MLB's Top 10 Postseason moments since 2010
The MLB postseason is often littered with magical moments. October is when heroes are made and dreams are shattered. The passion, emotion, pain and glory that comes with playoff baseball is unmatched.
After a long and grueling 162-game season, the reward is a chance to compete against the best. Whether it is a one-off Wild Card game or game seven of the World Series, every game is a battle.
The MLB postseason has been littered with numerous memorable moments since the 2010 season
With the expansion and new format of the playoffs, there have been several noteworthy moments over the previous decade. This list takes a look back at the MLB's top ten moments since 2010.
#10 - Jose Altuve's Walk-Off to Send Astros to the World Series - October 19, 2019
The 2019 American League Championship Series pits two of the league's best against each other. The Houston Astros and New York Yankees combined for a whopping 210 regular-season games that year. It was only fitting that the two were matched up for a spot in the World Series.
The New York Yankees trailed the series 3-1 and did well to edge out a 4-1 victory in Game Five.
Game Six was a hard-fought nail-bitter. The Astros took an early 3-0 lead, but the Yankees were fearless. DJ LeMahieu's home run in the ninth tied the game at 4-4. With the crowd on their feet sensing something big, Jost Altuve stepped up. An 84 mph slider from Aroldis Chapman caught a little too much of the plate, and the rest was history.
#9 - Bryce Harper's HR in Game 5 - October 23, 2022
The Philadelphia Phillies had a commanding 3-1 series lead but trailed 3-2 in the eighth inning versus a potent San Diego Padres offense.
J.T. Realmuto singled to start the inning, providing a glimmer of hope to the 45,485 fans in attendance. The Phillies looked to Bryce Harper for a big moment. Harper did not disappoint. With one swing, Harper set the Phillies on the path to their first World Series since 2009.
Overall, Harper finished the 2022 MLB postseason with six home runs, 13 RBIs and a .349 batting average.
#8 - David Ortiz's Grand Slam - October 13, 2013
Fenway Park is the oldest remaining MLB stadium. It is a historic venue that shines brightest under the lights of playoff baseball.
The Boston Red Sox lost Game One of the 2013 ALCS to the Detroit Tigers in a tightly contested pitching duel. A loss in Game Two and a two-game deficit would have been tough to come back from. It did not start well for the Red Sox.
The Red Sox trailed 5-1 entering the bottom of the eighth inning. With the bases loaded, David "Big Papi" Ortiz was called on to play the role of hero. David Ortiz rocketed the first pitch to right field to tie the game and send the crowd into a frenzy.
This was a turning point for the Red Sox's season. They would go on to defeat the St. Louis Cardinals and win their third World Series in a nine-year span.
#7 - Houston Astros' Combined No-Hitter - November 2, 2022
No-hitters are rare in baseball, especially come playoff time. The fact that the Houston Astros achieved this feat versus, arguably, the most potent offense in the league makes it that much more impressive.
In Game Four of the 2022 MLB World Series, Cristian Javier, Bryan Abreu, Rafael Montero and Ryan Pressley held the Phillies to zero hits. The 5-0 win came at a crucial time for the Astros. They trailed the series 2-1.
This was only the second no-hitter in World Series history.
#6 - Jose Bautista's Bat Flip - October 14, 2015
The must-win, loser-go-home, one-game deciders are what MLB fans patiently wait for all season. With the Toronto Blue Jays and Texas Rangers tied at two games apiece, the final game was set to be played at Rogers Centre.
The Blue Jays trailed 3-2 in the seventh innings but rallied to tie the game. Bautista homered, driving in three runs to the delight of the capacity crowd.
Jose Bautista's emphatic bat flip is regarded as one of the most historic moments in MLB postseason history. After that celebration, the momentum of the game shifted. Driven by a boisterious crowd, the Blue Jays were not going to let this game slip away.
#5 - Yordan Alvarez's Walk-Off Versus the Mariners - Ocotober 11, 2022
Game One of the series can make or break a team. For the Seattle Mariners, that seemed to be the case. Seattle put themselves in an excellent position to take a 1-0 lead and regain home field advantage. The Mariners led 7-3 in the eighth and 7-5 entering the bottom of the ninth.
Robbie Ray, who was usually a starter, was assigned the task of closing this one out. With two men on base, Yordan Alvarez pulled a 93 mph fastball into the stands to send the crowd wild.
The Mariners never fully recovered and were swept in the series. The Astros went on to win their second World Series in five years.
#4 - Sandoval's 3 HRs in Game 1 - October 24, 2012
During his heyday, Pablo Sandoval was rated as one of the best power-hitters in the MLB. The Kung Fu Panda, as he was endearingly called, was ruthless at the plate. No game better summarizes Sandoval's might and ability better than Game One of the 2012 World Series.
Sandoval went 4-4 with four RBIs on three home runs. He joined an elite group of MLB stars that day. Babe Ruth, Reggie Jackson and Albert Pujols are the only other players to ever hit three home runs in a World Series game.
#3 - Roy Halladay's No-Hitter - October 6, 2010
Before Roy Halladay, only one other pitcher had ever accomplished a no-hitter in MLB postseason history. Don Larsen achieved the feat back in 1956, meaning the league did not witness a postseason no-no for 54 years.
This was Halladay's first ever postseason appearance, and he was flawless on the night. He completed the game with eight strikeouts and allowed just one walk in a 4-0 victory for the Phillies.
#2 - David Freese's Miraculous Game 6 Performance - October 27, 2011
Game 6 of the 2011 World Series was one of the most exhilarating games in the history of the MLB postseason. The St. Louis Cardinals were dead and buried, and the Texas Rangers looked certain to win the franchise's first ever World Series.
The Rangers were one out away from the ultimate prize when David Freese stepped up in the bottom of the ninth. In fact, the Rangers were one strike away when Freese hit an opposite-field triple to tie the game at 7-7.
In extra innings, the Rangers, once again, took the lead, only to somehow blow it again. With the game tied at 10 in the bottom of the eleventh, Freese etched his name in baseball folklore with a walk-off home run that would keep the series alive. The Cardinals would go on to win Game Seven 6-2 to be crowned champions.
#1 - Cubs winning the World Series - November 2, 2016
Although there was no monster home run or memorable strikeout to close out this game, there is no doubt this moment captures the number one spot on the list.
It was a tense, nail-biting, back-and-forth series, especially for the Chicago Cubs. The organization had gone 108 years without an MLB championship. As the game entered extra innings in Game Seven, Cubs fans expected the worst. History had not been kind to the Cubs in these situations.
Ben Zobrist and Miguel Montero each drove in a run in the tenth inning to set the stage. For the Cubs, however, nothing comes easy. The Cleveland Indians scored with two outs to make it a one-run game. With a man on first, Mike Montgomery was brought in to save the game in what would be the biggest ever out of his MLB career.
As the ball rolled to Kris Bryant at third-base, baseball fans around the country held their breath. Anthony Rizzo made the catch at first base to record the final out (and immediately pocketed the ball) to the delight (and relief) of Cubs fans. The 108-year-old curse was finally broken.