| Tournament details | |
|---|---|
| Dates | October 1–26, 1996[1] |
| Teams | 8 |
| Final positions | |
| Champions | New York Yankees (23rd title) |
| Runner-up | Atlanta Braves (8th World Series appearance) |
| Tournament statistics | |
| MVP | John Wetteland (NYY) |
The 1996 Major League Baseball postseason was the playoff tournament of Major League Baseball for the 1996 season. The winners of the League Division Series would move on to the League Championship Series to determine the pennant winners that face each other in the World Series.
In the American League, the New York Yankees and Cleveland Indians returned for the second consecutive year, the Baltimore Orioles returned to the postseason for the first time since 1983, and the Texas Rangers made their first postseason appearance in franchise history.
In the National League, the San Diego Padres returned to the postseason for the first time since 1984, the St. Louis Cardinals made their first appearance since 1987, the Atlanta Braves made their fifth consecutive postseason appearance, and the Los Angeles Dodgers made their second straight appearance.
The postseason began on October 1, 1996, and ended on October 26, 1996, with the Yankees defeating the defending champion Braves in six games to capture their first title since 1978. It was the Yankees' 23rd title in franchise history.