The ten Greatest Division Sequence of All Time, Ranked

On the heels of an completely spectacular Division Sequence between the Milwaukee Brewers and San Diego Padres — a walk-off, a house run theft, two paternity leaves, oh my! — I discovered myself chewing on two pervasive ideas. One: that was a hell of a sequence, and it actually deserved a fifth recreation. Two: what number of different Division Sequence have been on that degree?

Because the Division Sequence’ true delivery in 1995 (the 1981 strike led to a one-off set of Division Sequence that autumn, which then went dormant till the subsequent strike made them everlasting) we’ve now had 128 of them, with 41 ending in sweeps and 39 going all the best way to a do-or-die Recreation 5, with the ongoing White Sox-Guardians sequence turning into the fortieth. Whereas early-round sequence in any sport are sure to have some impossibly stacked rosters beating the brakes off ahead-of-schedule groups which are simply joyful to be cashing playoff bonuses, the historical past of the Division Sequence can also be wealthy with indelible postseason recollections. With baseball’s inherent small-sample wackiness usually enjoying an enormous position — in 2023, each the 100-win Dodgers and 101-win Orioles had been swept out of the Division Sequence by the unlikeliest World Sequence contributors of the last decade — these sequence usually shrink the hole between the haves and the have-nots. Certain, generally you get a fast sweep the place all three video games are forgettable, however for those who take a fine-tooth comb via the LDS annals, you’ll additionally discover some 3-0 units that had been dripping with pressure. (In 1996, as an illustration, the Cardinals swept the Padres in a sequence the place San Diego despatched the tying run to the plate within the ninth inning of all three video games.)

This rating of one of the best Division Sequence ever doesn’t embody any of these sweeps, and even any four-gamers, although many tried their damnedest. Division Sequence touchstones like Pedro Martínez popping out of the bullpen for six untouchable innings or Todd Pratt’s unbelievable homer play effectively in a spotlight reel, however one nice second doesn’t make an ideal sequence. The identical factor is true of outstanding Recreation 5s that capped off an in any other case blah affair. All of us bear in mind Howie Kendrick’s 2019 grand slam at Dodger Stadium, however neglect that the typical margin of victory in that Nationals-Dodgers showdown was 4.6 runs. The identical factor is true of the Dodgers’ Division Sequence in 2021 towards the Giants, which ended with Max Scherzer’s solely profession save and sparked the good verify swing debate of our occasions, but in addition had video games determined by 4, 5, and 7 runs.

For a sequence to be wholly nice, it wants start-to-finish drama, star energy, and a number of traditional video games; a bit of sprinkling of narrative intrigue doesn’t harm both. Listed here are the ten better of the Division Sequence selection, introduced in descending order.

10. All of 2012

This one is clearly dishonest, however 2012 is the one 12 months wherein all 4 Division Sequence went 5 video games, so it will get its personal spot. The truth that shorthand is a adequate solution to summarize lots of the key occasions — the Buster Posey grand slam, the Pete Kozma recreation, the Raul Ibanez recreation, Justin Verlander vs. Oakland Spherical 1 — is all you must find out about how spectacular the second week of October was in 2012.

9. 2016 – Dodgers Beat Nationals 3-2

There was a time within the not-so-distant previous the place the dominant dialog surrounding Dodgers playoff video games was that Clayton Kershaw wasn’t excellent in them, and that the Los Angeles bullpen was even worse. This narrative clung to the Dodgers as they entered the 2016 postseason having been bounced within the Division Sequence every of the final two years. This time, although, led by younger first-year supervisor Dave Roberts, questions abounded relating to the staff’s total postseason mettle.

Whereas these had been considerably quieted by Kershaw outdueling Scherzer to take a good Recreation 1, the Dodgers dropped every of the subsequent two video games, one in every of which featured Kenley Jansen puking up 4 earned runs. Permit me to briefly bear in mind another Dodger bullpen guys who performed a giant position on this sequence: Luis Avilán, Pedro Báez, Joe Blanton, and Grant Dayton every made a minimum of three appearances. Avilán, Báez, and Blanton had been all dynamite, escaping the sequence with out giving up an earned run. Dayton, nevertheless, was the rationale the Dodgers practically blew it once more. He took the mound for the seventh inning of Recreation 5, the Dodgers holding a three-run lead. He was tasked with the underside of Washington’s lineup, the kind of factor that appears easy till you keep in mind that completely nothing is easy in playoff baseball. He walked Danny Espinosa, gave up a pinch-hit bomb to Chris Heisey, after which let Clint Robinson attain on a single.

From there, considerably famously, Roberts aggressively fired Jansen and Kershaw for the ultimate 9 outs. Kershaw not solely logged his first and solely main league save that evening, he did so whereas coming right into a messy inning with the tying run in scoring place. This temporary however profitable outing was as storybook because it will get, eradicating a reasonably sizable monkey yelling about postseason shortcomings from his again. Allow us to additionally rapidly pay respect to Chase Utley, whose game-winning hit in Recreation 4 saved the Dodgers’ bacon.

8. 2017 – Yankees Beat Cleveland 3-2

The 2017 Yankees stay the final staff to lose the primary two video games of an LDS and nonetheless win the sequence, although the Guardians may change that on Saturday. Falling into that gap made for an exigent sequence in its personal proper, however the Yankees beginning the comeback with seven shutout innings from Masahiro Tanaka and a left-on-left Greg Fowl homer towards a warlock reliever made it much more spectacular.

Luis Severino pitched the sport of his life to win Recreation 4, and Didi Gregorius thumped two homers off Corey Kluber, who’d go on to win his second Cy Younger that 12 months, to win Recreation 5. There are such a lot of different issues from this sequence to say, like how Aaron Decide struck out 16 occasions, comfortably breaking the Division Sequence file, or how Cleveland dedicated a mind-boggling 9 errors in 5 video games. It will even be an amazing oversight to not point out that Recreation 2 — a 9-8 win for Cleveland that took 13 innings — is among the best possible baseball video games of this century, and contained this clip, which I’d watch if I ever wanted to summon the energy to elevate a two-story dwelling from its basis.

7. 2011 – Cardinals Beat Phillies 3-2

On paper, the 2011 Phillies had every part. This was the fabled 4 Aces staff, and people 4 — Roy Halladay (twice), Cole Hamels, Cliff Lee, and Roy Oswalt — made each begin of this sequence. The offense nonetheless had its championship core intact as effectively, even when they had been growing older. Ryan Madson had a superb 12 months filling in for the injured Brad Lidge because the staff’s main nearer, and on prime of that, these Phils had been battle examined, having participated in every of the earlier 4 Octobers.

What they didn’t account for was the little guys.

Skip Schumaker and Ryan Theriot had been as a lot of a cause the Cardinals received this sequence as their Corridor of Fame teammates had been. Whereas Albert Pujols hit .350 and Yadier Molina threw out three would-be basestealers whereas masterfully guiding Cardinals pitchers via the vaunted Phillies lineup, Schumaker and Theriot mixed to go 12-for-20 with 4 doubles and 4 RBI. The largest of these RBI got here within the decisive Recreation 5, when Schumaker flicked the tenth pitch of his first at-bat off Halladay into the precise discipline nook. It wound up being the one run of the sport.

That recreation is seared into the Delaware Valley’s collective reminiscence for a lot of causes, the most important two being Chris Carpenter bullying the Phillies all evening en route to a whole recreation shutout, and Ryan Howard tearing his Achilles within the recreation’s last at-bat, which was the definitive and unlucky finish to that run of fine fortune in Philadelphia. However that recreation was additionally one in every of three one-run affairs on this extremely aggressive sequence, together with a Recreation 2 the place the Cardinals clawed again from an early 4-0 deficit to beat Lee, and a nailbiter Recreation 3 the place neither staff scored till Ben Francisco lifted a pinch-hit homer within the seventh.

Aside from an 11-6 Phillies win to begin the sequence, each recreation of this tilt was a field workplace spectacle.

6. 1997 – Cleveland Beats Yankees 3-2

The defending-champion Yankees squared off towards Cleveland, with each groups proper within the tooth of their ’90s revitalization. They had been sort sufficient to solely play bangers.

In Recreation 1 within the Bronx, the guests jumped David Cone for 5 runs within the first inning, solely to show round and watch their bullpen give the Yankees 5 proper again within the sixth. It wasn’t any bizarre offensive explosion both; the Yanks went back-to-back-to-back, marking the primary time that had ever occurred in a postseason recreation. When you like watching movies of outdated Yankee Stadium going ham, I extremely advocate urgent play.

Cleveland roughed up Andy Pettitte to steal Recreation 2, however then misplaced Recreation 3 at dwelling, establishing two win-or-go-home video games. Due to the playoff format of the time, these had been each in Cleveland, and whereas we’ll by no means be capable of quantify dwelling discipline benefit, the hometown 9 did take each of them by precisely one run. In Recreation 4, Cleveland was 4 outs from elimination when Sandy Alomar Jr. took Mariano Rivera deep within the eighth and Omar Vizquel walked it off within the ninth.

In spite of everything that mayhem, there was nonetheless a Recreation 5, which Jose Mesa saved solely after placing a runner on second. This entire sequence was affected by excessive leverage, and once you issue within the wattage of Derek Jeter, Rivera, Tim Raines, Wade Boggs, Bernie Williams, Jim Thome, Manny Ramirez, David Justice, Orel Hershiser, and a number of other different family names, it simply cements its place on this rating.

5. 2015 – Blue Jays Beat Rangers 3-2

To at the present time, Blue Jays-Rangers in 2015 is the sequence that felt probably the most like medication. The vitality from pre-renovation Rogers Centre was palpable via the tv display screen, and rightfully so. This was the Blue Jays’ first style of October baseball since successful the title in 1993, and their berth within the postseason broke the longest lively playoff drought on the time.

Naturally, the Jays misplaced their first two dwelling video games, getting dinked and dunked by Delino DeShields and Hanser Alberto. Recreation 2 was the true barnburner although, needing 14 innings and 37 whole gamers to finish.

When you’re going to poke holes on this sequence’ standing as an all-timer, it’s as a result of Video games 3 and 4 in Texas had been relative snoozers. However Recreation 5 greater than made up for them. It was not only a backbone tingler, a nationwide exaltation for all of Canada, and the second that bat flips totally went mainstream due to José Bautista’s epic go-ahead dwelling run, but it surely was additionally a reminder of what it means to really be alive (and likewise that if a catcher throws the ball again to the pitcher and it doinks off the hitter’s bat, that’s nonetheless a stay ball).

4. 2001 – Diamondbacks Beat Cardinals 3-2

If a sequence wherein each recreation is set by three runs or much less, the groups alternate wins, and the ultimate swing produces a walk-off hit doesn’t do it for you, this most likely simply isn’t your jam.

The Diamondbacks received this sequence regardless of getting outscored 12-10. Additionally they misplaced the lone recreation that Randy Johnson began. The Cardinals, in the meantime, managed to hit a measly .191 for the sequence and relied closely on their bullpen, which lacked a real alpha and wasn’t significantly sturdy within the common season. Put all that in a blender and also you get a bizarre, gelatinous substance that doesn’t fairly really feel proper however is compelling nonetheless.

One man who was on prime of his recreation was Curt Schilling, who has a case for one of the best Division Sequence efficiency ever. Schilling began two video games and went 9 innings in each of them, beginning with a real masterpiece in Recreation 1 (9 strikeouts, three hits, zero runs). The encore in Recreation 5 got here with a teensy blemish, however Schilling matched his 9 strikeouts and completed with a record-setting 1.30 Win Likelihood Added for the sequence. His 18 innings pitched in a Division Sequence are additionally a file, and for those who’re questioning about that solitary mistake, it was leaving this pitch to J.D. Drew over the plate.

Fortunately for the impartial fan, Schilling’s poor location arrange Tony Womack’s series-ending floater, foreshadowing extra clutchness from him later that postseason.

3. 2003 – Crimson Sox Beat Athletics 3-2

When you sat down and watched each recreation of this sequence right this moment, you’d most likely say the worst one was the A’s 5-1 win in Recreation 2, which was probably the most lopsided of the sequence. However that might additionally imply you simply watched Barry Zito twirl seven innings of poetry. Zito’s gem put the Athletics within the driver’s seat however unable to complete the race, because the Crimson Sox ran off a trio of wins to take the sequence. First in line to make Oakland barely much less romantic about baseball: Trot Nixon.

The very subsequent day, the A’s lugged a lead into the eighth inning and hitched their wagon to Keith Foulke for the ultimate six outs. He acquired the primary two, then was interrupted by David Ortiz.

All good, Zito was on the hill for Recreation 5! What’s this, now? He confronted Pedro? And gave Manny an 86-mph nothing ball proper down the center? Oh.

The Crimson Sox took that recreation in one other white knuckler that put a interval on an unfathomable streak for the A’s. The inexperienced and gold endured 4 straight ALDS Recreation 5 losses from 2000-03, with this one marking the second in three years after successful the primary two video games of the sequence. Powerful for the East Bay baseball followers, cinema (actually and figuratively) for followers of thrilling ball. And hey, A’s followers will at all times have Ramon Hernandez’s weird but efficient two-out, walk-off bunt from Recreation 1.

2. 2013 – Tigers Beat Athletics 3-2

It’s not hyperbole in any respect to say each recreation of this sequence had a serotonin spike. If Scherzer and Bartolo Colon duking it out in Recreation 1 wasn’t sufficient for you, that recreation ended with the slimmest of margins as Joaquín Benoit needed to slay Brandon Moss and Yoenis Cespedes to shut it out. Recreation 2 was a scoreless tie into the underside of the ninth — Justin Verlander and Sonny Grey, take a bow — when then-unknown catcher Stephen Vogt spanked a walk-off single. In Recreation 3, Grant Balfour and Victor Martinez screamed at one another actual loud! The Tigers trailed 3-0 in Recreation 4, then 4-3, and nonetheless managed to drag out a win. That recreation deserves a better look, as a result of Scherzer got here in for a aid outing that was this shut to being an entire catastrophe.

To set the scene, Scherzer relieved Doug Fister within the prime of the seventh, with the sport knotted at three. Some small ball from the A’s spawned the aforementioned 4-3 lead, however the Tigers acquired it again within the seventh, partly because of a house run which will or could not have been interfered with.

When Scherzer got here out for the eighth, he proceeded to load the bases with no person out, grit his solution to two huge strikeouts, then run the rely full to Alberto Callaspo, who laced a line drive that hung up simply lengthy sufficient to be caught. It actually was an absolute powder keg of a baseball recreation.

Recreation 5 was extra tyranny from Verlander, who was simply torturous to the A’s. At this level we’ll cease highlighting Oakland’s shortcomings and deal with Verlander, who’s one in every of 5 pitchers to submit a 0.00 ERA in an LDS whereas tossing a minimum of 10 innings.

1. 1995 – Mariners Beat Yankees 3-2

I don’t want to elucidate why this sequence is paramount to the Seattle Mariners’ very existence, or how Ken Griffey Jr. chugging across the bases to win Recreation 5 is definitely one of the best that any baseball participant has ever appeared whereas operating.

What perhaps does want explaining is every part that led to Edgar Martinez’s picturesque swing and The Child’s wild experience. Like how Griffey (perhaps probably the most beloved participant the Mariners have ever employed) uncorked two dwelling runs off David Cone in Recreation 1, just for reliever Bobby Ayala (perhaps the least beloved participant the Mariners have ever employed) to later serve up three runs that basically sealed Seattle’s loss. Maybe you had been unaware that Vince Coleman and his .345 profession slugging proportion hit a tater in Recreation 2, a sordid night within the Bronx that lasted over 5 hours, culminating in Jim Leyritz’s walk-off dinger that almost killed skilled baseball in Seattle.

The Mariners bounced again to win a enjoyable Recreation 3 and needed to overcome a five-run deficit to outlive Recreation 4. Whereas Martinez’s legacy is tied to The Double in Recreation 5, the M’s aren’t even in that place if not for his less-heralded handiwork the day earlier than. It’s a marvel of human accomplishment that he saved the primary one honest.

Recreation 5 was one for the books. Whereas the heroics of each Martinez and Griffey are deserving of their very own 20,000 phrases, and are the principle cause why this sequence will get the highest spot, let’s proceed the training across the different elements of that legendary Sunday on the Kingdome.

Cone unleashed a legitimately reckless 147 pitches, the Yankees completed with six hits however 10 walks, and a rookie setup man named Rivera made his third straight scoreless look on his solution to main all pitchers in WPA for the sequence.

They had been 5 shut, high-scoring video games that might by no means be replicated, have been barely imitated, however at the moment are endlessly vindicated with the highest spot on this checklist.