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 franchise

Postseason Appearances by Finish
FranchiseYearsLost WCLost DSLost LCSLost WSWon WS
ARIArizona Diamondbacks1998–present—1999, 2002, 2011, 2017200720232001
ATLBoston Braves1903–1952———19481914
Milwaukee Braves1953–1965———19581957
Atlanta Braves1966–present20122000, 2002, 2003, 2004, 2005, 2010, 2013, 2018, 2019, 2022, 20231969, 1982, 1993, 1997, 1998, 2001, 20201991, 1992, 1996, 19991995, 2021
BALSt. Louis Browns1903–1953———1944—
Baltimore Orioles1954–present20162012, 20231973, 1974, 1996, 1997, 20141969, 1971, 19791966, 1970, 1983
BOSBoston Red Sox1903–present—1995, 1998, 2005, 2009, 2016, 20171988, 1990, 1999, 2003, 2008, 20211946, 1967, 1975, 19861903, 1912, 1915, 1916, 1918, 2004, 2007, 2013, 2018
CHCChicago Cubs1903–present2018, 20201998, 2007, 20081984, 1989, 2003, 2015, 20171906, 1910, 1918, 1929, 1932, 1935, 1938, 19451907, 1908, 2016
CWSChicago White Sox1903–present20202000, 2008, 20211983, 19931919, 19591906, 1917, 2005
CINCincinnati Reds1903–present2013, 20202010, 20121973, 1979, 19951939, 1961, 1970, 19721919, 1940, 1975, 1976, 1990
CLECleveland Guardians/
Indians		1903–present2013, 20201996, 1999, 2001, 2017, 2018, 20221998, 20071954, 1995, 1997, 20161920, 1948
COLColorado Rockies1993–present20171995, 2009, 2018—2007—
DETDetroit Tigers1903–present—20141972, 1987, 2011, 20131907, 1908, 1909, 1934, 1940, 2006, 20121935, 1945, 1968, 1984
HOUHouston Astros1962–present—1981, 1997, 1998, 1999, 2001, 20151980, 1986, 2004, 2018, 2020, 20232005, 2019, 20212017, 2022
KCKansas City Royals1969–present—19811976, 1977, 1978, 19841980, 20141985, 2015
LAALos Angeles/California/
Anaheim Angels		1961–present—2004, 2007, 2008, 20141979, 1982, 1986, 2005, 2009—2002
LADBrooklyn Dodgers1903–1957———1916, 1920, 1941, 1947, 1949, 1952, 1953, 19561955
Los Angeles Dodgers1958–present—1995, 1996, 2004, 2006, 2014, 2015, 2019, 2022, 20231983, 1985, 2008, 2009, 2013, 2016, 20211966, 1974, 1977, 1978, 2017, 20181959, 1963, 1965, 1981, 1988, 2020
MIAMiami/Florida Marlins1993–present20232020——1997, 2003
MILSeattle Pilots1969—————
Milwaukee Brewers1970–present2019, 2020, 20231981, 2008, 20212011, 20181982—
MINWashington Senators1903–1960———1925, 19331924
Minnesota Twins1961–present2017, 20202003, 2004, 2006, 2009, 2010, 2019, 20231969, 1970, 200219651987, 1991
NYMNew York Mets1962–present2016, 2022—1988, 1999, 20061973, 2000, 20151969, 1986
NYYNew York Yankees1903–present2015, 20211995, 1997, 2002, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2011, 2018, 20201980, 2004, 2010, 2012, 2017, 2019, 20221921, 1922, 1926, 1942, 1955, 1957, 1960, 1963, 1964, 1976, 1981, 2001, 20031923, 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
OAKPhiladelphia Athletics1903–1954———1905, 1914, 19311910, 1911, 1913, 1929, 1930
Kansas City Athletics1955–1967—————
Oakland Athletics1968–present2014, 2018, 20192000, 2001, 2002, 2003, 2012, 2013, 20201971, 1975, 1981, 1992, 20061988, 19901972, 1973, 1974, 1989
PHIPhiladelphia Phillies1903–present—1981, 2007, 20111976, 1977, 1978, 2010, 20231915, 1950, 1983, 1993, 2009, 20221980, 2008
PITPittsburgh Pirates1903–present2014, 201520131970, 1972, 1974, 1975, 1990, 1991, 19921903, 19271909, 1925, 1960, 1971, 1979
SDSan Diego Padres1969–present—1996, 2005, 2006, 202020221984, 1998—
SEASeattle Mariners1977–present—1997, 20221995, 2000, 2001——
SFNew York Giants1903–1957———1911, 1912, 1913, 1917, 1923, 1924, 1936, 1937, 19511905, 1921, 1922, 1933, 1954
San Francisco Giants1958–present—1997, 2000, 2003, 2016, 20211971, 19871962, 1989, 20022010, 2012, 2014
STLSt. Louis Cardinals1903–present2020, 2021, 20222001, 2009, 20151996, 2000, 2002, 2005, 2012, 2014, 20191928, 1930, 1943, 1968, 1985, 1987, 2004, 20131926, 1931, 1934, 1942, 1944, 1946, 1964, 1967, 1982, 2006, 2011
TBTampa Bay Rays/
Devil Rays		1998–present2022, 20232010, 2011, 2013, 2019, 2021—2008, 2020—
TEXWashington Senators1961–1971—————
Texas Rangers1972–present20121996, 1998, 1999, 2015, 2016—2010, 20112023
TORToronto Blue Jays1977–present2020, 2022, 2023—1985, 1989, 1991, 2015, 2016—1992, 1993
WSHMontreal Expos1969–2004——1981——
Washington Nationals2005–present—2012, 2014, 2016, 2017——2019

Franchise records by postseason round

Updated through the 2023 postseason.

FranchiseWild Card Game/ SeriesDivision SeriesLeague Championship SeriesWorld SeriesPostseason Appearances
WonTotalWonTotalWonTotalWonTotalTotal
Arizona Diamondbacks223723127
Boston / Milwaukee / Atlanta Braves1281961341029
St. Louis Browns / Baltimore Orioles12355103715
Boston Red Sox1181461291325
Chicago Cubs13471631121
Chicago White Sox0114133511
Cincinnati Reds0213585916
Cleveland Indians / Guardians13511352616
Colorado Rockies121411015
Detroit Tigers00453741116
Houston Astros229155112517
Kansas City Royals112348249
Los Angeles / California / Anaheim Angels0037161110
Brooklyn / Los Angeles Dodgers2291881572137
Florida / Miami Marlins122322224
Seattle Pilots / Milwaukee Brewers032513019
Washington Senators / Minnesota Twins1318253618
New York Mets0244582510
New York Yankees3514231118274058
Philadelphia / Kansas City / Oakland Athletics142961191429
Philadelphia Phillies22586112816
Pittsburgh Pirates1301295717
San Diego Padres222623027
Seattle Mariners113503005
New York / San Francisco Giants22495782027
St. Louis Cardinals141114714111932
Tampa Bay Devil Rays / Rays352722029
Washington Senators / Texas Rangers123833139
Toronto Blue Jays1422272210
Montreal Expos / Washington Nationals112612116
Totals3468120240108216119238500

See also

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