Also there’s an extra round of playoffs at the end of the season.
Back when the MLB had 24 (or 26?) teams they did try starting the season in warm weather sites one year.
The schedule did work out nicer though if they did one circuit of the division, one circuit of the opposite division, one circuit of the division, one circuit of the opposite division, and close out the season with one circuit of the division.
When the AL went to 14 teams one team had to play the opposite division during each mini-circuit.
I am old enough to remember when there were no playoffs, the team in each league with the best record played in the World Series.
I think the first-year playoffs started was 1969 when the Met and Braves played each other in the NL.