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.

History

The Division Series was implemented in 1981 as a one-off tournament because of a midseason strike, with the first place teams before the strike taking on the teams in first place after the strike. In 1981, a split-season format forced the first ever divisional playoff series, in which the New York Yankees won the Eastern Division series over the Milwaukee Brewers (who were in the American League until 1998) in five games while in the Western Division, the Oakland Athletics swept the Kansas City Royals (the only team with an overall losing record to ever make the postseason).

In 1994, it was returned permanently when Major League Baseball (MLB) restructured each league into three divisions, but with a different format than in 1981. Each of the division winners, along with one wild card team, qualify for the Division Series. Despite being planned for the 1994 season, the postseason was cancelled that year due to the 1994–95 Major League Baseball strike. In 1995, the first season to feature a division series, the Western Division champion Seattle Mariners defeated the wild card New York Yankees three games to two, while the Central Division champion Cleveland Indians defeated the Eastern Division champion Boston Red Sox in a three-game sweep.

From 1994 to 2011, the wild card was given to the team in the American League with the best overall record that was not a division champion. Beginning with the 2012 season, a second wild card team was added, and the two wild card teams play a single-game playoff to determine which team would play in the ALDS. For the 2020 Major League Baseball season only, there was an expanded playoff format, owing to an abbreviated 60-game regular season due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Eight teams qualified from the American League: the top two teams in each division plus the next two best records among the remaining teams. These eight teams played a best-of-three-game series to determine placement in the ALDS. The regular format returned for the 2021 season.

As of 2022, the Yankees have played in and won the most division series, with thirteen wins in twenty-two appearances. In 2015, the Toronto Blue Jays and Houston Astros were the final American League teams to make their first appearances in the ALDS. The Astros had been in the National League through 2012, and had played in the National League Division Series (NLDS) seven times. The Astros are the only team to win the ALDS in six consecutive seasons. The Yankees record of four consecutive victories was broken by the Astros with their victory in the 2021 ALDS against the Tampa Bay Rays.

Determining the matchups

The ALDS is a best-of-five series where the divisional winner with the best winning percentage in the regular season hosts the winner of the Wild Card Series between the top two wild card teams in one matchup, and the divisional winner with the second best winning percentage hosts the winner of the series between the lowest-seeded divisional winner and the lowest-seeded wild card team.[1] (From 2012 to 2021, the wild card team was assigned to play the divisional winner with the best winning percentage in the regular season in one series, and the other two division winners met in the other series.[2] From 1998 to 2011, if the wild-card team and the division winner with the best record were from the same division, the wild-card team played the division winner with the second-best record, and the remaining two division leaders played each other.) The two series winners move on to the best-of-seven ALCS. According to Nate Silver, the advent of this playoff series, and especially of the wild card, has caused teams to focus more on "getting to the playoffs" rather than "winning the pennant" as the primary goal of the regular season.[3]

From 2012 to 2021, the wild card team that advances to the Division Series was to face the number 1 seed, regardless whether or not they are in the same division.[4][5][6][7] The two series winners move on to the best-of-seven ALCS. Beginning with the 2022 season, the winner between the lowest-ranked division winner and lowest-ranked wild card team faces the number 2 seed division winner in the Division Series, while the 4 v. 5 wild card winner still faces the number 1 seed, as there is no reseeding even if the 6-seeded wild card advances. Home-field advantage goes to the team with the better regular season record (or head-to-head record if there is a tie between two or more teams), except for the wild-card team, which never receives the home field advantage.[8][9][10]

Beginning in 2003, MLB has implemented a new rule to give the team from the league that wins the All-Star Game with the best regular season record a slightly greater advantage. In order to spread out the Division Series games for broadcast purposes, the two ALDS series follow one of two off-day schedules. Starting in 2007, after consulting the MLBPA, MLB has decided to allow the team with the best record in the league that wins the All-Star Game to choose whether to use the seven-day schedule (1-2-off-3-4-off-5) or the eight-day schedule (1-off-2-off-3-4-off-5). The team only gets to choose the schedule; the opponent is still determined by win–loss records.

Initially, the best-of-5 series played in a 2–3 format, with the first two games set at home for the lower seed team and the last three for the higher seed.[11][12] Since 1998, the series has followed a 2–2–1 format,[13] where the higher seed team plays at home in Games 1 and 2, the lower seed plays at home in Game 3 and Game 4 (if necessary), and if a Game 5 is needed, the teams return to the higher seed's field. When MLB added a second wild card team in 2012, the Division Series re-adopted the 2–3 format due to scheduling conflicts. However, it reverted to the 2–2–1 format starting the next season, 2013.[14]

Results

Key
Wild card
Year Winning team Manager Games Losing team Manager
1981 New York YankeesBob Lemon 3–2 Milwaukee BrewersBuck Rodgers
Oakland AthleticsBilly Martin 3–0 Kansas City RoyalsDick Howser
1994 No Series due to a players' strike.
1995 Cleveland IndiansMike Hargrove 3–0 Boston Red SoxKevin Kennedy
Seattle MarinersLou Piniella 3–2 New York YankeesBuck Showalter
1996 New York YankeesJoe Torre 3–1 Texas RangersJohnny Oates
Baltimore OriolesDavey Johnson 3–1 Cleveland IndiansMike Hargrove
1997 Baltimore OriolesDavey Johnson 3–1 Seattle MarinersLou Piniella
Cleveland IndiansMike Hargrove 3–2 New York YankeesJoe Torre
1998 New York YankeesJoe Torre 3–0 Texas RangersJohnny Oates
Cleveland IndiansMike Hargrove 3–1 Boston Red SoxJimy Williams
1999 New York YankeesJoe Torre 3–0 Texas RangersJohnny Oates
Boston Red SoxJimy Williams 3–2 Cleveland IndiansMike Hargrove
2000 Seattle MarinersLou Piniella 3–0 Chicago White SoxJerry Manuel
New York YankeesJoe Torre 3–2 Oakland AthleticsArt Howe
2001 New York YankeesJoe Torre 3–2 Oakland AthleticsArt Howe
Seattle MarinersLou Piniella 3–2 Cleveland IndiansCharlie Manuel
2002 Minnesota TwinsRon Gardenhire 3–2 Oakland AthleticsArt Howe
Anaheim AngelsMike Scioscia 3–1 New York YankeesJoe Torre
2003 New York YankeesJoe Torre 3–1 Minnesota TwinsRon Gardenhire
Boston Red SoxGrady Little 3–2 Oakland AthleticsKen Macha
2004 New York YankeesJoe Torre 3–1 Minnesota TwinsRon Gardenhire
Boston Red SoxTerry Francona 3–0 Anaheim AngelsMike Scioscia
2005 Chicago White SoxOzzie Guillén 3–0 Boston Red SoxTerry Francona
Los Angeles Angels of AnaheimMike Scioscia 3–2 New York YankeesJoe Torre
2006 Detroit TigersJim Leyland 3–1 New York YankeesJoe Torre
Oakland AthleticsKen Macha 3–0 Minnesota TwinsRon Gardenhire
2007 Boston Red SoxTerry Francona 3–0 Los Angeles Angels of AnaheimMike Scioscia
Cleveland IndiansEric Wedge 3–1 New York YankeesJoe Torre
2008 Boston Red SoxTerry Francona 3–1 Los Angeles Angels of AnaheimMike Scioscia
Tampa Bay RaysJoe Maddon 3–1 Chicago White SoxOzzie Guillén
2009 New York YankeesJoe Girardi 3–0 Minnesota TwinsRon Gardenhire
Los Angeles Angels of AnaheimMike Scioscia 3–0 Boston Red SoxTerry Francona
2010 Texas RangersRon Washington 3–2 Tampa Bay RaysJoe Maddon
New York YankeesJoe Girardi 3–0 Minnesota TwinsRon Gardenhire
2011 Texas RangersRon Washington 3–1 Tampa Bay RaysJoe Maddon
Detroit TigersJim Leyland 3–2 New York YankeesJoe Girardi
2012 Detroit TigersJim Leyland 3–2 Oakland AthleticsBob Melvin
New York YankeesJoe Girardi 3–2 Baltimore OriolesBuck Showalter
2013 Detroit TigersJim Leyland 3–2 Oakland AthleticsBob Melvin
Boston Red SoxJohn Farrell 3–1 Tampa Bay RaysJoe Maddon
2014 Baltimore OriolesBuck Showalter 3–0 Detroit TigersBrad Ausmus
Kansas City RoyalsNed Yost 3–0 Los Angeles Angels of AnaheimMike Scioscia
2015 Toronto Blue JaysJohn Gibbons 3–2 Texas RangersJeff Banister
Kansas City RoyalsNed Yost 3–2 Houston AstrosA. J. Hinch
2016 Cleveland IndiansTerry Francona 3–0 Boston Red SoxJohn Farrell
Toronto Blue JaysJohn Gibbons 3–0 Texas RangersJeff Banister
2017 Houston AstrosA. J. Hinch 3–1 Boston Red SoxJohn Farrell
New York YankeesJoe Girardi 3–2 Cleveland IndiansTerry Francona
2018 Houston AstrosA. J. Hinch 3–0 Cleveland IndiansTerry Francona
Boston Red SoxAlex Cora 3–1 New York YankeesAaron Boone
2019 New York YankeesAaron Boone 3–0 Minnesota TwinsRocco Baldelli
Houston AstrosA. J. Hinch 3–2 Tampa Bay RaysKevin Cash
2020 Tampa Bay RaysKevin Cash 3–2 New York YankeesAaron Boone
Houston AstrosDusty Baker 3–1 Oakland AthleticsBob Melvin
2021 Boston Red SoxAlex Cora 3–1 Tampa Bay RaysKevin Cash
Houston AstrosDusty Baker 3–1 Chicago White SoxTony La Russa
2022 Houston AstrosDusty Baker3–0Seattle MarinersScott Servais
New York YankeesAaron Boone3–2Cleveland GuardiansTerry Francona
2023 Texas RangersBruce Bochy3–0Baltimore OriolesBrandon Hyde
Houston AstrosDusty Baker3–1Minnesota TwinsRocco Baldelli

Appearances by team

Apps Team Wins Losses Win % Most recent
win
Most recent
appearance
Games
won
Games
lost
Game
win %
23New York Yankees149.609202220225642.571
14Boston Red Sox86.571202120212626.500
11Cleveland Guardians56.455201620222422.522
9Oakland Athletics27.222200620201921.475
8Houston Astros71.87520232023239.719
8Texas Rangers35.375202320231218.400
8Minnesota Twins17.12520022023623.207
7Los Angeles Angels34.429200920141015.400
7Tampa Bay Rays25.333202020211318.419
5Detroit Tigers41.800201320141210.545
5Seattle Mariners32.600200120221010.500
5Baltimore Orioles32.60020142023118.579
4Chicago White Sox13.2502005202159.357
3Kansas City Royals21.6672015201565.545
2Toronto Blue Jays201.0002016201662.750
1Milwaukee Brewers[lower-alpha 1]01.000Never198123.400

Years of appearance

In the sortable table below, teams are ordered first by number of wins, then by number of appearances, and finally by year of first appearance. In the "Season(s)" column, bold years indicate winning appearances.

Apps Team Wins Losses Win % Season(s)
23New York Yankees149.6091981, 1995, 1996, 1997, 1998, 1999, 2000, 2001, 2002, 2003, 2004, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2010, 2011, 2012, 2017, 2018, 2019, 2020, 2022
14Boston Red Sox86.5711995, 1998, 1999, 2003, 2004, 2005, 2007, 2008, 2009, 2013, 2016, 2017, 2018, 2021
8Houston Astros71.8752015, 2017, 2018, 2019, 2020, 2021, 2022, 2023
11Cleveland Guardians56.4551995, 1996, 1997, 1998, 1999, 2001, 2007, 2016, 2017, 2018, 2022
5Detroit Tigers41.8002006, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014
8Texas Rangers35.3751996, 1998, 1999, 2010, 2011, 2015, 2016, 2023
7Los Angeles Angels34.4292002, 2004, 2005, 2007, 2008, 2009, 2014
5Seattle Mariners32.6001995, 1997, 2000, 2001, 2022
5Baltimore Orioles32.6001996, 1997, 2012, 2014, 2023
9Oakland Athletics27.2221981, 2000, 2001, 2002, 2003, 2006, 2012, 2013, 2020
7Tampa Bay Rays25.2862008, 2010, 2011, 2013, 2019, 2020, 2021
3Kansas City Royals21.6671981, 2014, 2015
2Toronto Blue Jays201.0002015, 2016
8Minnesota Twins17.1252002, 2003, 2004, 2006, 2009, 2010, 2019, 2023
4Chicago White Sox13.2502000, 2005, 2008, 2021
1Milwaukee Brewers[lower-alpha 1]01.0001981

Frequent matchups

Count Matchup Record Years
5 New York Yankees vs. Minnesota Twins Yankees, 5–0 2003, 2004, 2009, 2010, 2019
4 Boston Red Sox vs. Los Angeles Angels Red Sox, 3–1 2004, 2007, 2008, 2009
4 Cleveland Guardians vs. Boston Red Sox Guardians, 3–1 1995, 1998, 1999, 2016
4 Cleveland Guardians vs. New York Yankees Tied, 2–2 1997, 2007, 2017, 2022
3 Texas Rangers vs. New York Yankees Yankees, 3–0 1996, 1998, 1999
2 New York Yankees vs. Oakland Athletics Yankees, 2–0 2000, 2001
2 New York Yankees vs. Anaheim-LA Angels Angels, 2–0 2002, 2005
2 Texas Rangers vs. Tampa Bay Rays Rangers, 2–0 2010, 2011
2 Oakland Athletics vs. Minnesota Twins Tied, 1–1 2002, 2006
2 Detroit Tigers vs. New York Yankees Tigers, 2–0 2006, 2011
2 Detroit Tigers vs. Oakland Athletics Tigers, 2–0 2012, 2013
2 Texas Rangers vs. Toronto Blue Jays Blue Jays, 2–0 2015, 2016
2 Boston Red Sox vs. Tampa Bay Rays Red Sox, 2–0 2013, 2021

See also

Notes

  1. 1 2 The Milwaukee Brewers moved to the National League in 1998.

References

  1. "New MLB postseason format, explained". MLB.com.
  2. Kepner, Tyler (2012-03-05). "For No. 1 Seeds, Road to Title Comes With Bumps". The New York Times. ISSN 0362-4331. Retrieved 2023-03-09.
  3. Nate Silver, "Selig's Dream: The Wild Card as Enabler of Pennant Races," in Steven Goldman, Ed., It Ain't Over 'til It's Over (New York: Basic Books): 170-178.
  4. Bloom, Barry M. (March 2, 2012). "Addition of Wild Card berths finalized for 2012". MLB.com.
  5. "MLB to expand playoffs by two teams to 10". ESPN.com. 2012-03-02. Retrieved 2021-04-08.
  6. Rudnansky, Ryan. "MLB Playoff Format 2012: Explaining Wild Card, Divisional Series Changes & More". Bleacher Report. Retrieved 2023-03-09.
  7. Kepner, Tyler (2012-10-05). "In Wild-Card Play-In Game, It's Win or You're Out". The New York Times. ISSN 0362-4331. Retrieved 2023-03-09.
  8. "New MLB postseason format, explained". MLB.com. Retrieved 2023-03-09.
  9. Kepner, Tyler (2022-10-06). "Baseball's Postseason Is Evolving, for Better or Worse". The New York Times. ISSN 0362-4331. Retrieved 2023-03-09.
  10. "Everything you need to know about '22 season". MLB.com. Retrieved 2022-03-10.
  11. 1984 NL Championship Series, Baseball-Reference.com
  12. 1997 AL Division Series, Baseball-Reference.com
  13. Gillette, Gary; Palmer, Pete, eds. (2006). "October Classics: Postseason Series and Playoffs". The 2006 ESPN Baseball Encyclopedia. New York: Sterling Publishing. p. 1656.
  14. Sporting News (2012-03-02). "MLB expands playoff field to 10 teams with addition of two wild cards". Retrieved October 28, 2013.
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