TUKWILA — In a way, Brad Evans was part of Major League Soccer’s ho-hum era.
“The last day didn’t really mean much,” he said of past Sounders FC regular-season closers.
A shift began toward the end of Evans’ 12-year career as he retired in 2017 as a two-time league champion. Playoff rounds were two-game, aggregate-scoring series where each team got a home game, dulling the importance of seeding.
When Evans dropped by the Sounders’ training at Starfire Sports on Wednesday, he could feel the change. MLS injected drama this season by unveiling a one-game, loser-out postseason format, and the top-four teams earn at least one home game.