Wild Card

A Wild Card team is a team that qualifies for the postseason without finishing first in its division. When it was first introduced in 1994, the single Wild Card slot in each league went to the team with the best winning percentage which was not one of the three division winners. The wild card team played against the team with the best record in its league in the Division Series, if it was not a team from its own division. In that case, the wild card team played against the division winner with the second-best record. This changed in 2012.

Starting with the 2012 season, Major League Baseball and the Major League Players Association agreed to expand the wild card format to include two wild card teams in each league. The two teams play one game, the "Wild Card Game" to determine which of the two will play the division winner with the best overall record in the Division Series. As a result of the expansion of the format, the rule which prevented two teams from the same division from meeting in the Division Series was set aside. The new format was initially agreed for the 2013 season, but subsequent discussions allowed it to apply immediately in 2012. The purpose of the expansion was not only to provide one more team in each league with a berth in the postseason, but also to make the act of winning a division title more meaningful by giving non-winners an extra hurdle to clear.

The Wild Card was first used in 1995; it was scheduled to be used in 1994, but the postseason was cancelled as a result of the 1994 strike. The 1981 Postseason also included an additional round of series as a result of the 1981 strike, but there was no wild card involved that year. The first wild card team to win a World Series was the Florida Marlins in 1997. There have been two World Series matching two wild card teams, in 2002 and 2014.

In 2020, due to the shortened schedule caused by the Coronavirus pandemic, more playoff teams were added, as the second-place teams in each of the six divisions were guaranteed a postseason berth. But there remained two wild card in each league - the two teams with the best records among those not already guaranteed a postseason berth. This meant that instead of a Wild Card Game, each team that qualified for the postseason would play a "Wild Card Series", with the three division winners and the holder of the next best record in each league, having the advantage of being the home team for all three games of the series.

American League Wild Card

Year	Champion	Record	Manager	Postseason	Notes
1995	New York Yankees	79-65	Buck Showalter	Lost ALDS to Seattle Mariners
1996	Baltimore Orioles	88-74	Davey Johnson	Lost ALCS to New York Yankees
1997	New York Yankees	96-66	Joe Torre	Lost ALDS to Cleveland Indians
1998	Boston Red Sox	92-70	Jimy Williams	Lost ALDS to Cleveland Indians
1999	Boston Red Sox	94-68	Jimy Williams	Lost ALCS to New York Yankees
2000	Seattle Mariners	91-71	Lou Piniella	Lost ALCS to New York Yankees
2001	Oakland Athletics	102-60	Art Howe	Lost ALDS to New York Yankees
2002	Anaheim Angels	99-63	Mike Scioscia	Won World Series over San Francisco Giants
2003	Boston Red Sox	95-67	Grady Little	Lost ALCS to New York Yankees
2004	Boston Red Sox	98-64	Terry Francona	Won World Series over St. Louis Cardinals
2005	Boston Red Sox	95-67	Terry Francona	Lost ALDS to Chicago White Sox	1
2006	Detroit Tigers	95-67	Jim Leyland	Lost World Series to St. Louis Cardinals
2007	New York Yankees	94-68	Joe Torre	Lost ALDS to Cleveland Indians
2008	Boston Red Sox	95-67	Terry Francona	Lost ALCS to Tampa Bay Rays
2009	Boston Red Sox	95-67	Terry Francona	Lost ALDS to Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim
2010	New York Yankees	95-67	Joe Girardi	Lost ALCS to Texas Rangers
2011	Tampa Bay Rays	91-71	Joe Maddon	Lost ALDS to Texas Rangers
2012	Baltimore Orioles	93-69	Buck Showalter	Lost ALDS to New York Yankees
2013	Tampa Bay Rays	92-71	Joe Maddon	Lost ALDS to Boston Red Sox
2014	Kansas City Royals	89-73	Ned Yost	Lost World Series to San Francisco Giants
2015	Houston Astros	86-76	A.J. Hinch	Lost ALDS to Kansas City Royals
2016	Toronto Blue Jays	89-73	John Gibbons	Lost ALCS to Cleveland Indians
2017	New York Yankees	91-71	Joe Girardi	Lost ALCS to Houston Astros
2018	New York Yankees	100-62	Aaron Boone	Lost ALDS to Boston Red Sox
2019	Tampa Bay Rays	96-66	Kevin Cash	Lost ALDS to Houston Astros
2021	Boston Red Sox	92-70	Alex Cora	Lost ALCS to Houston Astros

Notes: Starting in 2012, the team listed is the winner of the AL Wild Card Game.

1. The New York Yankees and Boston Red Sox finished with identical records in the AL East; Boston was named the Wild Card team because New York had a better head-to-head record.

American League Wild Card Game

Year	Date	Home team	Record	Manager	Score	Road team	Record	Manager	Notes
2012	October 5	Texas Rangers	93-69	Ron Washington	1-5	Baltimore Orioles	93-69	Buck Showalter	1
2013	October 1	Cleveland Indians	92-70	Terry Francona	0-4	Tampa Bay Rays	92-71	Joe Maddon	2
2014	September 30	Kansas City Royals	89-73	Ned Yost	9-8	Oakland Athletics	88-74	Bob Melvin
2015	October 6	New York Yankees	87-75	Joe Girardi	0-3	Houston Astros	86-76	A.J. Hinch
2016	October 4	Toronto Blue Jays	89-73	John Gibbons	5-2	Baltimore Orioles	89-73	Buck Showalter	3
2017	October 3	New York Yankees	91-71	Joe Girardi	8-4	Minnesota Twins	85-77	Paul Molitor
2018	October 3	New York Yankees	100-62	Aaron Boone	7-2	Oakland Athletics	97-65	Bob Melvin
2019	October 2	Oakland Athletics	97-65	Bob Melvin	1-5	Tampa Bay Rays	96-66	Kevin Cash
2021	October 5	Boston Red Sox	92-70	Alex Cora	6-2	New York Yankees	92-70	Aaron Boone	4

Notes:

1. The Texas Rangers won a tiebreaker for the right to host the 2012 American League Wild Card Game
2. The Tampa Bay Rays won a one-game playoff with the Texas Rangers for the wild card spot
3. The Toronto Blue Jays won a tiebreaker for the right to host the 2016 American League Wild Card Game
4. The Boston Red Sox won a tiebreaker for the right to host the 2021 American League Wild Card Game

American League Wild Card Series

Year	Series	Home team	Record	Manager	Score	Road team	Record	Manager
2020	ALWC - 1	Tampa Bay Rays	40-20	Kevin Cash	2-0	Toronto Blue Jays	32-28	Charlie Montoyo
	ALWC - 2	Cleveland Indians	35-25	Terry Francona	0-2	New York Yankees	33-27	Aaron Boone
	ALWC - 3	Minnesota Twins	36-24	Rocco Baldelli	0-2	Houston Astros	29-31	Dusty Baker
	ALWC - 4	Oakland Athletics	36-24	Bob Melvin	2-1	Chicago White Sox	35-25	Rich Renteria

National League Wild Card

Year	Champion	Record	Manager	Postseason	Notes
1995	Colorado Rockies	77-67	Don Baylor	Lost NLDS to Atlanta Braves
1996	Los Angeles Dodgers	90-72	Tommy Lasorda / Bill Russell	Lost NLDS to Atlanta Braves
1997	Florida Marlins	92-70	Jim Leyland	Won World Series over Cleveland Indians
1998	Chicago Cubs	90-73	Jim Riggleman	Lost NLDS to Atlanta Braves	1
1999	New York Mets	97-66	Bobby Valentine	Lost NLCS to Atlanta Braves	2
2000	New York Mets	94-68	Bobby Valentine	Lost World Series to New York Yankees
2001	St. Louis Cardinals	93-69	Tony LaRussa	Lost NLDS to Arizona Diamondbacks	3
2002	San Francisco Giants	95-66	Dusty Baker	Lost World Series to Anaheim Angels
2003	Florida Marlins	91-71	Jeff Torborg / Jack McKeon	Won World Series over New York Yankees
2004	Houston Astros	92-70	Jimy Williams / Phil Garner	Lost NLCS to St. Louis Cardinals
2005	Houston Astros	89-73	Phil Garner	Lost World Series to Chicago White Sox
2006	Los Angeles Dodgers	88-74	Grady Little	Lost NLDS to New York Mets	4
2007	Colorado Rockies	90-73	Clint Hurdle	Lost World Series to Boston Red Sox	5
2008	Milwaukee Brewers	90-72	Ned Yost / Dale Sveum	Lost NLDS to Philadelphia Phillies
2009	Colorado Rockies	92-70	Clint Hurdle / Jim Tracy	Lost NLDS to Philadelphia Phillies
2010	Atlanta Braves	91-71	Bobby Cox	Lost NLDS to San Francisco Giants
2011	St. Louis Cardinals	90-72	Tony LaRussa	Won World Series over Texas Rangers
2012	St. Louis Cardinals	88-74	Mike Matheny	Lost NLCS to San Francisco Giants
2013	Pittsburgh Pirates	94-68	Clint Hurdle	Lost NLDS to St. Louis Cardinals
2014	San Francisco Giants	88-74	Bruce Bochy	Won World Series over Kansas City Royals
2015	Chicago Cubs	97-65	Joe Maddon	Lost NLCS to New York Mets
2016	San Francisco Giants	87-75	Bruce Bochy	Lost NLDS to Chicago Cubs
2017	Arizona Diamondbacks	93-69	Torey Lovullo	Lost NLDS to Los Angeles Dodgers
2018	Colorado Rockies	91-72	Bud Black	Lost NLDS to Milwaukee Brewers
2019	Washington Nationals	93-69	Dave Martinez	Won World Series over Houston Astros
2021	Los Angeles Dodgers	106-56	Dave Roberts	Lost NLCS to Atlanta Braves

Notes: Starting in 2012, the team listed is the winner of the NL Wild Card Game.

1. The Chicago Cubs won a one-game playoff with the San Francisco Giants for the Wild Card slot.
2. The New York Mets won a one-game playoff with the Cincinnati Reds for the Wild Card slot.
3. The Houston Astros and St. Louis Cardinals finished with identical records in the NL Central; St. Louis was named the Wild Card team because Houston had a better head-to-head record.
4. The San Diego Padres and Los Angeles Dodgers finished with identical records in the NL West; Los Angeles was named the Wild Card team because San Diego had a better head-to-head record.
5. The Colorado Rockies won a one-game playoff with the San Diego Padres for the Wild Card slot.

National League Wild Card Game

Year	Date	Home team	Record	Manager	Score	Road team	Record	Manager	Notes
2012	October 5	Atlanta Braves	94-68	Fredi Gonzalez	3-6	St. Louis Cardinals	88-74	Mike Matheny
2013	October 1	Pittsburgh Pirates	94-68	Clint Hurdle	6-2	Cincinnati Reds	90-72	Dusty Baker
2014	October 1	Pittsburgh Pirates	88-74	Clint Hurdle	0-8	San Francisco Giants	88-74	Bruce Bochy	1
2015	October 7	Pittsburgh Pirates	98-64	Clint Hurdle	0-4	Chicago Cubs	97-65	Joe Maddon
2016	October 5	New York Mets	87-75	Terry Collins	0-3	San Francisco Giants	87-75	Bruce Bochy	2
2017	October 4	Arizona Diamondbacks	93-69	Torey Lovullo	11-8	Colorado Rockies	87-75	Bud Black
2018	October 2	Chicago Cubs	95-68	Joe Maddon	1-2	Colorado Rockies	91-72	Bud Black
2019	October 1	Washington Nationals	93-69	Dave Martinez	4-3	Milwaukee Brewers	89-73	Craig Counsell
2021	October 6	Los Angeles Dodgers	106-56	Dave Roberts	3-1	St. Louis Cardinals	90-72	Mike Shildt

Notes:

1. The Pittsburgh Pirates won a tiebreaker for the right to host the 2014 National League Wild Card Game
2. The New York Mets won a tiebreaker for the right to host the 2016 National League Wild Card Game

National League Wild Card Series

Year	Series	Home team	Record	Manager	Score	Road team	Record	Manager
2020	NLWC - 1	Los Angeles Dodgers	43-17	Dave Roberts	2-0	Milwaukee Brewers	29-31	Craig Counsell
	NLWC - 2	San Diego Padres	37-23	Jayce Tingler	2-1	St. Louis Cardinals	30-28	Mike Shildt
	NLWC - 3	Chicago Cubs	34-26	David Ross	0-2	Miami Marlins	31-29	Don Mattingly
	NLWC - 4	Atlanta Braves	35-25	Brian Snitker	2-0	Cincinnati Reds	31-29	David Bell