Tiebreaker Playoff Games

There have been 16 times that two teams ended the regular season in a tie and needed an additional game (or games) to determine postseason participation. All of the American League ones have been a single game, while the National League staged a best of three series through 1962, after which it switched to the single game format. These games are truly “playoff” games to be distinguished from the consistent MLB designation of “postseason” for the current multiple series procedure (Division Series, League Championship Series, World Series).

Since these playoff games are considered part of the regular season and all individual records from them count in the regular season totals. (Eddie Mathews passed Ernie Banks for the NL home run title in a 1959 playoff game and in 2007 Matt Holliday used his playoff game to pass Ryan Howard for the NL RBI leadership). These games comprise an interesting set and therefore this page was prepared to provide the details for all of them in one place.

1946 (Playoff for NL Pennant)

10-01 Dodgers at Cardinals

10-03 Cardinals at Dodgers

1948 (Playoff for AL Pennant)

10-04 Indians at Red Sox

1951 (Playoff for NL Pennant)

10-01 Giants at Dodgers

10-02 Dodgers at Giants

10-03 Dodgers at Giants

1959 (Playoff for NL Pennant)

9-28 Dodgers at Braves

9-29 Braves at Dodgers