Wild Card Game Schedule Confirmed dates. Nothing invented.

History

MLB Wild Card Series History: Every Series From 2020 to 2026

All 28 MLB Wild Card Series results since 2020, league by league and year by year, with sweep counts, home-field records and the teams that appear most often.

By Dana Whitfield, Wild Card Desk Last updated:

The best-of-three Wild Card Series was used once in 2020, with eight teams per league after the shortened season, then became the permanent opening round from 2022 with four teams per league. Twenty-eight series have been played through 2026.

American League Wild Card Series

YearVisitorSeriesHomeBallpark
2020Toronto Blue Jays0–2Tampa Bay RaysTropicana Field
2020Chicago White Sox1–2Oakland AthleticsOakland Coliseum
2020Houston Astros2–0Minnesota TwinsTarget Field
2020New York Yankees2–0Cleveland IndiansProgressive Field
2022Tampa Bay Rays0–2Cleveland GuardiansProgressive Field
2022Seattle Mariners2–0Toronto Blue JaysRogers Centre
2023Toronto Blue Jays0–2Minnesota TwinsTarget Field
2023Texas Rangers2–0Tampa Bay RaysTropicana Field
2024Detroit Tigers2–0Houston AstrosMinute Maid Park
2024Kansas City Royals2–0Baltimore OriolesOriole Park at Camden Yards
2025Detroit Tigers2–1Cleveland GuardiansProgressive Field
2025Boston Red Sox1–2New York YankeesYankee Stadium
2026Chicago White Sox2–0Houston AstrosDaikin Park
2026Boston Red Sox0–2New York YankeesYankee Stadium

National League Wild Card Series

YearVisitorSeriesHomeBallpark
2020Milwaukee Brewers0–2Los Angeles DodgersDodger Stadium
2020Cincinnati Reds0–2Atlanta BravesTruist Park
2020Miami Marlins2–0Chicago CubsWrigley Field
2020St. Louis Cardinals1–2San Diego PadresPetco Park
2022Philadelphia Phillies2–0St. Louis CardinalsBusch Stadium
2022San Diego Padres2–1New York MetsCiti Field
2023Arizona Diamondbacks2–0Milwaukee BrewersAmerican Family Field
2023Miami Marlins0–2Philadelphia PhilliesCitizens Bank Park
2024New York Mets2–1Milwaukee BrewersAmerican Family Field
2024Atlanta Braves0–2San Diego PadresPetco Park
2025Cincinnati Reds0–2Los Angeles DodgersDodger Stadium
2025San Diego Padres1–2Chicago CubsWrigley Field
2026Philadelphia Phillies1–2Atlanta BravesTruist Park
2026Chicago Cubs0–2San Diego PadresPetco Park

Series winners are in bold. The score column is series games won by the visitor, then by the host.

Patterns worth knowing

  • Sweeps are the norm. Twenty of the twenty-eight series have ended 2–0.
  • Home field is not decisive. Higher seeds have won 15 series, lower seeds 13, despite hosting every game in the round.
  • Frequent visitors. The San Diego Padres have played in five National League series and won four. The Chicago Cubs have also appeared five times, winning two. In the American League, the New York Yankees are the only club with three Wild Card Series wins in the current era.
  • Records. The longest wild card round game by time and by innings is the same one: Game 2 of the 2022 American League series between Tampa Bay and Cleveland, which lasted 15 innings and 4 hours 57 minutes.

The single-game era that preceded this format is covered on MLB wild card game history, and the most recent edition on the 2026 MLB Wild Card Series.

Sources: Wikipedia, “Wild Card Series”.

Questions

Frequently asked questions

How many MLB Wild Card Series have been played?

Twenty-eight through the 2026 postseason: four per league in the one-off 2020 format and two per league each year from 2022 to 2026.

How often does the higher seed win?

Higher-seeded teams have won 15 of the 28 series and lower-seeded teams 13, even though the higher seed hosts every game.

How many Wild Card Series end in a sweep?

Twenty of the twenty-eight have ended 2–0, so only eight have reached a deciding Game 3.

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