The 2024 Divisional Series of Major League Baseball is over.. All eight teams remaining in the playoffs played best-of-five series, with the winners advancing to the Championship Series. The first two games of each series were played at the stadium of the higher seeded team, the next one, potentially two were played at the lower seeded team’s stadium and the potential fifth game was played at the home of the higher seeded team.
National League
New York Mets (6) @ Philadelphia Phillies (2)
Surprisingly, this series was the first time in history these rivals have matched up in the postseason. After a 95-win regular season, the Phillies were well-rested and poised to take on the Mets.
The Phillies were poised to win Game 1 when Zack Wheeler delivered one of the best starts of his career, going seven scoreless innings with nine strikeouts. The Mets attacked Philadelphia’s bullpen in the eighth, though, scoring five runs against a combination of Jeff Hoffman and Matt Strahm. The Mets bullpen threw seven scoreless innings after Kodai Senga worked two innings in his first start since July 26. Game 1 went to the Mets by a score of 6-2, with Reed Garrett getting the win and Jeff Hoffman taking the loss.
Game 2 was a back-and-forth game, with the Phillies leading 3-2 in the sixth inning then going back ahead 6-4 in the eighth when they scored three against closer Edwin Diaz, two of which coming on a Bryson Stott triple. In the ninth, Mark Vientos tied it for the Mets, facing Matt Strahm, with his second homer of the game. The Phillies walked-off the Mets in the bottom of the ninth, though, with Nick Castellanos recording the game-winning hit for his third hit of the game, against Tylor Megill, who took the loss while Jeff Hoffman recorded a win.
Nick Castellanos walked-off the Mets with a single in the bottom of the ninth. (Source: Heather Khalifa)
In their first postseason game of 2024 at home, the Mets attacked Aaron Nola early with homers from Pete Alonso and Jesse Winker and two more runs in the sixth and seventh innings. Sean Manaea threw seven dominant innings for the Mets, and the Phillies were only able to score twice in the eighth. The Mets won 7-2, with Manaea getting the win and Nola the loss.
After being held in check by Ranger Suarez, a majestic grand slam from MVP candidate Francisco Lindor in the sixth inning gave the Mets all they needed. Jose Quintana went five solid innings for the Mets and the bullpen did the rest, giving the Mets their first ever clinch at Citi Field. David Peterson was awarded the win, Jeff Hoffman took the loss and Edwin Diaz recorded a shaky save for his first of the series, as the Mets advanced to the NLCS.
Francisco Lindor pushed the Mets to the NLCS with a grand slam. (Source: Adam Hunger)
Series Most Valuable Player
Mark Vientos. The breakout third baseman for the Mets went 9-16 in the series with two home runs and a 1.674 OPS.
Least Valuable Player
Jeff Hoffman. Recording just four outs in the series, Hoffman pitched three times, recorded two losses and gave up six earned runs.
San Diego Padres (4) @ Los Angeles Dodgers (1)
Another division rivalry, the Padres and Dodgers had a dramatic series in California.
After both starters – Dylan Cease for the Padres and Yoshinobu Yamamoto for the Dodgers – got hit hard early, the Dodgers took a lead in the fourth inning with a Teoscar Hernandez single against Jeremiah Estrada and used six pitchers to hold on to a 7-5 lead and win Game 1. Ryan Brasier got the win, Adrian Morejon took the loss and Blake Treinen recorded a five out save.
The Padres took a lead in the first with a Fernando Tatis Jr. homer against Jack Flaherty and never looked back. Tatis Jr. homered again, along with Jackson Merrill, David Peralta, Xander Bogaerts and Kyle Higashioka, to give the Padres a 10-2 victory in Game 2. Flaherty took the loss while 38-year-old Yu Darvish went seven strong innings for the win.
The Padres scored six times in the second inning off Walker Buehler, including another homer from Tatis Jr., and the bullpen was able to hold off the Dodgers after Michael King allowed five runs. The Padres squeaked out a 6-5 win in Game 3, with King’s subpar start earning the win, Buehler taking a loss, and Robert Suarez retiring four Dodgers for the save.
Fernando Tatis Jr. hit his fourth home run of the series to lead the Padres to a Game 3 win. (Source: AP)
The Dodgers used eight pitchers to shut out the Padres in Game 4 and even the series. The offense did their part as well, as Mookie Betts, Will Smith and Gavin Lux homered in the 8-0 win. Evan Phillips got the win and the loss went to Dylan Cease, who had his second rocky start of the series.
In Game 5 Yoshinobu Yamamoto gave the Dodgers five shutout innings and the bullpen was scoreless for four more. Yu Darvish had a quality start, going 6 ⅔ innings, allowing two earned runs and striking out four, but homers from Kike Hernandez and Teoscar Hernandez were enough for a 2-0 win, as the Padres were shutout for the second straight game. Yamamoto got the win, Darvish took the loss and Blake Treinen closed the game, as the Dodgers advanced to the NLCS.
Teoscar Hernandez’s Game 5 home run was all the Dodgers needed. (Source: MLB.com)
Series Most Valuable Player
Teoscar Hernandez. The Dodgers left fielder went 6-18 in the series for a .333 average, homered twice, drove in seven runs and had an OPS of 1.067.
Least Valuable Player
Dylan Cease. After a regular season where Cease won 14 games with an E.R.A. of 3.47, he was hit hard twice by the Dodgers, getting a no decision and a loss. In his two starts combined, Cease went five innings and allowed six earned runs, and E.R.A. of 10.80.
American League
Detroit Tigers (6) @ Cleveland Guardians (2)
The Tigers improbable season continued as they traveled to Cleveland to take on Stephen Vogt’s Guardians.
In Game 1 the Tigers bullpen was attacked right away, when Lane Thomas hit a first inning three-run homer off Tyler Holton. The Tigers couldn’t score against Cleveland starter Tanner Bibee, who went 4 ⅔ innings before handing the ball to his bullpen. Cleveland came away with a dominant 7-0 win. Cade Smith got the win and Holton the loss.
Game 2 was the opposite of Game 1 in that no runs were scored for the first eight innings of the game. Tarik Skubal pitched a gem for Detroit and Matthew Boyd and Cleveland’s bullpen did enough to keep the game tied until the ninth. Emmanuel Clase, who sported an 0.61 E.R.A. during the regular season, came in for the ninth for Cleveland but was nowhere near as dominant as usual. He allowed a three-run homer to Kerry Carpenter with two outs in the inning to take the loss. Will Vest got the win and Beau Brieske preserved the 3-0 lead in the ninth for the save.
Kerry Carpenter hit a go-ahead three-run homer against Emmanuel Clase in the ninth inning of Game 2. (Source: David Dermer)
Back in Detroit for Game 3, the Tigers took a first inning lead with a Riley Greene single off Alex Cobb. Tigers manager A.J. Hinch used six pitchers to get through nine innings and the Tigers won their second straight game 3-0. Lefty long-reliever Brant Hurter recorded a win, Cobb took the loss and Tyler Holton rebounded from his Game 1 woes to earn the save.
In Game 4, Tanner Bibee made his second start of the series for Cleveland this time facing Reese Olson. After giving up one run in four innings throwing 59 pitches, Zach McKinstry hit an opposite field home run to lead off the fifth. Bibee was then pulled by Stephen Vogt. Cleveland’s bullpen limited the Tigers to two runs over five innings, while the Guardians hitters attacked Detroit’s bullpen for four runs over five innings, scoring off of Tyler Holton, Sean Guenther, Beau Brieske and Jackson Jobe. Jose Ramirez and David Fry homered, the latter giving Cleveland the lead in the seventh, which they would hold onto and win 5-4. Hunter Gaddis got the win, the loss went to Beau Brieske and Emmanuel Clase recorded a five-out save.
David Fry’s go-ahead home run forced a Game 5 against the Tigers. (Source: AP)
After throwing 17 scoreless innings to start the postseason, Cleveland finally got to Tarik Skubal in Game 5, with Lane Thomas hitting a fifth inning grand slam off him. After Matthew Boyd opened with two scoreless innings for the Guardians, seven relievers worked to limit the Tigers to three runs. Lane Thomas and Brayan Rocchio each had RBI hits late in the game as Cleveland won 7-3 and advanced to the ALCS. Guardians reliever Tim Herrin was awarded the win, Skubal got the loss and Emmanuel Clase threw two perfect innings for a save.
Lane Thomas’ grand slam gave Cleveland a lead in the rubber game against the Tigers. (Source: David Dermer)
Series Most Valuable Player
Steven Kwan. The second-year outfielder for Cleveland from the leadoff spot reached base 13 times in the series, going 11-21 with a double, five runs and a 1.136 OPS.
Least Valuable Player
Matt Vierling. Batting near the top of the order every game of the series, the outfielder was never an offensive threat, going just 2-20 in the series with 10 strikeouts.
Kansas City Royals (5) @ New York Yankees (1)
Juan Soto got his first Yankees postseason at-bats against the strong pitching of the Royals in this ALDS matchup.
Both teams held multiple leads in Game 1 as Michael Wacha of the Royals and Gerrit Cole of the Yankees were each hit hard. The Yankees took a lead in the top of the seventh with a single from first-year Yankee Alex Verdugo. Juan Soto recorded three hits in his first Yankees postseason game as the Yankees won 6-5. Yankees closer Clay Holmes was called upon by manager Aaron Boone for five outs much earlier in the game than usual. He was awarded the win, Michael Lorenzen was pegged with a loss and Luke Weaver retired all four Royals he faced to get a save.
Alex Verdugo gave the Yankees the lead in the seventh with an RBI single. (Source: AP)
In Game 2, Kansas City erupted for four fourth inning runs against Yankees starter Carlos Rodon, including a home run from veteran catcher Salvador Perez. Cole Ragans was shaky but only gave up one run in his four innings, and the bullpen did the rest, giving the Royals a 4-2 win to even the series at 1. Angel Zerpa got the win, Rodon the loss, and Lucas Erceg allowed a home run to Jazz Chisholm Jr. to start the ninth but then retired three of the next four batters to earn the save.
In Game 3, the Yankees and Royals remained tied at 2 for most of the game, after Seth Lugo for the Royals and Clarke Schmidt for the Yankees each gave up two runs in their starts. In the top of the eighth inning, Royals manager Matt Quatraro pulled Brady Singer in favor of southpaw Kris Bubic. Bubic struck out Austin Wells then faced Giancarlo Stanton. Stanton took a 3-1 slider below the zone and hit it 112.9 MPH into the seats deep in left field, giving the Yankees a 3-2 lead. New York held on to their one-run lead to win Game 3. Tommy Kahnle got the win, Bubic took the loss, and Luke Weaver retired five Royals for his second save of the series.
Giancarlo Stanton’s eighth inning home run propelled the Yankees to a Game 3 win. (Source: Colin Braley)
Juan Soto’s Game 4 first inning RBI single against Michael Wacha gave the Yankees a lead and they never looked back. Yankees’ ace Gerrit Cole was on the mound and gave New York seven strong innings of one-run ball. Clay Holmes had a scoreless eighth and Luke Weaver took the ninth for the save, as the Yankees won 3-1. Cole got the win and Wacha took the loss, as the Yankees advanced to the Championship Series.
Series Most Valuable Player
Luke Weaver. The Yankees late-inning reliever in the regular season turned into a dominant closer in this series. He pitched in all four games, recording all three saves. For the series, he went 4 ⅓ innings scoreless, allowing only two hits and striking out five Royals.
Least Valuable Player
Bobby Witt Jr. As bad as Aaron Judge was, the Yankees survived without his bat but the Royals couldn’t survive without Witt’s. After dominating in the Wild Card series against Baltimore, the 24-year-old star shortstop just never got going against the Yankees pitchers. Witt Jr. went 2-17 over the four games with two singles, striking out five times and leaving seven runners on base.
In the National League, the Dodgers will stay at home to face-off Sunday, October 13 against the Mets. In the American League the day after, the Guardians travel to New York to start a series with the Yankees.
