Dodgers, Phillies, Padres, and Mets all played 162 games.
Out of that sample, Dodgers (1 seed) won 9 more games than the Mets (6 seed). Dodgers won 5 more than the Padres. Phillies won 6 more games than the Mets.
So do we need to deliberately structure the postseason to favor the team that won its division by 5 or 6 games out of 162?
And keep in kind that MLB already does - it gives the winner 6 days off to rest all its pitchers and heal everybody up. Gives them 5 games to win 3.
Is the goal to make the postseason LESS exciting? Make it more predictable, and simply replicate what happened during the regular season? Why?