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| Part of a series on the |
| Major League Baseball postseason |
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| Wild Card Series |
| Division Series |
| League Championship Series |
| World Series |
| Teams |
The Major League Baseball postseason is an elimination tournament conducted after the regular season, by which MLB determines its World Series champion for a given year.
The MLB postseason format has evolved throughout its history, with the number of participating teams increasing from two (for its first six-plus decades) to the current 12, with a special format in 2020 having 16. The World Series was first played in 1903, when the champions of the established National League (NL) and the upstart American League (AL) met for a playoff series. From that time through 1968, the two leagues (which each had eight teams through 1960) each sent only its team with the best regular-season record to the World Series. In 1969, as each league had expanded to 12 teams, each league was divided into East and West divisions and another playoff round was created. This round became known as the League Championship Series (LCS), with the four division champions competing for a spot in the World Series every year. This format lasted until 1993.
In 1994, the again-expanded leagues were re-organized into three separate divisions, and another playoff round was established, called the Division Series (DS). In this format, for each league, the champions of the East, Central, and West divisions would be joined in the playoffs by a Wild Card team. The addition of the Wild Card allowed a team that was not a division winner but still had one of the top regular-season records to enter the postseason. In 1998, the system was slightly modified so that the division winners with better regular-season records would be rewarded with homefield advantage in the division series and LCS. In 2012, the structure was adjusted such that two teams from each league receive Wild Card berths and then play a single game against each other to determine who advances to the Division Series. It also eliminated the previous restriction that the wild card team could not play a team in its own division in the first round. In 2022, the current 12-team format was used, featuring a best-of-three Wild Card Series. However, in this format, the top two division winners in each league received an automatic berth to the Division Series, while the lowest-ranked division winner and three Wild Card teams would play in the Wild Card Series.
Three anomalies in the above-described system occurred. In 1904, the World Series did not take place because the National League champion did not wish to participate and the leagues had not yet agreed to require their champions to do so. In 1981, there was a Division Series due to a split season brought about by a midsummer player's strike. In 1994, the postseason did not take place due to a player's strike. And in 2020, after a shortened 60-game regular season due to the COVID-19 pandemic, a special best-of-three Wild Card Series was played; this involved the three division winners, three second-place teams from each division, and two Wild Card teams in each league.
| Postseason Appearances by Finish | |||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Franchise | Years | Lost WC | Lost DS | Lost LCS | Lost WS | Won WS | |
| ATH | Philadelphia Athletics | 1903–1954 | — | — | — | 1905, 1914, 1931 | 1910, 1911, 1913, 1929, 1930 |
| Kansas City Athletics | 1955–1967 | — | — | — | — | — | |
| Oakland Athletics | 1968–2024 | 2014, 2018, 2019 | 2000, 2001, 2002, 2003, 2012, 2013, 2020 | 1971, 1975, 1981, 1992, 2006 | 1988, 1990 | 1972, 1973, 1974, 1989 | |
| Athletics (Sacramento) | 2025–present | — | — | — | — | — | |
| AZ | Arizona Diamondbacks | 1998–present | — | 1999, 2002, 2011, 2017 | 2007 | 2023 | 2001 |
| ATL | Boston Braves | 1903–1952 | — | — | — | 1948 | 1914 |
| Milwaukee Braves | 1953–1965 | — | — | — | 1958 | 1957 | |
| Atlanta Braves | 1966–present | 2012, 2024 | 2000, 2002, 2003, 2004, 2005, 2010, 2013, 2018, 2019, 2022, 2023 | 1969, 1982, 1993, 1997, 1998, 2001, 2020 | 1991, 1992, 1996, 1999 | 1995, 2021 | |
| BAL | St. Louis Browns | 1903–1953 | — | — | — | 1944 | — |
| Baltimore Orioles | 1954–present | 2016, 2024 | 2012, 2023 | 1973, 1974, 1996, 1997, 2014 | 1969, 1971, 1979 | 1966, 1970, 1983 | |
| BOS | Boston Red Sox | 1903–present | — | 1995, 1998, 2005, 2009, 2016, 2017 | 1988, 1990, 1999, 2003, 2008, 2021 | 1946, 1967, 1975, 1986 | 1903, 1912, 1915, 1916, 1918, 2004, 2007, 2013, 2018 |
| CHC | Chicago Cubs | 1903–present | 2018, 2020 | 1998, 2007, 2008 | 1984, 1989, 2003, 2015, 2017 | 1906, 1910, 1918, 1929, 1932, 1935, 1938, 1945 | 1907, 1908, 2016 |
| CWS | Chicago White Sox | 1903–present | 2020 | 2000, 2008, 2021 | 1983, 1993 | 1919, 1959 | 1906, 1917, 2005 |
| CIN | Cincinnati Reds | 1903–present | 2013, 2020 | 2010, 2012 | 1973, 1979, 1995 | 1939, 1961, 1970, 1972 | 1919, 1940, 1975, 1976, 1990 |
| CLE | Cleveland Guardians/ Indians | 1903–present | 2013, 2020 | 1996, 1999, 2001, 2017, 2018, 2022 | 1998, 2007, 2024 | 1954, 1995, 1997, 2016 | 1920, 1948 |
| COL | Colorado Rockies | 1993–present | 2017 | 1995, 2009, 2018 | — | 2007 | — |
| DET | Detroit Tigers | 1903–present | — | 2014, 2024 | 1972, 1987, 2011, 2013 | 1907, 1908, 1909, 1934, 1940, 2006, 2012 | 1935, 1945, 1968, 1984 |
| HOU | Houston Astros | 1962–present | 2024 | 1981, 1997, 1998, 1999, 2001, 2015 | 1980, 1986, 2004, 2018, 2020, 2023 | 2005, 2019, 2021 | 2017, 2022 |
| KC | Kansas City Royals | 1969–present | — | 1981, 2024 | 1976, 1977, 1978, 1984 | 1980, 2014 | 1985, 2015 |
| LAA | Los Angeles/California/ Anaheim Angels | 1961–present | — | 2004, 2007, 2008, 2014 | 1979, 1982, 1986, 2005, 2009 | — | 2002 |
| LAD | Brooklyn Dodgers | 1903–1957 | — | — | — | 1916, 1920, 1941, 1947, 1949, 1952, 1953, 1956 | 1955 |
| Los Angeles Dodgers | 1958–present | — | 1995, 1996, 2004, 2006, 2014, 2015, 2019, 2022, 2023 | 1983, 1985, 2008, 2009, 2013, 2016, 2021 | 1966, 1974, 1977, 1978, 2017, 2018 | 1959, 1963, 1965, 1981, 1988, 2020, 2024 | |
| MIA | Miami/Florida Marlins | 1993–present | 2023 | 2020 | — | — | 1997, 2003 |
| MIL | Seattle Pilots | 1969 | — | — | — | — | — |
| Milwaukee Brewers | 1970–present | 2019, 2020, 2023, 2024 | 1981, 2008, 2021 | 2011, 2018 | 1982 | — | |
| MIN | Washington Senators | 1903–1960 | — | — | — | 1925, 1933 | 1924 |
| Minnesota Twins | 1961–present | 2017, 2020 | 2003, 2004, 2006, 2009, 2010, 2019, 2023 | 1969, 1970, 2002 | 1965 | 1987, 1991 | |
| NYM | New York Mets | 1962–present | 2016, 2022 | — | 1988, 1999, 2006, 2024 | 1973, 2000, 2015 | 1969, 1986 |
| NYY | New York Yankees | 1903–present | 2015, 2021 | 1995, 1997, 2002, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2011, 2018, 2020 | 1980, 2004, 2010, 2012, 2017, 2019, 2022 | 1921, 1922, 1926, 1942, 1955, 1957, 1960, 1963, 1964, 1976, 1981, 2001, 2003, 2024 | 1923, 1927, 1928, 1932, 1936, 1937, 1938, 1939, 1941, 1943, 1947, 1949, 1950, 1951, 1952, 1953, 1956, 1958, 1961, 1962, 1977, 1978, 1996, 1998, 1999, 2000, 2009 |
| PHI | Philadelphia Phillies | 1903–present | — | 1981, 2007, 2011, 2024 | 1976, 1977, 1978, 2010, 2023 | 1915, 1950, 1983, 1993, 2009, 2022 | 1980, 2008 |
| PIT | Pittsburgh Pirates | 1903–present | 2014, 2015 | 2013 | 1970, 1972, 1974, 1975, 1990, 1991, 1992 | 1903, 1927 | 1909, 1925, 1960, 1971, 1979 |
| SD | San Diego Padres | 1969–present | — | 1996, 2005, 2006, 2020, 2024 | 2022 | 1984, 1998 | — |
| SEA | Seattle Mariners | 1977–present | — | 1997, 2022 | 1995, 2000, 2001 | — | — |
| SF | New York Giants | 1903–1957 | — | — | — | 1911, 1912, 1913, 1917, 1923, 1924, 1936, 1937, 1951 | 1905, 1921, 1922, 1933, 1954 |
| San Francisco Giants | 1958–present | — | 1997, 2000, 2003, 2016, 2021 | 1971, 1987 | 1962, 1989, 2002 | 2010, 2012, 2014 | |
| STL | St. Louis Cardinals | 1903–present | 2020, 2021, 2022 | 2001, 2009, 2015 | 1996, 2000, 2002, 2005, 2012, 2014, 2019 | 1928, 1930, 1943, 1968, 1985, 1987, 2004, 2013 | 1926, 1931, 1934, 1942, 1944, 1946, 1964, 1967, 1982, 2006, 2011 |
| TB | Tampa Bay Rays/ Devil Rays | 1998–present | 2022, 2023 | 2010, 2011, 2013, 2019, 2021 | — | 2008, 2020 | — |
| TEX | Washington Senators | 1961–1971 | — | — | — | — | — |
| Texas Rangers | 1972–present | 2012 | 1996, 1998, 1999, 2015, 2016 | — | 2010, 2011 | 2023 | |
| TOR | Toronto Blue Jays | 1977–present | 2020, 2022, 2023 | — | 1985, 1989, 1991, 2015, 2016 | — | 1992, 1993 |
| WSH | Montreal Expos | 1969–2004 | — | — | 1981 | — | — |
| Washington Nationals | 2005–present | — | 2012, 2014, 2016, 2017 | — | — | 2019 | |
Updated through the 2024 postseason.
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| 1970s | |||
| 1980s | |||
| 1990s | |||
| 2000s | |||
| 2010s | |||
| 2020s | |||
| Lists |
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| Related |
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The National League Championship Series (NLCS) is a best-of-seven playoff and one of two League Championship Series comprising the penultimate round of Major League Baseball's (MLB) postseason. It is contested by the winners of the two National League (NL) Division Series. The winner of the NLCS wins the NL pennant and advances to the World Series, MLB's championship series, to play the winner of the American League's (AL) Championship Series. The NLCS began in 1969 as a best-of-five playoff and used this format until 1985, when it changed to a best-of-seven format.
The American League Championship Series (ALCS) is a best-of-seven playoff and one of two League Championship Series comprising the penultimate round of Major League Baseball's (MLB) postseason. The winner of the ALCS wins the AL pennant and advances to the World Series, MLB's championship series, to play the winner of the National League's (NL) Championship Series. The ALCS began in 1969 as a best-of-five playoff and used this format until 1985, when it changed to its current best-of-seven format.
In Major League Baseball, the American League Division Series (ALDS) determines which two teams from the American League will advance to the American League Championship Series. The Division Series consists of two best-of-five series, featuring each of the two division winners with the best records and the winners of the wild-card play-off.
In Major League Baseball, the National League Division Series (NLDS) determines which two teams from the National League will advance to the National League Championship Series. The Division Series consists of two best-of-five series, featuring each of the two division winners with the best records and the winners of the wild-card play-offs.
The League Championship Series (LCS) is the semifinal round of postseason play in Major League Baseball which has been conducted since 1969. In 1981, and since 1995, the two annual series have matched up the winners of the Division Series, and the winners advance to meet in the World Series. The LCS comprises the American League Championship Series (ALCS) and National League Championship Series (NLCS).
The Division Series is the quarterfinal round of the Major League Baseball postseason. Four series are played in this round, two each for both the American League and the National League.
The American League East is one of Major League Baseball's six divisions. MLB consists of an East, Central, and West division for each of its two 15-team leagues, the American League (AL) and National League (NL). This division was created before the start of the 1969 season along with the American League West. Before that time, each league consisted of 10 teams without any divisions.
The American League Central is one of Major League Baseball's six divisions. This division was formed in the realignment of 1994 by moving three teams from the American League West and two teams from the American League East. Its teams are all located in the Midwestern United States. Along with the National League East, the AL Central is one of two divisions in the Major Leagues in which all of its members have won a World Series title. In fact, each team has captured at least two World Series championships. The Kansas City Royals were the most recent team from the division to win the World Series.
The National League West is one of Major League Baseball's six divisions. This division was created for the 1969 season when the National League (NL) expanded to 12 teams by adding the San Diego Padres and the Montreal Expos. For purpose of keeping a regular-season of 162 games, half of the teams were put into the new East Division and half into the new West Division. Within each division, the teams played 18 games each against their five division mates, and also 12 games against the teams in the opposite division, totaling 162 games. Prior to 1969, the National League had informal, internal divisions strictly for scheduling purposes.
There are a number of formats used in various levels of competition in sports and games to determine an overall champion. Some of the most common are the single elimination, the best-of- series, the total points series more commonly known as on aggregate, and the round-robin tournament.
A wild card is a tournament or playoff berth awarded to a team or individual that does not qualify through an automatic bid. In some events, wildcards are chosen freely by the organizers. Other events have fixed rules. Some North American professional sports leagues compare the records of teams which did not qualify directly by winning a division or conference.
In Major League Baseball (MLB), the wild card teams are the three teams in each of the two leagues that qualify for the postseason despite failing to win their division; the three wild card teams in each league possess the three best winning percentages in their league after the league's three division winners. The wild card was first instituted in MLB in 1994 after the playoff was expanded from 4 teams to 8 teams and MLB divisions were realigned to feature 3 divisions in each league instead of 2, which meant that one non-division winner per league made the playoff and would face a division winner in the first round Division Series.
The Major League Baseball (MLB) postseason is the annual playoff elimination tournament held to determine the champion of MLB in the United States and Canada. Since 2022, the postseason for each league—American and National—consists of two best-of-three Wild Card Series contested by the lowest-seeded division winner and the three wild card teams, two best-of-five Division Series (LDS) featuring the wild-card winners and the two highest-seeded division winners, and finally the best-of-seven League Championship Series (LCS). The winners of the American League Championship Series (ALCS) and the National League Championship Series (NLCS) play each other in the best-of-seven World Series. Under this system, the postseason consist of between 13 to 22 games per team. 13 if they sweep every series & 22 if each series goes the distance. The postseason tournament takes place after the conclusion of MLB's regular season and takes approximately one month to complete.
The Wild Card Series are games that serve as the opening round of the Major League Baseball (MLB) postseason. A single wild card game was instituted in 2012. This became a best-of-three playoff wild card series in 2020 as a one-off, and became permanent starting in the 2022 season.
Major League Baseball tie-breaking procedures are used by Major League Baseball (MLB) to break ties between teams for qualification and seeding into the MLB postseason. The procedures in use since 2022, when a third wild card team and resulting Wild Card Series were added for both the American League and National League, are outlined below.
The 2020 American League Championship Series was a best-of-seven series in Major League Baseball's 2020 postseason between the two American League Division Series winners, the defending American League Champion and sixth-seeded Houston Astros and the top-seeded Tampa Bay Rays, for the American League (AL) pennant and the right to play in the 2020 World Series. Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, all games for the series were held behind closed doors at a neutral site at Petco Park in San Diego. The games were televised nationally by TBS.
The 2022 Major League Baseball postseason was the playoff tournament of Major League Baseball (MLB) for the 2022 season. This was the first edition of the postseason since 2012 to have a new format, as it has been expanded to include six teams per league. The top two division winners of the American and National leagues receive first-round byes into the Division Series, and the worst-division winner is the third seed in their respective league. The three Wild Card teams are the fourth, fifth, and sixth seeds. The third seed hosts the sixth seed, and the fourth seed does the same with the fifth seed in the best-of-three Wild Card series. The postseason started on Friday, October 7, two days after the end of the regular season.
The 2022 National League Wild Card Series were two best-of-three playoff series in Major League Baseball (MLB) to determine the participating teams of the 2022 National League Division Series. Both Wild Card Series began on October 7, with Game 2s scheduled for October 8 and Game 3s, if necessary, scheduled for October 9. ESPN broadcast both Wild Card Series together with ESPN Radio. These matchups were:
