Wild Card Series

{{Short description|Postseason MLB qualifier}} {{Use mdy dates|date=March 2022}} {{redirect-multi|2|Wild Card Game|Wild Card Playoff|other uses|Wild card (disambiguation)}} {{MLB playoffs sidebar}}

The '''Wild Card Series''' ('''WCS'''; formerly known as the '''Wild Card Game''' from 2012 to 2019 and in 2021) are games that are held in late September or early October and serve as the opening round of the [[Major League Baseball]] (MLB) [[Major League Baseball postseason|postseason]]. A single wild card game was instituted in 2012. This became a [[best-of-three playoff]] wild card series in 2020 as a one-off, and became permanent (albeit with fewer teams playing than in the 2020 series) starting in the 2022 season.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.espn.com/mlb/story/_/id/7637317/mlb-new-postseason-plan.html|work=ESPN.com|title=The new MLB postseason|author=Jayson Stark|date=March 2, 2012}}</ref><ref name=12teamplayoff>{{Cite web|title=Everything you need to know about '22 season|url=https://www.mlb.com/news/mlb-2022-season-faq|access-date=2022-03-10|website=MLB.com|language=en}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.mlb.com/news/baseball-postseason-format-changes |title=Complete history of baseball’s postseason formats |last=Castrovince |first=Anthony |publisher=Major League Baseball |date=October 4, 2022 |website=mlb.com |access-date=March 14, 2023}}</ref>

There are two wild card series each, the American League Wild Card Series (ALWCS) and National League Wild Card Series (NLWCS). The lowest-seeded division winner and three wild card teams in each league play in a best-of-three series after the end of the regular season. The winners of each league's wild card series advance to face the two-best division winners in that league's [[Division Series]]. This expansion of the postseason abolished any regular-season-extending [[List of Major League Baseball tie-breakers|tie-breaker games]].

==Format== Under the format adopted in 2022, six teams in each league are assigned [[Seed (sports)|seed]]s for the postseason. In each league, the three division winners are seeded #1–3, per their relative [[winning percentage]]s. The lowest-seeded division winner is automatically given the No. 3 seed even if one or all other wild-card teams has a better record.<ref>{{Cite web |title=MLB playoff picture: Bracket, standings, new format explained with 12-team postseason field set|url=https://www.cbssports.com/mlb/news/mlb-playoff-picture-bracket-standings-new-format-explained-with-12-team-postseason-field-set/|access-date=2023-01-02|website=CBSSports.com|language=en}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |title=2022 MLB playoffs: New postseason format explained, and why there are no more Game 163 tiebreakers |url=https://www.cbssports.com/mlb/news/2022-mlb-playoffs-new-postseason-format-explained-and-why-there-are-no-more-game-163-tiebreakers/ |access-date=2023-01-23 |website=CBSSports.com |language=en}}</ref> Also in each league, the three teams with the best winning percentages among non-division winning teams are wild cards, seeded #4–6, per their relative winning percentages. Any ties are broken using a set of [[Major League Baseball tie-breaking procedures|MLB tie-breaking procedures]]; as such, no tie-breaking games (colloquially known as "[[List of Major League Baseball tie-breakers|Game 163]]") are contested.

The top two division winners in each league receive [[Bye (sports)|first-round bye]]s to the Division Series. The remaining four teams, seeds No. 3 through No. 6, play in two best-of-3 wild card series, with the higher seed hosting all games. These two series are: No. 3 hosting No. 6, and No. 4 hosting No. 5.

In the Division Series, the winner of the No. 4 vs. No. 5 series faces the No. 1 seed, and the winner of the No. 3. vs. No. 6 series faces the No. 2 seed. The [[bracket (tournament)|bracket]] structure in each league looks as follows:

{{6TeamBracket | RD1=Wild Card Series Best-of-3 | RD2=[[Division Series]] Best-of-5 | RD3=[[League Championship Series]] Best-of-7 | group1= | group2= | group3=

| RD3-seed1= | RD3-team1= | RD3-score1= | RD3-seed2= | RD3-team2= | RD3-score2= }}

==History==

=== One Wild Card team per league (1995–2011) === From 1969 through 1993, the division leaders in each league advanced to the [[League Championship Series]], with the winners of each LCS meeting in the [[World Series]]. However, an expanding number of teams in MLB over the years made making the playoffs increasingly difficult. The new system was instituted in [[1994 in baseball|1994]] (but first used in [[1995 Major League Baseball postseason|1995]] because a players strike canceled the 1994 playoffs) when Major League Baseball expanded from two to three divisions per league. In the new three-division leagues, each league had four teams in the playoffs; in addition to the three division winners, the division runner-up with the best record received a wild card spot. This assured that the team with the second-best record in its league would qualify for the postseason even if it was not a division champion.

Thus, a third postseason round was added, the [[Division Series]]. From 1995 to 1997, a yearly rotation was used to decide the match-ups in the Division Series, although the wild card team was prevented from playing its own division's champion. Beginning in 1998, the team with the best record in the league would typically face the wild card team and the other two division winners would play each other, with second-best division winner having home-field. However, if the division winner with the league's best record and the wild card team came from the same division, the wild card would face the second-best division winner in the league.

=== Wild Card Game (2012–2019, 2021) === The Wild Card round was initially introduced in 2012 as a single-game playoff between two wild-card teams in each league, with the winner advancing to play the top seed in the Division Series. With the adoption of MLB's new [[collective bargaining agreement]] in November 2011, baseball commissioner [[Bud Selig]] announced that a new playoff system would begin within the next two years; the change was ultimately put into place in 2012.<ref>{{cite web |last=Bloom |first=Barry M. |date=March 2, 2012 |title=Addition of Wild Card berths finalized for 2012 |url=http://mlb.mlb.com/news/article.jsp?ymd=20120229&content_id=26927024&vkey=news_mlb&c_id=mlb |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120302201339/http://mlb.mlb.com/news/article.jsp?ymd=20120229&content_id=26927024&vkey=news_mlb&c_id=mlb |archive-date=2012-03-02 |work=MLB.com}}</ref> This format was used through the 2019 season.

=== Wild Card Series (2020, 2022–present) === For the [[2020 Major League Baseball season#Postseason|2020 postseason]], following a shortened 60-game regular season due to the [[COVID-19 pandemic in the United States|COVID-19 pandemic]], MLB held a one-off Wild Card Series with eight teams in each league, thus a total of 16 playoff teams. Division champions were seeded 1–3 by record, the second-place teams seeded 4–6 by record, and the two teams with the next-best records were seeded seventh and eighth.<ref>{{Cite web|title=MLB expands playoffs to 16 teams for shortened 2020 season, adds best-of-three Wild Card Series|url=https://www.cbssports.com/mlb/news/mlb-expands-playoffs-to-16-teams-for-shortened-2020-season-adds-best-of-three-wild-card-series/|access-date=2020-07-24|website=CBSSports.com|language=en}}</ref> Matchups were contested as best-of-three series rather than individual games.

MLB returned to the previous format of one Wild Card Game per league for the [[2021 Major League Baseball season#Postseason|2021 postseason]]. Starting with the [[2022 Major League Baseball postseason|2022]] [[2022 Major League Baseball postseason|postseason]], MLB added a third wild card team in each league. In the current format of the Wild Card Series, the top two division winners in each league receive a bye to the Division Series, while the lowest-seeded division winner and three wild card teams play in this round. A best-of-three series takes place, with the higher seed hosting all three games.<ref name="12teamplayoff2">{{Cite web|title=Everything you need to know about '22 season|url=https://www.mlb.com/news/mlb-2022-season-faq|access-date=2022-03-10|website=MLB.com|language=en}}</ref> Due to the expansion of the postseason beginning in 2022, the regular season tie-breaker game format has been eliminated.<ref>{{Cite web |title=MLB lockout: 10 important under-the-radar changes in CBA, including new schedule format and loss of Game 163|url=https://www.cbssports.com/mlb/news/mlb-lockout-10-important-under-the-radar-changes-in-cba-including-new-schedule-format-and-loss-of-game-163/|access-date=2022-04-29|website=CBSSports.com|language=en}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |last=Lacques|first=Gabe|title=RIP Game 163: MLB's new postseason system ends storied one-game tiebreaker. A 'bummer' for baseball?|url=https://www.usatoday.com/story/sports/mlb/2022/08/18/mlb-playoffs-tiebreaker-one-game-163-standings/10351609002/|access-date=2023-02-13|website=USA TODAY|language=en-US}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |title=2022 MLB playoffs: New postseason format explained, and why there are no more Game 163 tiebreakers|url=https://www.cbssports.com/mlb/news/2022-mlb-playoffs-new-postseason-format-explained-and-why-there-are-no-more-game-163-tiebreakers/|access-date=2023-02-13|website=CBSSports.com|language=en}}</ref>

As of the beginning of the 2024 postseason, 29 of the 30 MLB franchises have reached the Wild Card round of the postseason (either a Wild Card Game or the Wild Card Series). The [[New York Yankees]] and the [[Tampa Bay Rays]] each have the most appearances with five, and have the most wins during the Wild Card round with three each. The [[Milwaukee Brewers]], the [[Athletics (baseball)|Athletics]], the [[St. Louis Cardinals]] and the [[Toronto Blue Jays]] each have the most losses during the Wild Card round, with three each. The [[Los Angeles Angels]] are the only franchise that has never played in the Wild Card round.

[[File:President Obama Honors the World Series Champion San Francisco Giants at the White House (2).jpg|thumb|right|The [[2014 San Francisco Giants season|2014 San Francisco Giants]] won the National League Wild Card Game and went on to win that season's [[2014 World Series|World Series]].]]

=== Analysis ===

Through the 2021 postseason, Wild Card Game winners have gone on to compile an overall 9–9 record in League Division Series, with Wild Card Game winners going 4–5 in the ALDS and 5–4 in the NLDS. Two Wild Card Game winners have gone on to win the World Series (the 2014 Giants and the 2019 Nationals). The 2014 postseason featured the first series sweeps involving a Wild Card Game winner; both in favor of the AL Wild Card [[Kansas City Royals]], who swept the [[Los Angeles Angels]] in the [[2014 American League Division Series|ALDS]] and the [[Baltimore Orioles]] in the [[2014 American League Championship Series|ALCS]]. The Royals then met the [[San Francisco Giants]] in the [[2014 World Series]], the second all-Wild Card fall classic, which the Giants won in seven games. The first all-Wild Card World Series had also involved the Giants, who lost the [[2002 World Series]] to the then-Anaheim Angels in seven games.

In the sixteen games played since the new Wild Card system began in 2012, five have been shutouts. In eight of the eleven others, the losing team scored three or fewer runs. There have only been two games in which the losing team scored more than six runs: the 2017 NL Wild Card Game in which the Arizona Diamondbacks defeated the Colorado Rockies by a score of 11–8; and the 2014 AL Wild Card Game which featured the Kansas City Royals beating the Oakland Athletics 9–8 in 12 innings. The margin of victory has been four runs or more in eight of the sixteen games played. Only three games have been decided by exactly one run: the 2014 Royals–Athletics game, the 2018 Rockies–Cubs game, and the 2019 Nationals–Brewers game.

==Results== {{see also|List of American League Wild Card winners|List of National League Wild Card winners}}

Through the 2021 postseason, visiting teams and home teams have each won nine of the 18 games played. There have been five shutouts, each of which has been won by the visiting team, including three consecutive shutouts in the 2014–2016 NL editions. Two of the three [[extra innings]] games have been won by the home team. Three games have ended in walk-off victory for the home team, with the 2021 NL edition being the only one in regulation.

{| class="wikitable sortable" style="font-size:1.00em; line-height:1.5em;" |+Key |- | '''bold''' || Wild Card Game winner |- | ↓ |Lost [[List of Major League Baseball tie-breakers|tie-breaker game]] to reach Wild Card Game (arrow links to game) |- | ↑ |Won tie-breaker game to reach Wild Card Game (arrow links to game) |- |bgcolor="#ccddff"| || Reached [[League Championship Series]] |- |bgcolor="#dddddd"| || Reached [[World Series]] |- |bgcolor="#f2ecce"| || Won [[World Series]] |- |}

===American League Wild Card Game=== {| class="wikitable sortable plainrowheaders" style="font-size:1.00em; line-height:1.5em;" ! scope="col" |Year ! scope="col" |Visitor ! scope="col" |Manager ! scope="col" |Score ! scope="col" |Host ! scope="col" |Manager |- ! scope="row" style="text-align:center" | {{alwcgy|2012}} | '''[[2012 Baltimore Orioles season|Baltimore Orioles]]''' || {{sortname|Buck|Showalter}} | 5–1 | [[2012 Texas Rangers season|Texas Rangers]] || {{sortname|Ron|Washington}} |- ! scope="row" style="text-align:center" | {{alwcgy|2013}} | '''[[2013 Tampa Bay Rays season|Tampa Bay Rays]]'''[[2013 American League Wild Card tie-breaker game|↑]] || {{sortname|Joe|Maddon}} | 4–0 | [[2013 Cleveland Indians season|Cleveland Indians]] || {{sortname|Terry|Francona}} |- ! scope="row" style="text-align:center" | {{alwcgy|2014}} | [[2014 Oakland Athletics season|Oakland Athletics]] || {{sortname|Bob|Melvin}} | 8–9 (12) | bgcolor="#dddddd"|'''[[2014 Kansas City Royals season|Kansas City Royals]]''' || bgcolor="#dddddd"|{{sortname|Ned|Yost}} |- ! scope="row" style="text-align:center" | {{alwcgy|2015}} | '''[[2015 Houston Astros season|Houston Astros]]''' || {{sortname|A. J.|Hinch}} | 3–0 | [[2015 New York Yankees season|New York Yankees]] || {{sortname|Joe|Girardi}} |- ! scope="row" style="text-align:center" | {{alwcgy|2016}} | [[2016 Baltimore Orioles season|Baltimore Orioles]] || {{sortname|Buck|Showalter}} | 2–5 (11) | bgcolor="#ccddff"|'''[[2016 Toronto Blue Jays season|Toronto Blue Jays]]''' || bgcolor="#ccddff"|{{sortname|John|Gibbons}} |- ! scope="row" style="text-align:center" | {{alwcgy|2017}} | [[2017 Minnesota Twins season|Minnesota Twins]] || {{sortname|Paul|Molitor}} | 4–8 | bgcolor="#ccddff"|'''[[2017 New York Yankees season|New York Yankees]]''' || bgcolor="#ccddff"|{{sortname|Joe|Girardi}} |- ! scope="row" style="text-align:center" | {{alwcgy|2018}} | [[2018 Oakland Athletics season|Oakland Athletics]] || {{sortname|Bob|Melvin}} | 2–7 | '''[[2018 New York Yankees season|New York Yankees]]''' || {{sortname|Aaron|Boone}} |- ! scope="row" style="text-align:center" | {{alwcgy|2019}} |'''[[2019 Tampa Bay Rays season|Tampa Bay Rays]]''' || {{sortname|Kevin|Cash}} | 5–1 | [[2019 Oakland Athletics season|Oakland Athletics]] || {{sortname|Bob|Melvin}} |- ! scope="row" style="text-align:center" | {{alwcgy|2021}} | [[2021 New York Yankees season|New York Yankees]] || {{sortname|Aaron|Boone}} | 2–6 | bgcolor="#ccddff"|'''[[2021 Boston Red Sox season|Boston Red Sox]]''' || bgcolor="#ccddff"|{{sortname|Alex|Cora}} |}

===National League Wild Card Game=== {| class="wikitable sortable plainrowheaders" style="font-size:1.00em; line-height:1.5em;" ! scope="col" |Year ! scope="col" |Visitor ! scope="col" |Manager ! scope="col" |Score ! scope="col" |Host ! scope="col" |Manager |- ! scope="row" style="text-align:center" | {{nlwcgy|2012}} | bgcolor="#ccddff"|'''[[2012 St. Louis Cardinals season|St. Louis Cardinals]]''' || bgcolor="#ccddff"|{{sortname|Mike|Matheny}} | 6–3 | [[2012 Atlanta Braves season|Atlanta Braves]] || {{sortname|Fredi|González}} |- ! scope="row" style="text-align:center" | {{nlwcgy|2013}} | [[2013 Cincinnati Reds season|Cincinnati Reds]] || {{sortname|Dusty|Baker}} | 2–6 | '''[[2013 Pittsburgh Pirates season|Pittsburgh Pirates]]''' || {{sortname|Clint|Hurdle}} |- ! scope="row" style="text-align:center" | {{nlwcgy|2014}} | bgcolor="#f2ecce"|'''[[2014 San Francisco Giants season|San Francisco Giants]]''' || bgcolor="#f2ecce"|{{sortname|Bruce|Bochy}} | 8–0 | [[2014 Pittsburgh Pirates season|Pittsburgh Pirates]] || {{sortname|Clint|Hurdle}} |- ! scope="row" style="text-align:center" | {{nlwcgy|2015}} | bgcolor="#ccddff"|'''[[2015 Chicago Cubs season|Chicago Cubs]]''' || bgcolor="#ccddff"|{{sortname|Joe|Maddon}} | 4–0 | [[2015 Pittsburgh Pirates season|Pittsburgh Pirates]] || {{sortname|Clint|Hurdle}} |- ! scope="row" style="text-align:center" | {{nlwcgy|2016}} | '''[[2016 San Francisco Giants season|San Francisco Giants]]''' || {{sortname|Bruce|Bochy}} | 3–0 | [[2016 New York Mets season|New York Mets]] || {{sortname|Terry|Collins}} |- ! scope="row" style="text-align:center" | {{nlwcgy|2017}} | [[2017 Colorado Rockies season|Colorado Rockies]] || {{sortname|Bud|Black}} | 8–11 | '''[[2017 Arizona Diamondbacks season|Arizona Diamondbacks]]''' || {{sortname|Torey|Lovullo}} |- ! scope="row" style="text-align:center" | {{nlwcgy|2018}} | '''[[2018 Colorado Rockies season|Colorado Rockies]][[2018 National League West tie-breaker game|↓]]''' || {{sortname|Bud|Black}} | 2–1 (13) | [[2018 Chicago Cubs season|Chicago Cubs]][[2018 National League Central tie-breaker game|↓]] || {{sortname|Joe|Maddon}} |- ! scope="row" style="text-align:center" | {{nlwcgy|2019}} | [[2019 Milwaukee Brewers season|Milwaukee Brewers]] || {{sortname|Craig|Counsell}} | 3–4 | bgcolor="#f2ecce"|'''[[2019 Washington Nationals season|Washington Nationals]]''' || bgcolor="#f2ecce"|{{sortname|Dave|Martinez}} |- ! scope="row" style="text-align:center" | {{nlwcgy|2021}} | [[2021 St. Louis Cardinals season|St. Louis Cardinals]]|| {{sortname|Mike|Shildt}} | 1–3 | bgcolor="#ccddff"|'''[[2021 Los Angeles Dodgers season|Los Angeles Dodgers]]''' || bgcolor="#ccddff"|{{sortname|Dave|Roberts|Dave Roberts (baseball manager)}} |}

===Wild Card Series=== After the shortened 60-game regular season of {{mlby|2020}}, the first round of the MLB postseason consisted of four Wild Card Series in each league, each series being a best-of-three hosted by the higher seed. Eight teams from each league participated: three division winners, three division runners-up, and two wild card teams (the two remaining teams with the best records, based on winning percentage). Thus, while each league's Wild Card Series featured a total of eight teams, there were still only two wild card qualifiers per league.

Starting in 2022, a modified version of the Wild Card Series was used. However, only three Wild Cards qualify along with the lowest-seeded division winner.

Until 2025, nearly every Wild Card Series held so far ended in a sweep, with only 4 of the 20 series needing a Game 3. Lower-seeded teams have won eight series out of 12.

{| class="wikitable" style="font-size:1.00em; line-height:1.5em;" |+Key !scope="row"|{{sup|E1}}{{nbsp}}{{sup|C1}}{{nbsp}}{{sup|W1}} |Division winners for East, Central, West |- !scope="row"|{{sup|E2}}{{nbsp}}{{sup|C2}}{{nbsp}}{{sup|W2}} |Division runners-up for East, Central, West |- !scope="row"|{{sup|WC}} |Wild card teams |- | '''bold''' | Wild Card Series winner |}

====American League Wild Card Series==== {| class="sortable wikitable plainrowheaders" |- ! scope="col" | Year ! scope="col" | Higher seeded team ! scope="col" | Manager ! scope="col" class="unsortable" | Games ! scope="col" | Lower seeded team ! scope="col" | Manager |- | rowspan=4|{{alwcsy|2020}} || bgcolor="#dddddd"| '''[[2020 Tampa Bay Rays season|Tampa Bay Rays]]'''{{sup|E1}} || {{sortname|Kevin|Cash}} |align="center"| 2–0 | [[2020 Toronto Blue Jays season|Toronto Blue Jays]]{{sup|WC}} || {{sortname|Charlie|Montoyo}} |- | '''[[2020 Oakland Athletics season|Oakland Athletics]]'''{{sup|W1}} || {{sortname|Bob|Melvin}} |align="center"| 2–1 | [[2020 Chicago White Sox season|Chicago White Sox]]{{sup|WC}} || {{sortname|Rick|Renteria}} |- | [[2020 Minnesota Twins season|Minnesota Twins]]{{sup|C1}} || {{sortname|Rocco|Baldelli}} |align="center"| 0–2 | bgcolor="#ccddff"|'''[[2020 Houston Astros season|Houston Astros]]'''{{sup|W2}} || {{sortname|Dusty|Baker}} |- | [[2020 Cleveland Indians season|Cleveland Indians]]{{sup|C2}} || {{sortname|Sandy|Alomar Jr.}}{{efn|In 2020, Alomar was designated as Cleveland's interim manager in lieu of [[Terry Francona]] who missed the postseason due to health concerns.}} |align="center"| 0–2 | '''[[2020 New York Yankees season|New York Yankees]]'''{{sup|E2}} || {{sortname|Aaron|Boone}} |- | rowspan=2|{{alwcsy|2022}} || '''[[2022 Cleveland Guardians season|Cleveland Guardians]]''' {{sup|C1}} || {{sortname|Terry|Francona}} |align="center"| 2–0 | [[2022 Tampa Bay Rays season|Tampa Bay Rays]]{{sup|WC}} || {{sortname|Kevin|Cash}} |- | [[2022 Toronto Blue Jays season|Toronto Blue Jays]]{{sup|WC}} || {{sortname|John|Schneider|John Schneider (baseball)}} |align="center"| 0–2 | '''[[2022 Seattle Mariners season|Seattle Mariners]]'''{{sup|WC}} || {{sortname|Scott|Servais}} |- | rowspan=2|{{alwcsy|2023}} || '''[[2023 Minnesota Twins season|Minnesota Twins]]'''{{sup|C1}} || {{sortname|Rocco|Baldelli}} |align="center"| 2–0 | [[2023 Toronto Blue Jays season|Toronto Blue Jays]]{{sup|WC}} || {{sortname|John|Schneider|John Schneider (baseball)}} |- | [[2023 Tampa Bay Rays season|Tampa Bay Rays]]{{sup|WC}} || {{sortname|Kevin|Cash}} |align="center"| 0–2 | bgcolor="#f2ecce"|'''[[2023 Texas Rangers season|Texas Rangers]]'''{{sup|WC}} || {{sortname|Bruce|Bochy}} |- | rowspan=2|{{alwcsy|2024}} || [[2024 Houston Astros season|Houston Astros]]{{sup|W1}} || {{sortname|Joe|Espada}} ||align="center"| 0–2 ||'''[[2024 Detroit Tigers season|Detroit Tigers]]'''{{sup|WC}} || {{sortname|A. J.|Hinch}} |- ||[[2024 Baltimore Orioles season|Baltimore Orioles]]{{sup|WC}} ||{{sortname|Brandon|Hyde}} ||align="center"| 0–2 || '''[[2024 Kansas City Royals season|Kansas City Royals]]'''{{sup|WC}} || {{sortname|Matt|Quatraro}} |- | rowspan=2|{{alwcsy|2025}} || [[2025 Cleveland Guardians season|Cleveland Guardians]]{{sup|C1}} || {{sortname|Stephen|Vogt}} ||align="center"| 1–2 || '''[[2025 Detroit Tigers season|Detroit Tigers]]'''{{sup|WC}} || {{sortname|A. J.|Hinch}} |- ||'''[[2025 New York Yankees season|New York Yankees]]'''{{sup|WC}} ||{{sortname|Aaron|Boone}} ||align="center"| 2–1 || [[2025 Boston Red Sox season|Boston Red Sox]]{{sup|WC}} || {{sortname|Alex|Cora}} |}

====National League Wild Card Series==== {| class="sortable wikitable plainrowheaders" style="font-size:1.00em; line-height:1.5em;" |- ! scope="col" | Year ! scope="col" | Higher seeded team ! scope="col" | Manager ! scope="col" class="unsortable" | Games ! scope="col" | Lower seeded team ! scope="col" | Manager |- | rowspan=4|{{nlwcsy|2020}} || bgcolor="#f2ecce"|'''[[2020 Los Angeles Dodgers season|Los Angeles Dodgers]]'''{{sup|W1}} || {{sortname|Dave|Roberts|Dave Roberts (baseball manager)}} |align="center"| 2–0 | [[2020 Milwaukee Brewers season|Milwaukee Brewers]]{{sup|WC}} || {{sortname|Craig|Counsell}} |- | bgcolor="#ccddff"|'''[[2020 Atlanta Braves season|Atlanta Braves]]'''{{sup|E1}} || {{sortname|Brian|Snitker}} |align="center"| 2–0 | [[2020 Cincinnati Reds season|Cincinnati Reds]]{{sup|WC}} || {{sortname|David|Bell|David Bell (baseball)}} |- | [[2020 Chicago Cubs season|Chicago Cubs]]{{sup|C1}} || {{sortname|David|Ross|David Ross (baseball)}} |align="center"| 0–2 | '''[[2020 Miami Marlins season|Miami Marlins]]'''{{sup|E2}} || {{sortname|Don|Mattingly}} |- | '''[[2020 San Diego Padres season|San Diego Padres]]'''{{sup|W2}} || {{sortname|Jayce|Tingler}} |align="center"| 2–1 | [[2020 St. Louis Cardinals season|St. Louis Cardinals]]{{sup|C2}} || {{sortname|Mike|Shildt}} |- | rowspan=2|{{nlwcsy|2022}} || [[2022 St. Louis Cardinals season|St. Louis Cardinals]] {{sup|C1}} || {{sortname|Oliver|Marmol}} |align="center"| 0–2 | bgcolor="#dddddd"|'''[[2022 Philadelphia Phillies season|Philadelphia Phillies]]'''{{sup|WC}} || {{sortname|Rob|Thomson}} |- | [[2022 New York Mets season|New York Mets]]{{sup|WC}} || {{sortname|Buck|Showalter}} |align="center"| 1–2 | bgcolor="#ccddff"|'''[[2022 San Diego Padres season|San Diego Padres]]'''{{sup|WC}} || {{sortname|Bob|Melvin}} |- | rowspan=2|{{nlwcsy|2023}} || [[2023 Milwaukee Brewers season|Milwaukee Brewers]] {{sup|C1}} || {{sortname|Craig|Counsell}} |align="center"| 0–2 | bgcolor="#dddddd"|'''[[2023 Arizona Diamondbacks season|Arizona Diamondbacks]]'''{{sup|WC}} || {{sortname|Torey|Lovullo}} |- | bgcolor="#ccddff"|'''[[2023 Philadelphia Phillies season|Philadelphia Phillies]]'''{{sup|WC}} || {{sortname|Rob|Thomson}} |align="center"| 2–0 | [[2023 Miami Marlins season|Miami Marlins]]{{sup|WC}} || {{sortname|Skip|Schumaker}} |- | rowspan=2|{{nlwcsy|2024}} || [[2024 Milwaukee Brewers season|Milwaukee Brewers]]{{sup|C1}} ||{{sortname|Pat|Murphy|Pat Murphy (baseball coach)}}||align="center"| 1–2 || '''[[2024 New York Mets season|New York Mets]]'''{{sup|WC}} || {{sortname|Carlos|Mendoza|Carlos Mendoza (baseball manager)}} |- ||'''[[2024 San Diego Padres season|San Diego Padres]]'''{{sup|WC}} ||{{sortname|Mike|Shildt}} ||align="center"| 2–0 || [[2024 Atlanta Braves season|Atlanta Braves]]{{sup|WC}} || {{sortname|Brian|Snitker}} |- | rowspan=2|{{nlwcsy|2025}} || bgcolor="#f2ecce"| '''[[2025 Los Angeles Dodgers season|Los Angeles Dodgers]]'''{{sup|W1}} ||{{sortname|Dave|Roberts|Dave Roberts (baseball manager)}}||align="center"| 2–0 || [[2025 Cincinnati Reds season|Cincinnati Reds]]{{sup|WC}} || {{sortname|Terry|Francona}} |- || '''[[2025 Chicago Cubs season|Chicago Cubs]]'''{{sup|WC}} || {{sortname|Craig|Counsell}} || align="center"| 2–1 || [[2025 San Diego Padres season|San Diego Padres]]{{sup|WC}} || {{sortname|Mike|Shildt}} |}

==Appearances by team== In the sortable tables below, teams are ordered first by number of wins, then by number of appearances, and finally by year of first appearance. These records reflect series outcomes of the 2020 Wild Card Series, not individual games. In the "Season(s)" column, '''bold years''' indicate winning appearances.

===American League=== {| class="wikitable sortable plainrowheaders" style="font-size:1.00em; line-height:1.5em;" !scope="col"|{{Abbr|Apps|Appearances}} !scope="col"|Team !scope="col"|Wins !scope="col"|Losses !scope="col"|Win % !scope="col" class="unsortable"| Season(s) |- ||6|| style="text-align:left;" |[[New York Yankees]]||4||2||{{winpct|4|2}}|| align="left" | {{alwcgy|2015}}, '''{{alwcgy|2017}}''', '''{{alwcgy|2018}}''', '''{{alwcsy|2020}}''', {{alwcgy|2021}}, '''{{alwcsy|2025}}''' |- ||5|| style="text-align:left;" |[[Tampa Bay Rays]]||3||2||{{winpct|3|2}}|| align="left" | '''{{alwcgy|2013}}''', '''{{alwcgy|2019}}''', '''{{alwcsy|2020}}''', {{alwcsy|2022}}, {{alwcsy|2023}} |- ||3|| style="text-align:left;" |[[Houston Astros]]||2||1||{{winpct|2|1}}|| align="left" | '''{{alwcgy|2015}}''', '''{{alwcsy|2020}}''', {{alwcsy|2024}} |- ||2|| style="text-align:left;" |[[Kansas City Royals]]||2||0||{{winpct|2|0}}|| align="left" | '''{{alwcgy|2014}}''', '''{{alwcsy|2024}}''' |- |2|| style="text-align:left;" |[[Detroit Tigers]]||2||0||{{winpct|2|0}}|| align="left" | '''{{alwcsy|2024}}''', '''{{alwcsy|2025}}''' |- ||4|| style="text-align:left;" |[[Oakland Athletics|Athletics]]||1||3||{{winpct|1|3}}|| align="left" | {{alwcgy|2014}}, {{alwcgy|2018}}, {{alwcgy|2019}}, '''{{alwcsy|2020}}''' |- ||4|| style="text-align:left;" |[[Toronto Blue Jays]]||1||3||{{winpct|1|3}}|| align="left" | '''{{alwcgy|2016}}''', {{alwcsy|2020}}, {{alwcsy|2022}}, {{alwcsy|2023}} |- ||4|| style="text-align:left;" |[[Cleveland Guardians]]||1||3||{{winpct|1|3}}|| align="left" | {{alwcgy|2013}}, {{alwcsy|2020}}, '''{{alwcsy|2022}}''', {{alwcsy|2025}} |- ||3|| style="text-align:left;" |[[Minnesota Twins]]||1||2||{{winpct|1|2}}|| align="left" | {{alwcgy|2017}}, {{alwcsy|2020}}, '''{{alwcsy|2023}}''' |- ||3|| style="text-align:left;" |[[Baltimore Orioles]]||1||2||{{winpct|1|2}}|| align="left" | '''{{alwcgy|2012}}''', {{alwcgy|2016}}, {{alwcsy|2024}} |- ||2|| style="text-align:left;" |[[Texas Rangers (baseball)|Texas Rangers]]||1||1||{{winpct|1|1}}|| align="left" | {{alwcgy|2012}}, '''{{alwcsy|2023}}''' |- ||2|| style="text-align:left;" |[[Boston Red Sox]]||1||1||{{winpct|1|1}}|| align="left" | '''{{alwcgy|2021}}''', {{alwcsy|2025}} |- ||1|| style="text-align:left;" |[[Seattle Mariners]]||1||0||{{winpct|1|0}}|| align="left" | '''{{alwcsy|2022}}''' |- ||1|| style="text-align:left;" |[[Chicago White Sox]]||0||1||{{winpct|0|1}}|| align="left" | {{alwcsy|2020}} |}

===National League=== {| class="wikitable sortable plainrowheaders" style="font-size:1.00em; line-height:1.5em;" !scope="col"|{{Abbr|Apps|Appearances}} !scope="col"|Team !scope="col"|Wins !scope="col"|Losses !scope="col"|Win % !scope="col" class="unsortable"| Season(s) |- ||3|| style="text-align:left;" |[[Los Angeles Dodgers]]||3||0||{{winpct|3|0}}|| align="left" | '''{{nlwcsy|2020}}''', '''{{nlwcgy|2021}}''', '''{{nlwcsy|2025}}''' |- ||4|| style="text-align:left;" |[[San Diego Padres]]||3||1||{{winpct|3|1}}|| align="left" | '''{{nlwcsy|2020}}''', '''{{nlwcsy|2022}}''', '''{{nlwcsy|2024}}''', {{nlwcsy|2025}} |- ||2|| style="text-align:left;" |[[San Francisco Giants]]||2||0||{{winpct|2|0}}|| align="left" | '''{{nlwcgy|2014}}''', '''{{nlwcgy|2016}}''' |- ||2|| style="text-align:left;" |[[Arizona Diamondbacks]]||2||0||{{winpct|2|0}}|| align="left" | '''{{nlwcgy|2017}}''', '''{{nlwcsy|2023}}''' |- ||2|| style="text-align:left;" |[[Philadelphia Phillies]]||2||0||{{winpct|2|0}}|| align="left" | '''{{nlwcsy|2022}}''', '''{{nlwcsy|2023}}''' |- ||4|| style="text-align:left;" |[[Chicago Cubs]]||2||2||{{winpct|2|2}}|| align="left" | '''{{nlwcgy|2015}}''', {{nlwcgy|2018}}, {{nlwcsy|2020}}, '''{{nlwcsy|2025}}''' |- ||4|| style="text-align:left;" |[[St. Louis Cardinals]]||1||3||{{winpct|1|3}}|| align="left" | '''{{nlwcgy|2012}}''', {{nlwcsy|2020}}, {{nlwcgy|2021}}, {{nlwcsy|2022}} |- ||3|| style="text-align:left;" |[[Pittsburgh Pirates]]||1||2||{{winpct|1|2}}|| align="left" | '''{{nlwcgy|2013}}''', {{nlwcgy|2014}}, {{nlwcgy|2015}} |- ||3|| style="text-align:left;" |[[Atlanta Braves]]||1||2||{{winpct|1|2}}|| align="left" | {{nlwcgy|2012}}, '''{{nlwcsy|2020}}''', {{nlwcsy|2024}} |- ||3|| style="text-align:left;" |[[New York Mets]]||1||2||{{winpct|1|2}}|| align="left" | {{nlwcgy|2016}}, {{nlwcsy|2022}}, '''{{nlwcsy|2024}}''' |- ||2|| style="text-align:left;" |[[Colorado Rockies]]||1||1||{{winpct|1|1}}|| align="left" | {{nlwcgy|2017}}, '''{{nlwcgy|2018}}''' |- ||2|| style="text-align:left;" |[[Miami Marlins]]||1||1||{{winpct|1|1}}|| align="left" | '''{{nlwcsy|2020}}''', {{nlwcsy|2023}} |- ||1|| style="text-align:left;" |[[Washington Nationals]]||1||0||{{winpct|1|0}}|| align="left" | '''{{nlwcgy|2019}}''' |- ||3|| style="text-align:left;" |[[Cincinnati Reds]]||0||3||{{winpct|0|3}}|| align="left" | {{nlwcgy|2013}}, {{nlwcsy|2020}}, {{nlwcsy|2025}} |- ||4|| style="text-align:left;" |[[Milwaukee Brewers]]||0||4||{{winpct|0|3}}|| align="left" | {{nlwcgy|2019}}, {{nlwcsy|2020}}, {{nlwcsy|2023}}, {{nlwcsy|2024}} |- |}

==Game results by team== Updated through the 2025 postseason. These records reflect individual game results of the 2020 Wild Card Series.

[[File:Joe Maddon in 2013 (9553142672).jpg|thumb|right|upright|[[Joe Maddon]] has managed both the [[Tampa Bay Rays]] and [[Chicago Cubs]] to Wild Card Game victories.]] {| class="wikitable sortable plainrowheaders" style="font-size:1.00em; line-height:1.5em;" |- !scope="col" rowspan=2|Team !scope="col" rowspan=2|League !scope="col" colspan=2|Appearances !scope="col" colspan=2|Individual games |- !scope="col"|Games !scope="col"|Series !scope="col"|Win–loss record !scope="col"|Winning pct. |- ! scope="row" style="text-align:center" | [[Arizona Diamondbacks]] | NL || 1 || 1 || {{sort winloss|3|0}} || {{winpct|3|0}} |- ! scope="row" style="text-align:center" | [[Atlanta Braves]] | NL || 1 || 2 || {{sort winloss|2|3}} || {{winpct|2|3}} |- ! scope="row" style="text-align:center" | [[Baltimore Orioles]] | AL || 2 || 1 || {{sort winloss|1|3}} || {{winpct|1|3}} |- ! scope="row" style="text-align:center" | [[Boston Red Sox]] | AL || 1 || 1 || {{sort winloss|2|2}} || {{winpct|2|2}} |- ! scope="row" style="text-align:center" | [[Cincinnati Reds]] | NL || 1 || 2 || {{sort winloss|0|5}} || {{winpct|0|5}} |- ! scope="row" style="text-align:center" | [[Chicago Cubs]] | NL || 2 || 2 || {{sort winloss|3|4}} || {{winpct|3|4}} |- ! scope="row" style="text-align:center" | [[Chicago White Sox]] | AL || 0 || 1 || {{sort winloss|1|2}} || {{winpct|1|2}} |- ! scope="row" style="text-align:center" | [[Cleveland Guardians]] | AL || 1 || 3 || {{sort winloss|3|5}} || {{winpct|3|5}} |- ! scope="row" style="text-align:center" | [[Colorado Rockies]] | NL || 2 || 0 || {{sort winloss|1|1}} || {{winpct|1|1}} |- ! scope="row" style="text-align:center" |[[Detroit Tigers]] |AL || 0 || 2 || {{sort winloss|4|1}} || {{winpct|4|1}} |- ! scope="row" style="text-align:center" | [[Houston Astros]] | AL || 1 || 2 || {{sort winloss|3|2}} || {{winpct|3|2}} |- ! scope="row" style="text-align:center" | [[Kansas City Royals]] | AL || 1 || 1 || {{sort winloss|3|0}} || {{winpct|3|0}} |- ! scope="row" style="text-align:center" | [[Los Angeles Dodgers]] | NL || 1 || 2 || {{sort winloss|5|0}} || {{winpct|5|0}} |- ! scope="row" style="text-align:center" | [[Miami Marlins]] | NL || 0 || 2 || {{sort winloss|2|2}} || {{winpct|2|2}} |- ! scope="row" style="text-align:center" | [[Milwaukee Brewers]] | NL || 1 || 3 || {{sort winloss|1|7}} || {{winpct|1|7}} |- ! scope="row" style="text-align:center" | [[Minnesota Twins]] | AL || 1 || 2 || {{sort winloss|2|3}} || {{winpct|2|3}} |- ! scope="row" style="text-align:center" | [[New York Mets]] | NL || 1 || 2 || {{sort winloss|3|4}} || {{winpct|3|4}} |- ! scope="row" style="text-align:center" | [[New York Yankees]] | AL || 4 || 2 || {{sort winloss|6|3}} || {{winpct|6|3}} |- ! scope="row" style="text-align:center" | [[Oakland Athletics|Athletics]] | AL || 3 || 1 || {{sort winloss|2|4}} || {{winpct|2|4}} |- ! scope="row" style="text-align:center" | [[Philadelphia Phillies]] | NL || 0 || 2 || {{sort winloss|4|0}} || {{winpct|4|0}} |- ! scope="row" style="text-align:center" | [[Pittsburgh Pirates]] | NL || 3 || 0 || {{sort winloss|1|2}} || {{winpct|1|2}} |- ! scope="row" style="text-align:center" | [[San Diego Padres]] | NL || 0 || 4 || {{sort winloss|7|4}} || {{winpct|7|4}} |- ! scope="row" style="text-align:center" | [[San Francisco Giants]] | NL || 2 || 0 || {{sort winloss|2|0}} || {{winpct|2|0}} |- ! scope="row" style="text-align:center" | [[Seattle Mariners]] | AL || 0 || 1 || {{sort winloss|2|0}} || {{winpct|2|0}} |- ! scope="row" style="text-align:center" | [[St. Louis Cardinals]] | NL || 2 || 2 || {{sort winloss|2|5}} || {{winpct|2|5}} |- ! scope="row" style="text-align:center" | [[Tampa Bay Rays]] | AL || 2 || 3 || {{sort winloss|4|4}} || {{winpct|4|4}} |- ! scope="row" style="text-align:center" | [[Texas Rangers (baseball)|Texas Rangers]] | AL || 1 || 1 || {{sort winloss|2|1}} || {{winpct|2|1}} |- ! scope="row" style="text-align:center" | [[Toronto Blue Jays]] | AL || 1 || 2 || {{sort winloss|1|4}} || {{winpct|1|4}} |- ! scope="row" style="text-align:center" | [[Washington Nationals]] | NL || 1 || 0 || {{sort winloss|1|0}} || {{winpct|1|0}} |} The following current MLB teams have not yet appeared in a Wild Card playoff: :American League: [[Los Angeles Angels]]

==Records== ;Single team * Most runs scored: 12, New York Yankees vs. Cleveland Indians, Game 1 of the [[2020 American League Wild Card Series|2020 ALWC]]<ref name=mostruns>{{cite web |url=https://stathead.com/tiny/0pAk7 |title=Team Batting Game Finder: In the LWC, from 1995 to 2020, sorted by greatest Runs Scored. |website=stathead.com |access-date=October 4, 2021}}</ref> * Most hits: 17, Arizona Diamondbacks vs. Colorado Rockies, [[2017 National League Wild Card Game|2017 NLWC]]<ref name=mosthits>{{cite web |url=https://stathead.com/tiny/qvlV4 |title=Team Batting Game Finder: In the LWC, from 1995 to 2020, sorted by greatest Hits. |website=stathead.com |access-date=October 4, 2021}}</ref>

;Both teams * Most runs scored: 20, St. Louis Cardinals (9) vs. San Diego Padres (11), Game 1 of the [[2020 National League Wild Card Series|2020 NLWC]]<ref name=mostruns/> * Most hits: 30, Colorado Rockies (13) vs. Arizona Diamondbacks (17), [[2017 National League Wild Card Game|2017 NLWC]]<ref name=mosthits/>

;Other *Largest run differential: 9, New York Yankees (12) vs. Cleveland Indians (3), Game 1 of the [[2020 American League Wild Card Series|2020 ALWC]]<ref>{{cite web |url=https://stathead.com/tiny/rSItr |title=Team Batting Game Finder: In the LWC, from 1995 to 2020, sorted by greatest Rdiff. |website=stathead.com |access-date=October 4, 2021}}</ref> *Longest game, by time: 297 minutes (4:57), Tampa Bay Rays vs. Cleveland Guardians, Game 2 of the [[2022 American League Wild Card Series|2022 ALWCS]]<ref name=TBRCLEGame2>{{Cite web|url=https://www.baseball-reference.com/boxes/CLE/CLE202210080.shtml|title=2022 American League Wild Card Series (ALWC) Game 2, Tampa Bay Rays vs. Cleveland Guardians, October 8, 2022}}</ref> *Longest game, by innings: 15, Tampa Bay Rays vs. Cleveland Guardians, Game 2 of the [[2022 American League Wild Card Series|2022 ALWCS]]<ref name=TBRCLEGame2/>

==See also== {{Portal|Baseball}} * [[List of Major League Baseball Wild Card Round broadcasters]]

==Notes== {{notelist}}

==References== {{reflist}} {{MLB}} {{MLB Wild Card Game}}

[[Category:Major League Baseball Wild Card Game|*]] [[Category:Major League Baseball postseason]] [[Category:Recurring sporting events established in 2012]] [[Category:October in sports]] [[Category:2012 establishments in North America]] [[Category:Annual events in Major League Baseball]] [[Category:Major League Baseball Wild Card Series| ]]