you start the 10th inning, the game could be over real quick.”