 | |
| Tournament details | |
|---|---|
| Dates | October 1 – 30, 2024 |
| Teams | 12 |
| Final positions | |
| Champions | Los Angeles Dodgers (8th title) |
| Runner-up | New York Yankees (41st World Series appearance) |
| Tournament statistics | |
| MVP | Freddie Freeman (LAD) |
The 2024 Major League Baseball postseason was the playoff tournament of Major League Baseball (MLB) for the 2024 season. In each of the two leagues – National and American – the three division winners and three wild card teams (the remaining teams with the best records) participated in the postseason, for a total of twelve teams. First was the best-of-three Wild Card Series, with the two division winners with the best records getting a first-round bye. Next was the best-of-five Division Series. The victors advanced to the best-of-seven League Championship Series to determine the pennant winners, the champions of each league. These two teams played each other in the best-of-seven World Series. The postseason began on October 1 and ended on October 30.[1][2]
In the American League, the New York Yankees became the first team in the league this season to clinch a postseason berth on September 18; they returned to the postseason for the seventh time in the past eight seasons, after missing the postseason last year. On September 19, the Cleveland Guardians returned to the postseason for the seventh time in the past twelve seasons. On September 24, the Houston Astros returned to the postseason for the eighth time in a row and the ninth in the past ten seasons, and the Baltimore Orioles returned for the second time in a row. On September 27, the Detroit Tigers returned to the postseason for the first time since 2014, ending the longest current playoff drought in Major League Baseball, which was tied with the Los Angeles Angels.[3] The same day, the Kansas City Royals clinched their first playoff berth since their 2015 championship season. The defending World Series champions, Texas Rangers, were eliminated from postseason contention on September 20.[4]
In the National League, the Milwaukee Brewers became the first team of 2024 as well as the first team in the league this season to clinch a postseason berth on September 18. The Los Angeles Dodgers returned to the postseason for the twelfth time in a row on September 19, which remains the longest active playoff streak in major North American professional sports. The Philadelphia Phillies returned to the postseason for the third time in a row on September 20, the San Diego Padres returned to the postseason for the third time in the past five seasons on September 24, the New York Mets returned to the postseason for the fourth time in the past ten seasons on September 30 via the first game doubleheader against the Atlanta Braves, and the Braves returned to the postseason on September 30 via the second game doubleheader against the Mets.
With the Mets and Braves clinching, the Arizona Diamondbacks, the defending National League champions, were eliminated from postseason contention. This marked the first time since 2007 where neither team from the previous year's World Series appear in the playoffs.[5][6]
In the Division Series, every series was tied 1–1 in the first two games for the first time in the history of the Major League Baseball postseason.[7]
The postseason ended with the Dodgers defeating the Yankees in five games in the 2024 World Series. It was the Dodgers’ eighth championship in franchise history, tying the San Francisco Giants for the fourth most World Series championships.
- ^ Foster, Jason (August 1, 2024). "Postseason schedule announced; flexible start date for World Series". MLB.com. Retrieved August 24, 2024.
- ^ Snyder, Matt (August 1, 2024). "MLB releases 2024 playoffs schedule: Dates for every postseason series, plus why the World Series could move". CBS Sports. Retrieved August 24, 2024.
- ^ Beck, Jason (September 27, 2024). "Tigers overcome the odds to clinch first playoff berth since 2014". MLB.com. Retrieved September 27, 2024.
- ^ Dixon, Schuyler (September 21, 2024). "World Series champion Rangers eliminated from postseason contention during final homestand". AP News. Retrieved September 21, 2024.
- ^ "Mets-Braves doubleheader: Braves join Mets in postseason with Game 2 win, Diamondbacks out". Yahoo Sports. September 30, 2024. Retrieved October 1, 2024.
- ^ "MLB playoffs 2024: Final playoff bracket and postseason schedule with Mets, Braves splitting doubleheader to clinch wild cards". Yahoo Sports. September 30, 2024. Retrieved October 6, 2024.
- ^ DeRosa, Theo (October 7, 2024). "Every Division Series tied at 1? That's a first!". MLB.com. Retrieved October 8, 2024.