| Tournament details | |
|---|---|
| Dates | October 7–27, 1986[1] |
| Teams | 4 |
| Final positions | |
| Champions | New York Mets (2nd title) |
| Runner-up | Boston Red Sox (10th World Series appearance) |
| Tournament statistics | |
| MVP | Ray Knight (NYM) |
The 1986 Major League Baseball postseason was the playoff tournament of Major League Baseball for the 1986 season. The winners of each division advance to the postseason and face each other in a League Championship Series to determine the pennant winners that face each other in the World Series.
In the American League, the Boston Red Sox returned to the postseason for the first time since 1975, and the California Angels were making their third postseason appearance in the last eight years. In the National League, the New York Mets made their first appearance since 1973, and the Houston Astros were making their third appearance in the last seven years.
The playoffs began on October 7, 1986, and concluded on October 27, 1986, with the Mets defeating the Red Sox in seven games in the 1986 World Series. It was the Mets' first title since 1969 and their second overall.