2021 Postseason

Recap

After the special format adopted for the 2020 Postseason, the 2021 Postseason marked a return to normal, with the three winners of a division title in each league being joined by two wild card teams who faced off in a Wild Card Game before the start of the Division Series, followed by the League Championship Series and the World Series. There were no neutral site games either, and spectators were present at all venues. That said, it was well understood that this might well be the final season using this particular format, as the issue of postseason expansion would be on the table during negotiations to reach a new Collective Bargaining Agreement after the World Series.

Series Summaries

American League

ALWC: New York Yankees vs. Boston Red Sox

Game	Score	Date	Starters	Time (ET)
1	New York Yankees 2 Boston Red Sox 6	October 5	Gerrit Cole (0-1) Nathan Eovaldi (1-0)	8:08 pm

ALDS: Boston Red Sox vs. Tampa Bay Rays

Game	Score	Date	Starters	Time (ET)
1	Boston Red Sox 0 Tampa Bay Rays 5	October 7	Eduardo Rodriguez (0-1) Shane McClanahan (1-0)	8:05 pm
2	Boston Red Sox 14 Tampa Bay Rays 6	October 8	Chris Sale (0-0) Shane Baz (0-0)	7:05 pm
3	Tampa Bay Rays 4 Boston Red Sox 6	October 10	Drew Rasmussen (0-0) Nathan Eovaldi (0-0)	4:05 pm
4	Tampa Bay Rays 5 Boston Red Sox 6	October 11	Collin McHugh (0-1) Eduardo Rodriguez (0-1)	7:07 pm

ALDS: Chicago White Sox vs. Houston Astros

Game	Score	Date	Starters	Time (ET)
1	Chicago White Sox 1 Houston Astros 6	October 7	Lance Lynn (0-1) Lance McCullers (1-0)	4:05 pm
2	Chicago White Sox 4 Houston Astros 9	October 8	Lucas Giolito (0-0) Framber Valdez (0-0)	2:05 pm
3	Houston Astros 6 Chicago White Sox 12	October 10	Luis García (0-0) Dylan Cease (0-0)	8:05 pm
4	Houston Astros 10 Chicago White Sox 1	October 12	Lance McCullers (1-0) Carlos Rodon (0-1)	2:05 pm

ALCS Boston Red Sox vs. Houston Astros

Game	Score	Date	Starters	Time (ET)
1	Boston Red Sox 4 Houston Astros 5	October 15	Chris Sale (0-0) Framber Valdez (0-0)	8:05 pm
2	Boston Red Sox 9 Houston Astros 5	October 16	Nathan Eovaldi (1-0) Luis García (0-1)	4:20 pm
3	Houston Astros 3 Boston Red Sox 12	October 18	Jose Urquidy (0-0) Eduardo Rodriguez (0-0)	8:08 pm
4	Houston Astros 9 Boston Red Sox 2	October 19	Zack Greinke (0-0) Nick Pivetta (0-0)	8:08 pm
5	Houston Astros 9 Boston Red Sox 1	October 20	Framber Valdez (1-0) Chris Sale (0-1)	5:08 pm
6	Boston Red Sox 0 Houston Astros 5	October 22	Nathan Eovaldi (1-2) Luis García (1-1)	8:08 pm

National League

NLWC: St. Louis Cardinals vs. Los Angeles Dodgers

Game	Score	Date	Starters	Time (ET)
1	St. Louis Cardinals 1 Los Angeles Dodgers 3	October 6	Adam Wainwright (0-0) Max Scherzer (0-0)	8:10 pm

NLDS: Los Angeles Dodgers vs. San Francisco Giants

Game	Score	Date	Starters	Time (ET)
1	Los Angeles Dodgers 0 San Francisco Giants 4	October 8	Walker Buehler (0-1) Logan Webb (1-0)	9:35 pm
2	Los Angeles Dodgers 9 San Francisco Giants 2	October 9	Julio Urias (1-0) Kevin Gausman (0-1)	9:05 pm
3	San Francisco Giants 1 Los Angeles Dodgers 0	October 11	Alex Wood (0-0) Max Scherzer (0-0)	9:35 pm
4	San Francisco Giants 2 Los Angeles Dodgers 7	October 12	Anthony DeSclafani (0-1) Walker Buehler (0-1)	9:07 pm
5	Los Angeles Dodgers 2 San Francisco Giants 1	October 14	Corey Knebel (0-0) Logan Webb (1-0)	9:05 pm

NLDS: Atlanta Braves vs. Milwaukee Brewers

Game	Score	Date	Starters	Time (ET)
1	Atlanta Braves 1 Milwaukee Brewers 2	October 8	Charlie Morton (0-1) Corbin Burnes (0-0)	4:35 pm
2	Atlanta Braves 3 Milwaukee Brewers 0	October 9	Max Fried (1-0) Brandon Woodruff (0-1)	5:05 pm
3	Milwaukee Brewers 0 Atlanta Braves 3	October 11	Freddy Peralta (0-0) Ian Anderson (1-0)	1:07 pm
4	Milwaukee Brewers 4 Atlanta Braves 5	October 12	Charlie Morton (0-1) Eric Lauer (0-0)	5:07 pm

NLCS: Los Angeles Dodgers vs. Atlanta Braves

Game	Score	Date	Starters	Time (ET)
1	Los Angeles Dodgers 2 Atlanta Braves 3	October 16	Corey Knebel (0-0) Max Fried (0-0)	8:05 pm
2	Los Angeles Dodgers 4 Atlanta Braves 4	October 17	Max Scherzer (0-0) Ian Anderson (0-0)	7:38 pm
3	Atlanta Braves 5 Los Angeles Dodgers 6	October 19	Charlie Morton (0-0) Walker Buehler (0-0)	5:08 pm
4	Atlanta Braves 9 Los Angeles Dodgers 2	October 20	Jesse Chavez (0-0) Julio Urias (0-1)	8:08 pm
5	Atlanta Braves 2 Los Angeles Dodgers 11	October 21	Max Fried (0-1) Joe Kelly (0-0)	8:08 pm
6	Los Angeles Dodgers 2 Atlanta Braves 4	October 23	Walker Buehler (0-1) Ian Anderson (0-0)	8:08 pm

World Series: Atlanta Braves vs. Houston Astros

Game	Score	Date	Starters	Time (ET)
1	Atlanta Braves 6 Houston Astros 2	October 26	Charlie Morton (0-0) Framber Valdez (0-1)	8:05 pm
2	Atlanta Braves 2 Houston Astros 7	October 27	Max Fried (0-1) Jose Urquidy (1-0)	8:05 pm
3	Houston Astros 0 Atlanta Braves 2	October 29	Luis Garcia (0-1) Ian Anderson (1-0)	8:05 pm
4	Houston Astros 2 Atlanta Braves 3	October 30	Zack Greinke (0-0) Dylan Lee (0-0)	8:05 pm
5	Houston Astros 9 Atlanta Braves 5	October 31	Framber Valdez (0-1) Tucker Davidson (0-0)	8:05 pm
6	Atlanta Braves 7 Houston Astros 0	November 2	Max Fried (1-1) Luis Garcia (0-2)	8:05 pm

NL Team Stats

TEAM	W-L	Manager	BA	HR	R	ERA	WHIP	RA
Giants	107-55	Gabe Kapler	.249	241	804	3.24	1.148	594
Dodgers	106-56	Dave Roberts	.244	237	830	3.01	1.097	561
Brewers	95-67	Craig Counsell	.233	194	738	3.50	1.179	623
Cardinals	90-72	Mike Shildt	.244	198	706	3.98	1.300	672
Braves	88-73	Brian Snitker	.244	239	790	3.88	1.242	656

AL Team Stats

TEAM	W-L	Manager	BA	HR	R	ERA	WHIP	RA
Rays	100-62	Kevin Cash	.242	222	857	3.67	1.168	651
Astros	95-67	Dusty Baker	.267	221	863	3.76	1.230	658
White Sox	93-69	Tony LaRussa	.256	190	796	3.73	1.204	636
Red Sox	92-70	Alex Cora	.261	219	829	4.26	1.378	749
Yankees	92-70	Aaron Boone	.237	222	711	3.74	1.209	669

Further Reading

• "1 reason every team can win it all", mlb.com, October 4, 2021. [1]
• "Playoff bracket's set! It's Yanks-Sox in AL WC: Giants clinch NL West title with 107th win; LA to host NL Wild Card Game", mlb.com, October 3, 2021. [2]
• "The picks are in: Pundits predict the playoffs", mlb.com, October 4, 2021. [3]
• Jim Callis et al.: "Here's how the 10 playoff teams were built", mlb.com, October 4, 2021. [mlb.com/news/how-the-2021-playoff-teams-were-built]
• Anthony Castrovince: "Ranking all 10 postseason pitching staffs", mlb.com, October 3, 2021. [4]
• Sarah Langs: "1 defining stat for each playoff team", mlb.com, October 5, 2021. [5]

Related Sites

<< 2020 2021 Postseason 2022 >> NL Wild Card Game Dodgers over Cardinals (1-0) NL Division Series Dodgers (WC) over Giants (NLW) (3-2) NL Division Series Braves (NLE) over Brewers (NLC) (3-1) NL Championship Series Braves (NLE) over Dodgers (WC) (4-2) World Series Braves (NL) over Astros (AL) (4-2) AL Championship Series Astros (ALW) over Red Sox (WC) (4-2) AL Division Series Red Sox (WC) over Rays (ALE) (3-1) AL Division Series Astros (ALW) over White Sox (ALC) (3-1) AL Wild Card Game Red Sox over Yankees (1-0)