The 2021 Major League Baseball postseason was the playoff tournament of Major League Baseball (MLB) for the 2021 season. The winners of the Division Series advanced to the League Championship Series to determine the pennant winners that face each other in the World Series. After the 2020 postseason, MLB returned to a 10-team playoff format following the loosening of COVID-19 pandemic restrictions. This was the last postseason to feature the 10-team format, as the league expanded to a 12 team-format for the 2022 postseason.
The postseason began on October 5, and ended on November 2, with the Braves defeating the Astros in six games in the 2021 World Series. It was the first title for the Braves since 1995 and fourth overall.
This was the fifth postseason meeting in the history of the Yankees–Red Sox rivalry. The Yankees defeated the Red Sox in the ALCS in 1999 and 2003, while the Red Sox defeated the Yankees in the 2004 ALCS and 2018 ALDS. The Red Sox defeated the Yankees 6–2 to advance to the ALDS. With the win, the Red Sox moved up to 3–2 all time meetings against the Yankees in the postseason.
This was the sixth postseason meeting in the history of the Cardinals-Dodgers rivalry. The Cardinals defeated the Dodgers in the 1985 NLCS, 2004 NLDS, 2013 NLCS, and the 2014 NLDS. The one previous postseason meeting the Dodgers defeated the Cardinals was in the 2009 NLDS. The game remained tied into the bottom of the ninth inning, when the Dodgers' Chris Taylor hit a walk-off 2-run home run off Alex Reyes, giving the Dodgers a 3–1 victory and a ninth straight trip to the NLDS.
This was the third postseason meeting between the Rays and Red Sox. The Rays won the 2008 ALCS, while the Red Sox struck back in the 2013 ALDS. The Red Sox defeated the top seeded Rays to advance to the ALCS for the first time since 2018.
Shane McClanahan pitched five solid innings as the Rays shut out the Red Sox in Game 1. In Game 2, five different players - Xander Bogaerts, Alex Verdugo, Kiké Hernández, J. D. Martinez and Rafael Devers - all homered for the Red Sox as they blew out the Rays in Game 2 to even the series headed to Boston. In a long and wild Game 3, the Red Sox narrowly won in the bottom of the thirteenth inning as Christian Vázquez hit a walk-off two—run home run to give them the series lead. In Game 4, the Red Sox jumped out to a 5–0 lead early, but it was erased by the eighth inning as the Rays rallied to tie the game. However, the Red Sox won the game and the series thanks to a sacrifice fly from Hernández.
To date, this is the most recent playoff series victory by the Red Sox, and the last postseason appearance outside of the Wild Card round for the Rays.
This was the second postseason meeting between the Astros and White Sox. When the team was still in the National League, the Astros met the White Sox in the 2005 World Series, which the White Sox won in a sweep to end the Curse of the Black Sox. The Astros defeated the White Sox in four games to advance to the ALCS for the fifth year in a row.
Lance McCullers Jr. pitched seven solid innings in Game 1 as the Astros blew out the White Sox in Game 1. The Astros’ offense came alive in Game 2 as they would proceed in another blowout win to go up 2–0 in the series headed to Chicago. In Game 3, Leury García and Yasmani Grandal both hit home runs and a combined seven RBIs as the White Sox blew out the Astros to get on the board in the series. However, the Astros responded with a blowout win of their own in Game 4 to close out the series and advance.
To date, this is the last time the White Sox made the postseason. In the seasons afterward, the White Sox imploded and would set a new mark of baseball futility, as their 2024 team lost an MLB-record 121 games.
This was the first postseason meeting in the history of the Dodgers–Giants rivalry, and the first NLDS series between two teams that had won 100 games or more in the regular season. The Dodgers upset MLB-best Giants in five games to advance to the NLCS for the fifth time in the past six years.
Logan Webb allowed only five hits in 7+2⁄3 scoreless innings as the Giants took Game 1 in a shutout. In Game 2, the Dodgers blew out the Giants to even the series headed to Los Angeles. Alex Wood and three San Francisco relievers shut out the Dodgers again in Game 3 to retake the series lead. Mookie Betts and Will Smith both homered for the Dodgers in Game 4 as they blew out the Giants again to send the series back to San Francisco for a decisive fifth game. Game 5 was a pitchers’ duel between both teams’ bullpens, which was won by the Dodgers as they narrowly held off the Giants in the bottom of the ninth inning.
To date, this is the last time the Giants have appeared in the postseason.
This was the first postseason meeting between the Brewers and Braves. The Braves defeated the Brewers in four games to advance to the NLCS for the second year in a row.
Game 1 was a pitchers’ duel between both teams’ bullpens, which was won by the Brewers as they narrowly won. Game 2 was another pitchers’ duel between Atlanta’s Max Fried and Milwaukee’s Brandon Woodruff, which was won by the former as the Braves won 3–0 to even the series headed to Atlanta. In Game 3, the Braves again shut out the Brewers by an identical 3–0 score thanks to a three—run home run from Joc Pederson to take the series lead. Game 4 was an offensive showdown between both teams, which was won by the Braves as Freddie Freeman put the Braves ahead for good with a solo home run in the bottom of the eighth to advance to the NLCS.
To date, this is the last postseason appearance outside of the Wild Card round for the Brewers.
This was the third postseason meeting between the Red Sox and Astros. The two teams split the previous two meetings, in the 2017 ALDS (won by the Astros), and the 2018 ALCS (won by the Red Sox). In both instances, the winner was the eventual World Series champion. The Astros defeated the Red Sox in six games to advance to the World Series for the third time in five years.
Both teams split the first two games in Houston. When the series shifted to Boston, the Red Sox blew out the Astros by a 12–3 score to go up 2–1 in the series. However, their lead would not hold. The Red Sox were six defensive outs away from a 3–1 series lead before the Astros responded with a game-tying home run by Jose Altuve in the eighth inning and then exploded offensively with a seven-run ninth inning to even the series. Then Houston carried the momentum by blowing out the Red Sox in Game 5 to take a 3–2 series lead headed back to Houston. In Game 6, the Astros shut out the Red Sox to secure the pennant.
To date, this is the last time the Red Sox have appeared in the postseason. The Astros would win the AL pennant again the next year, sweeping the New York Yankees.
This was the fifth postseason matchup between the Dodgers and Braves. The previous meetings were the 1996 NLDS (won by the Braves), 2013 NLDS, 2018 NLDS, and 2020 NLCS (the latter three won by the Dodgers). The Braves pulled off a major upset of the defending World Series champion Dodgers in six games, and returned to the World Series for the first time since 1999 (in the process denying a rematch of the 2017 World Series between the Astros and Dodgers).
Ozzie Albies hit a one-out bloop single off of Blake Treinen, stole second, and then scored on a Riley single to left to win Game 1 for the Braves. In Game 2, the Braves came from behind late to win thanks to an RBI from Eddie Rosario to take a 2–0 series lead headed to Los Angeles. In Game 3, the Braves lead 5–2 going into the bottom of the eighth, but the Dodgers rallied with four unanswered runs - a three—run home run from Cody Bellinger and an RBI double from Mookie Betts - and won. The Braves then blew out the Dodgers in Game 4 to take a 3–1 series lead. However, the Dodgers responded with a blowout win of their own in Game 5, in part thanks to three home runs from Chris Taylor, to send the series back to Atlanta. In Game 6, Rosario put the Braves ahead for good with a three-run home run to clinch the pennant.
To date, this is the last time the Braves won the NL pennant. The Dodgers would not return to the NLCS again until 2024, where they defeated the New York Mets in six games. The Braves’ upset of the Dodgers was ranked as the fourth biggest upset in postseason history by MLB.com.[12]
This was the first World Series played entirely in the South. The Astros and Braves had previously met in the postseason five times, all of which were in the NLDS when the Astros were still a National League team.[13] Of those five series, the Braves won three (1997, 1999, and 2001) while the Astros won two (2004 and 2005).[13] The Braves defeated the Astros in six games, capturing their first World Series title since 1995.
Jorge Soler and Adam Duvall both homered for the Braves as they stole Game 1 on the road. The Astros blew out the Braves in Game 2 to even the series headed to Atlanta. Ian Anderson and the Braves’ bullpen pitched a no-hitter through seven innings as they shut out the Astros 2–0 to regain the series lead in Game 3. In Game 4, the Astros led 2–0 after the top of the sixth, but the Braves rallied with three unanswered runs from home runs from Soler and Dansby Swanson to win and take a 3–1 series lead. In Game 5, the Braves jumped out to a big early lead, but the Astros rallied to win and send the series back to Houston. However, Soler, Swanson and Freddie Freeman all homered as the Braves blew out the Astros in Game 6 to clinch the championship.
With the win, the Braves moved up to 4–2 all time against the Astros in the postseason. This was the third consecutive World Series won by the National League. With the loss, the Astros' record in the World Series fell to 1–3, with all three losses occurring at their home venue, Minute Maid Park.
To date[as of?], this remains the last postseason appearance outside of the divisional round for the Braves. The Braves returned to the postseason again the next year, but were upset by the Philadelphia Phillies in the NLDS, who went on a Cinderella run to the World Series. The Astros returned to the World Series again the next year, and defeated the aforementioned Phillies in six games to win their second championship.
Broadcasting
This was eighth and final year of the U.S. TV contracts with ESPN, Fox Sports, and TBS. ESPN aired the American League Wild Card Game, Fox Sports 1 and MLB Network split the American League Division Series, and the Fox broadcast network and Fox Sports 1 split the American League Championship Series. TBS had the National League Wild Card Game, Division Series, and Championship Series, with sister network TNT used as an overflow channel. The World Series then aired on the Fox broadcast network for the 22nd consecutive year.[14]
Under the three broadcasters' renewed TV deals lasting from 2022 until 2028, among other changes, ESPN was awarded the rights to all Wild Card round games, and Fox took over the selected Division Series games that were held by MLB Network.[15][16][17]
