| Tournament details | |
|---|---|
| Dates | October 1–26, 1996[1] |
| Teams | 8 |
| Final positions | |
| Champions | New York Yankees (23rd title) |
| Runners-up | Atlanta Braves |
| Awards | |
| MVP | John Wetteland (NYY) |
The1996 Major League Baseball postseason was the playoff tournament ofMajor League Baseball for the1996 season. The winners of theLeague Division Series would move on to theLeague Championship Series to determine the pennant winners that face each other in theWorld Series.
In the American League, theNew York Yankees andCleveland Indians returned for the second consecutive year, theBaltimore Orioles returned to the postseason for the first time since1983, and theTexas Rangers made their first postseason appearance in franchise history.
In the National League, theSan Diego Padres returned to the postseason for the first time since1984, theSt. Louis Cardinals made their first appearance since1987, theAtlanta Braves made their fifth consecutive postseason appearance, and theLos Angeles Dodgers made their second straight appearance.
The postseason began on October 1, 1996, and ended on October 26, 1996, with the Yankees defeating the defending World Series champion Braves in six games to capture their first title since1978. It was the Yankees' 23rd title in franchise history.
The following teams qualified for the postseason:
Home-field advantage priority order: Central, West, East
Home-field advantage priority order: East, West, Central
| Division Series (ALDS, NLDS) | League Championship Series (ALCS, NLCS) | World Series | |||||||||||
| E | NY Yankees | 3 | |||||||||||
| W | Texas | 1 | |||||||||||
| E | NY Yankees | 4 | |||||||||||
| American League | |||||||||||||
| WC | Baltimore | 1 | |||||||||||
| WC | Baltimore | 3 | |||||||||||
| C | Cleveland | 1 | |||||||||||
| AL | NY Yankees | 4 | |||||||||||
| NL | Atlanta | 2 | |||||||||||
| E | Atlanta | 3 | |||||||||||
| WC | Los Angeles | 0 | |||||||||||
| E | Atlanta | 4 | |||||||||||
| National League | |||||||||||||
| C | St. Louis | 3 | |||||||||||
| W | San Diego | 0 | |||||||||||
| C | St. Louis | 3 | |||||||||||
Baltimore won the series, 3–1.
| Game | Date | Score | Location | Time | Attendance |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | October 1 | Cleveland Indians – 4,Baltimore Orioles – 10 | Oriole Park at Camden Yards | 3:27 | 47,644[10] |
| 2 | October 2 | Cleveland Indians – 4,Baltimore Orioles – 7 | Oriole Park at Camden Yards | 3:27 | 48,970[11] |
| 3 | October 4 | Baltimore Orioles – 4,Cleveland Indians – 9 | Jacobs Field | 3:44 | 44,250[12] |
| 4 | October 5 | Baltimore Orioles – 4,Cleveland Indians – 3(12) | Jacobs Field | 4:41 | 44,280[13] |
This was the first postseason meeting between the Orioles and Indians. The Orioles knocked off the defending American League champion Indians in four games to advance to the ALCS for the first time since1983.
The Orioles blew out the Indians in Game 1, capped off by a grand slam fromBobby Bonilla. In Game 2, the Indians rallied to tie the game in the top of the eighth, but the Orioles retook the lead for good in the bottom of the inning, capped off by an RBI fromRoberto Alomar. When the series shifted to Cleveland, the Orioles held a 4-3 lead in the fourth inning and were hoping to sweep, but the Indians put up five unanswered runs afterward, capped off by a grand slam fromAlbert Belle. In Game 4, the Indians were on the verge of tying the series as they lead 3–2 in the top of the ninth with the Orioles down to their final out. However, Alomar hit an RBI single to send the game into extra innings. Alomar then won the series for the Orioles with a solo home run in the top of the twelfth inning.
Both the Orioles and Indians would meet each other again in the ALCSthe next year, which the Indians won in six games before falling in the World Series.
New York won the series, 3–1.
| Game | Date | Score | Location | Time | Attendance |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | October 1 | Texas Rangers – 6,New York Yankees – 2 | Yankee Stadium (I) | 2:50 | 57,205[14] |
| 2 | October 2 | Texas Rangers – 4,New York Yankees – 5(12) | Yankee Stadium (I) | 4:25 | 57,156[15] |
| 3 | October 4 | New York Yankees – 3,Texas Rangers – 2 | The Ballpark in Arlington | 3:09 | 50,860[16] |
| 4 | October 5 | New York Yankees – 6,Texas Rangers – 4 | The Ballpark in Arlington | 3:57 | 50,066[17] |
This was the first postseason meeting between the Yankees and Rangers. The Yankees defeated the Rangers in four games to advance to the ALCS for the first time since1981.
John Burkett pitched a complete game for the Rangers as they stole Game 1 in the Bronx. Game 1 was the only playoff game won by the Rangers until Game 1 of the ALDS in2010. In Game 2, the Rangers lead going into the bottom of the eighth, but the Yankees slowly chipped away at their lead to tie the game and force extra innings. The Yankees evened the series in the bottom of the twelfth thanks to a sacrifice bunt fromCharlie Hayes which scoredDerek Jeter due to an error by Texas’Dean Palmer. In Arlington for Game 3, the Rangers again held a late lead going into the ninth, but couldn’t hold it again asBernie Williams tied the game with a sacrifice fly, andMariano Duncan put the Yankees ahead for good with an RBI single. In Game 4, the Rangers quickly put up a 4–0 lead, but the Yankees scored six unanswered runs to close out the series.
The Rangers and Yankees would meet again in the ALDS in1998,1999, and the ALCS in2010, with the Yankees winning the former two and the Rangers winning the latter.
St. Louis won the series, 3–0.
| Game | Date | Score | Location | Time | Attendance |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | October 1 | San Diego Padres – 1,St. Louis Cardinals – 3 | Busch Stadium (II) | 2:39 | 54,193[18] |
| 2 | October 3 | San Diego Padres – 4,St. Louis Cardinals – 5 | Busch Stadium (II) | 2:55 | 56,752[19] |
| 3 | October 5 | St. Louis Cardinals – 7,San Diego Padres – 5 | Jack Murphy Stadium | 3:32 | 53,899[20] |
This was the first postseason meeting between the Cardinals and Padres. The Cardinals swept the Padres to return to the NLCS for the first time since1987.
Despite ending in a sweep, all three games were decided by two runs or less. The Cardinals won Game 1 thanks to an early three run home run fromGary Gaetti. In Game 2, the Padres rallied to tie the game thanks to an RBI ground out fromSteve Finley, but the Cardinals ultimately prevailed thanks to an RBI ground out fromTom Pagnozzi. Game 3 in San Diego was an offensive slugfest between both teams, which was won by the Cardinals as they completed the sweep.
The Cardinals and Padres would meet again in the NLDS in2005 and2006, as well as the Wild Card series in2020. The Cardinals won the former two meetings, and the Padres won the latter.
Atlanta won the series, 3–0.
| Game | Date | Score | Location | Time | Attendance |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | October 2 | Atlanta Braves – 2,Los Angeles Dodgers – 1(10) | Dodger Stadium | 3:08 | 47,428[21] |
| 2 | October 3 | Atlanta Braves – 3,Los Angeles Dodgers – 2 | Dodger Stadium | 2:08 | 51,916[22] |
| 3 | October 5 | Los Angeles Dodgers – 2,Atlanta Braves – 5 | Atlanta–Fulton County Stadium | 3:19 | 52,529[23] |
This was the first postseason meeting between the Braves and Dodgers. The Braves swept the Dodgers to advance to the NLCS for the fifth consecutive year.
Game 1 was a pitchers’ duel that ended up going into extra innings tied at one. The tie was later broken by Atlanta’sJavy López, who hit a solo home run in the top of the tenth to win the game for the Braves.Greg Maddux outdueledIsmael Valdéz in another pitchers’ duel as the Braves took Game 2 to go up 2–0 in the series headed back home. In Game 3, the Braves’ offense chasedHideo Nomo from the mound as they won 5–2 to complete the sweep.
Both teams would meet in the postseason again four more times - in the NLDS in2013 and2018 (both won by the Dodgers), the NLCS in2020 (won by the Dodgers), and2021 (won by the Braves).
New York won the series, 4–1.
| Game | Date | Score | Location | Time | Attendance |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | October 9 | Baltimore Orioles – 4,New York Yankees – 5(11) | Yankee Stadium (I) | 4:23 | 56,495[24] |
| 2 | October 10 | Baltimore Orioles – 5,New York Yankees – 3 | Yankee Stadium (I) | 4:13 | 58,432[25] |
| 3 | October 11 | New York Yankees – 5,Baltimore Orioles – 2 | Oriole Park at Camden Yards | 2:50 | 48,635[26] |
| 4 | October 12 | New York Yankees – 8,Baltimore Orioles – 4 | Oriole Park at Camden Yards | 3:45 | 48,974[27] |
| 5 | October 13 | New York Yankees – 6,Baltimore Orioles – 4 | Oriole Park at Camden Yards | 2:57 | 48,718[28] |
This was the first postseason meeting between the Yankees and Orioles. The Yankees defeated the Orioles in five games to advance to the World Series for the first time since1981.
Game 1 of the series became famous for the "Jeffrey Maier incident" - in the eighth inning of Game 1, rookieDerek Jeter hit a fly ball to deep right field offArmando Benítez. Right fielderTony Tarasco backed up to the wall, but 12-year-old Yankees fan Jeffrey Maier reached over the fence and brought the ball into the stands and out of the field of play before Tarasco could attempt to catch the ball for a possible out. Tarasco immediately pointed above and protested that it wasfan interference, but right field umpireRich Garcia controversially ruled it a home run and his call was upheld by the other members of the umpiring crew. The Yankees would win Game 1 in eleven innings by a 5–4 score. In Game 2, the Yankees jumped out to an early lead, but a pair of two—run home runs fromTodd Zeile andRafael Palmeiro put the Orioles in the lead for good as they evened the series headed to Baltimore. In Game 3, the Orioles took an early lead thanks to another two-run blast from Zeile, but the Yankees scored five unanswered runs, capped off by a two-run home run fromCecil Fielder to win and retake the series lead. In Game 4, the Yankees jumped into the lead early and held it to take a 3–1 series lead. In Game 5, the Yankees jumped out to a big lead early thanks to home runs from Fielder,Jim Leyritz andDarryl Strawberry, and they held it to win the pennant.
This was the first of three consecutive losses in the ALCS for the Orioles -the next year, they would lose to theCleveland Indians in six games, and in2014 they were swept by theKansas City Royals.
This was the first of six pennants won by the Yankees over the span of eight years - they would win it again in1998,1999,2000,2001, and2003.
The Yankees and Orioles would meet again in the ALDS in2012, which the Yankees won in five games.
Atlanta won the series, 4–3.
| Game | Date | Score | Location | Time | Attendance |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | October 9 | St. Louis Cardinals – 2,Atlanta Braves – 4 | Atlanta–Fulton County Stadium | 2:35 | 48,686[29] |
| 2 | October 10 | St. Louis Cardinals – 8,Atlanta Braves – 3 | Atlanta–Fulton County Stadium | 2:53 | 52,067[30] |
| 3 | October 12 | Atlanta Braves – 2,St. Louis Cardinals – 3 | Busch Stadium (II) | 2:46 | 56,769[31] |
| 4 | October 13 | Atlanta Braves – 3,St. Louis Cardinals – 4 | Busch Stadium (II) | 3:17 | 56,764[32] |
| 5 | October 14 | Atlanta Braves – 14,St. Louis Cardinals – 0 | Busch Stadium (II) | 2:57 | 56,782[33] |
| 6 | October 16 | St. Louis Cardinals – 1,Atlanta Braves – 3 | Atlanta–Fulton County Stadium | 2:41 | 52,067[34] |
| 7 | October 17 | St. Louis Cardinals – 0,Atlanta Braves – 15 | Atlanta–Fulton County Stadium | 2:25 | 52,067[35] |
This was a rematch of the1982 NLCS, which the Cardinals won in a sweep en route to winning the World Series. The Braves defeated the Cardinals in seven games to return to the World Series for the fourth time in six years (in the process denying a rematch of the1964 World Series between the Yankees and Cardinals). The Braves became the first team to ever come back from a 3-1 series deficit in the NLCS to win the pennant.
John Smoltz pitched eight solid innings as the Braves took Game 1. The Cardinals evened the series with a blowout win in Game 2, capped off by a grand slam fromGary Gaetti. In St. Louis for Game 3,Ron Gant led the Cardinals to victory with a pair of home runs. In Game 4, the Braves had a 3–0 lead after six and a half innings, but the Cardinals scored four unanswered runs to take a commanding 3–1 series lead. However, things quickly turned ugly for the Cardinals. Smoltz had yet another stellar performance on the mound as the Braves embarrassed the Cardinals 14–0 in front of their home fans to send the series back to Atlanta. In Game 6,Greg Maddux outdueledAlan Benes in a pitchers’ duel to force a seventh game. The Braves clinched the pennant in Game 7 in a 15–0 rout to become the first team to ever come back from a 3–1 series deficit in the NLCS. The Braves’ 14-0 and 15-0 victories in games five and seven respectively were the two largest in LCS history, surpassing the eleven run margin of victory set by theLos Angeles Dodgers in Game 4 of the1974 NLCS. Game 7 was the final game of legendary Cardinals shortstopOzzie Smith's career; he received a standing ovation from the Braves crowd before flying out to the right-field foul territory in his last at-bat.
The Cardinals would return to the NLCS in2000, but they fell to theNew York Mets in five games. They would win their next pennant in2004 over theHouston Astros in seven games before falling in the World Series.
The Braves would return to the NLCSthe next year and in1998, and lost both to theFlorida Marlins andSan Diego Padres respectively. They would win their next pennant in1999 over theNew York Mets in six games before falling in the World Series.
The Braves and Cardinals would meet again three more times in the postseason — during the NLDS in2000, the Wild Card Game in2012, and the NLDS again in2019 — with the Cardinals winning all three match-ups.
New York won the series, 4–2.
| Game | Date | Score | Location | Time | Attendance |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | October 20 | Atlanta Braves – 12,New York Yankees – 1 | Yankee Stadium | 3:10 | 56,365[36] |
| 2 | October 21 | Atlanta Braves – 4,New York Yankees – 0 | Yankee Stadium | 2:44 | 56,340[37] |
| 3 | October 22 | New York Yankees – 5,Atlanta Braves – 2 | Atlanta–Fulton County Stadium | 3:22 | 51,843[38] |
| 4 | October 23 | New York Yankees – 8,Atlanta Braves – 6(10) | Atlanta–Fulton County Stadium | 4:17 | 51,881[39] |
| 5 | October 24 | New York Yankees – 1,Atlanta Braves – 0 | Atlanta–Fulton County Stadium | 2:54 | 51,881[40] |
| 6 | October 26 | Atlanta Braves – 2,New York Yankees – 3 | Yankee Stadium | 2:52 | 56,375[41] |
This was the third World Series matchup between the Braves and Yankees. They previously met in1957 and1958 when the Braves were still based out ofMilwaukee, with the Braves winning the former and the Yankees winning the latter after trailing 3–1 in the series. The Yankees overcame a two-games-to-none series deficit to upset the defending World Series champion Braves in six games, winning their first title since1978.
At first, it appeared as if the Yankees were no match for the defending champion Braves. In the first World Series games played in the Bronx in 15 years,John Smoltz pitched six solid innings as the Braves blew out the Yankees in Game 1.Greg Maddux pitched eight innings of shutout baseball in Game 2 as the Braves took a 2–0 series lead headed to Atlanta. There, the Yankees responded.Bernie Williams helped lead the Yankees to victory in Game 3 to get on the board in the series. Game 4 was an offensive slugfest which the Yankees won after coming back from an 0-6 deficit to even the series at two. In Game 5,Andy Pettitte pitched eight shutout innings as the Yankees won 1-0 to take a 3–2 series lead headed back to the Bronx. Game 5 was the last game ever played atAtlanta–Fulton County Stadium. In Game 6, the Yankees jumped out to a 3–0 lead early, and while the Braves cut their lead to one in the top of the ninth, the Yankees ultimately prevailed to secure the title.
The Yankees’ eighteen-year drought between championships was the longest for the franchise, and was their longest drought since going fifteen years without winning a title from1962 to1977. This victory marked the start of a dynasty for the Yankees. They would return to the World Seriestwo years later, and swept theSan Diego Padres to begin a three peat from 1998 to2000.
The Braves would return to the World Seriesthree years later only to be defeated by the Yankees again in a sweep, as they became the second victim of the Yankees’ three-peat from 1998 to 2000. They wouldn’t win their next championship until2021, where they defeated theHouston Astros in six games.
This was the first season under a five-year rights agreement withESPN,Fox, andNBC, marking the first time that playoff games aired nationally on U.S. cable television. Division Series games aired across ESPN,ESPN2, Fox, and NBC so that each game could be available nationally instead of regionally during the previous postseason'sThe Baseball Network broadcasts. Then in even-numbered years starting in 1996, NBC televised theAmerican League Championship Series, and Fox aired both theNational League Championship Series and the World Series. In odd-numbered years starting in 1997, Fox had theAmerican League Championship Series, and NBC showed both theNational League Championship Series and the World Series.
