The League Championship Series (LCS) is the semifinal round of postseason play in Major League Baseball, featuring the American League Championship Series (ALCS) and the National League Championship Series (NLCS). The LCS has been conducted since 1969, determining the winner of the pennant for each league and each league's representative in the World Series. In 1981 and since 1995, the LCS matches up the winners of the Division Series from each league.
History Prior to 1969, the champion of both leagues was determined by regular season win-loss record. In instances of tiebreakers, there were tiebreaker contests held, which served as unofficial postseason games. The American League held a single-game tiebreaker in 1948 to determine the league champion for that season. The National League held a best-of-three tiebreaker series in 1946, 1951, 1959, and 1962.
In , when both the American League and National League expanded from 10 teams to 12 (the American League added the Kansas City Royals and Seattle Pilots, and the National League added the Montreal Expos and San Diego Padres), both leagues split their teams into newly-formed East and West divisions. The League Championship Series was created as a new postseason round to determine the champion of each league and featuring the first-place teams from each of the new divisions.
For its first 16 seasons, the League Championship Series were best-of-five, using the format in which the team without home field advantage hosted the first two games, and the team with it hosted the rest of the LCS, making it impossible for the disadvantaged team to win the series at home. It also allowed those teams the unusual luxury of starting a series at home, possibly having home-field advantage in a three-game series, and a guarantee that they play two games at home.
In , the LCS was lengthened to best-of-seven games in the format with the team holding home-field advantage opening the series at home and playing the next three games on the road, before returning home for two more possible games. The disadvantaged team would have had more games played at home than on the road if the series ends in five games.
Since , the LCS has matched up the winners of the Division Series, which were added when both leagues realigned into three divisions.
Until , the home-field advantage in the LCS was allocated on a rotating basis between the two (three from 1995 through ) division champions; since 1998, that advantage is given to the team with the better regular season record, except that if a division champion faces a wild card team, the division champion always gets home-field advantage regardless of record.
As of , all thirty MLB teams have reached the LCS at least once. The Houston Astros and Milwaukee Brewers are the only teams to have played in both the ALCS and NLCS. Four teams have never lost an LCS: the Colorado Rockies (won in 2007), the Miami Marlins (won as the Florida Marlins in 1997 and 2003), the Tampa Bay Rays (won in 2008 and 2020), and the Texas Rangers (won in 2010, 2011, and 2023).
Nine managers have led a team to the ALCS in three consecutive seasons; the record for most consecutive ALCS appearances by a manager is jointly held by Joe Torre, who led the New York Yankees to four in a row (1998, 1999, 2000, 2001), and Dusty Baker, who led the Houston Astros to four in a row (2020, 2021, 2022, 2023). Seven managers have led a team to the NLCS in three consecutive seasons; however, the most consecutive NLCS appearances by one manager is held by Bobby Cox, who led the Atlanta Braves to eight straight from 1991 to 1999. Tony La Russa and Jim Leyland are the only managers to lead their teams to three consecutive League Championship Series appearances in both leagues.
The Milwaukee Brewers, an American League team between 1969 and 1997, and the Houston Astros, a National League team between 1962 and 2012, are the only franchises to play in both the ALCS and NLCS. The Astros are the only team to have won both an NLCS (2005) and an ALCS (2017, 2019, 2021, and 2022). The Astros made four NLCS appearances before moving to the AL in 2013, where they appeared in seven straight ALCS from 2017 to 2023.
Trophies
The William Harridge Trophy is awarded to the AL champion, named in honor of former AL president Will Harridge.http://fielderschoice.wordpress.com/2009/04/10/overjoyed/ Dave (Tampa Bay Rays fan), "Overjoyed!", Fielder's Choice Baseball Card Blog, April 10, 2009. Retrieved August 17, 2009 (including photo of trophy). The Warren C. Giles Trophy is awarded to the NL champion, named in honor of former NL president Warren Giles.
The League Championship Series Most Valuable Player Award is given to the most outstanding player in each LCS. The National League began its LCS MVP award in 1977, the American League began its LCS MVP award in 1980.League Championship Series Most Valuable Players (MLB.com/News/Awards/History/ ). MLB Advanced Media, L.P. Retrieved August 31, 2009.
The MVP award has been given to a player on the losing team twice, in 1986 to Mike Scott of the Houston Astros and in 1987 to Jeffrey Leonard of the San Francisco Giants. The ALCS MVP Award is named in honor of former AL president Lee MacPhail.
Results
American League Championship Series
+KeyWild cardMVP did not play for winning team YearWinning teamManagerGamesLosing teamManagerSeries MVP1969Baltimore Orioles3–0Minnesota Twins 1970Baltimore Orioles3–0Minnesota Twins1971Baltimore Orioles3–0Oakland Athletics1972Oakland Athletics3–2Detroit Tigers1973Oakland Athletics3–2Baltimore Orioles1974Oakland Athletics3–1Baltimore Orioles1975Boston Red Sox3–0Oakland Athletics1976New York Yankees3–2Kansas City Royals1977New York Yankees3–2Kansas City Royals1978New York Yankees3–1Kansas City Royals1979Baltimore Orioles3–1California Angels1980Kansas City Royals3–0New York YankeesFrank White, Kansas City1981New York Yankees3–0Oakland AthleticsGraig Nettles, New York1982Milwaukee Brewers3–2California AngelsFred Lynn, California*1983Baltimore Orioles3–1Chicago White SoxMike Boddicker, Baltimore1984Detroit Tigers3–0Kansas City RoyalsKirk Gibson, Detroit1985Kansas City Royals4–3Toronto Blue JaysGeorge Brett, Kansas City1986Boston Red Sox4–3California AngelsMarty Barrett, Boston1987Minnesota Twins4–1Detroit TigersGary Gaetti, Minnesota1988Oakland Athletics4–0Boston Red SoxDennis Eckersley, Oakland1989Oakland Athletics4–1Toronto Blue JaysRickey Henderson, Oakland1990Oakland Athletics4–0Boston Red SoxDave Stewart, Oakland1991Minnesota Twins4–1Toronto Blue JaysKirby Puckett, Minnesota1992Toronto Blue Jays4–2Oakland AthleticsRoberto Alomar, Toronto1993Toronto Blue Jays4–2Chicago White SoxDave Stewart, Toronto1994No Series due to a players' strike.1995Cleveland Indians4–2Seattle MarinersOrel Hershiser, Cleveland1996New York Yankees4–1Baltimore OriolesBernie Williams, New York1997Cleveland Indians4–2Baltimore OriolesMarquis Grissom, Cleveland1998New York Yankees4–2Cleveland IndiansDavid Wells, New York1999New York Yankees4–1Boston Red SoxOrlando Hernández, New York2000New York Yankees4–2Seattle MarinersDavid Justice, New York2001New York Yankees4–1Seattle MarinersAndy Pettitte, New York2002Anaheim Angels4–1Minnesota TwinsAdam Kennedy, Anaheim2003New York Yankees4–3Boston Red SoxMariano Rivera, New York2004Boston Red Sox4–3New York YankeesDavid Ortiz, Boston2005Chicago White Sox4–1Los Angeles Angels of AnaheimPaul Konerko, Chicago2006Detroit Tigers4–0Oakland AthleticsPlácido Polanco, Detroit2007Boston Red Sox4–3Cleveland IndiansJosh Beckett, Boston2008Tampa Bay Rays4–3Boston Red SoxMatt Garza, Tampa Bay2009New York Yankees4–2Los Angeles Angels of AnaheimCC Sabathia, New York2010Texas Rangers4–2New York YankeesJosh Hamilton, Texas2011Texas Rangers4–2Detroit TigersNelson Cruz, Texas2012Detroit Tigers4–0New York YankeesDelmon Young, Detroit2013Boston Red Sox4–2Detroit TigersKoji Uehara, Boston2014Kansas City Royals4–0Baltimore OriolesLorenzo Cain, Kansas City2015Kansas City Royals4–2Toronto Blue JaysAlcides Escobar, Kansas City2016Cleveland Indians4–1Toronto Blue JaysAndrew Miller, Cleveland2017 Houston Astros4–3 New York YankeesJustin Verlander, Houston2018 Boston Red Sox4–1 Houston AstrosJackie Bradley Jr., Boston2019 Houston Astros4–2 New York YankeesJose Altuve, Houston2020Tampa Bay Rays4–3Houston Astros Randy Arozarena, Tampa Bay2021 Houston Astros4–2Boston Red SoxYordan Alvarez, Houston2022Houston Astros4–0 New York YankeesJeremy Peña, Houston2023Texas Rangers4–3Houston AstrosAdolis García, Texas2024New York Yankees4–1Cleveland GuardiansGiancarlo Stanton, New York2025Toronto Blue Jays4–3Seattle MarinersVladimir Guerrero Jr., Toronto
Appearances by team AppsTeamWinsLossesWin %Most recent winMost recent appearanceGames wonGames lostGame win %19New York Yankees12720242024544512Boston Red Sox6620182021323611Athletics6519902006232310Baltimore Orioles551983201421208Kansas City Royals442015201520178Toronto Blue Jays352025202520277Detroit Tigers342012201318157Houston Astros432022202323196Los Angeles Angels152002200913196Cleveland Indians332016202418175Minnesota Twins23199120029124Seattle Mariners04Never20258163Chicago White Sox1220052005783Texas Rangers30202320231272Tampa Bay Rays2020202020861Milwaukee Brewers101982198232
Years of appearance In the sortable table below, teams are ordered first by number of wins, then by number of appearances, and finally by year of first appearance. In the "Season(s)" column, bold years indicate winning appearances. TeamWinsLossesWin %Season(s)19New York Yankees1271976, 1977, 1978, 1980, 1981, 1996, 1998, 1999, 2000, 2001, 2003, 2004, 2009, 2010, 2012, 2017, 2019, 2022, 202412Boston Red Sox661975, 1986, 1988, 1990, 1999, 2003, 2004, 2007, 2008, 2013, 2018, 202111Athletics651971, 1972, 1973, 1974, 1975, 1981, 1988, 1989, 1990, 1992, 200610Baltimore Orioles551969, 1970, 1971, 1973, 1974, 1979, 1983, 1996, 1997, 20148Kansas City Royals441976, 1977, 1978, 1980, 1984, 1985, 2014, 20157Houston Astros432017, 2018, 2019, 2020, 2021, 2022, 20238Toronto Blue Jays351985, 1989, 1991, 1992, 1993, 2015, 2016, 20257Detroit Tigers341972, 1984, 1987, 2006, 2011, 2012, 20136Cleveland Indians331995, 1997, 1998, 2007, 2016, 20243Texas Rangers302010, 2011, 20235Minnesota Twins231969, 1970, 1987, 1991, 20022Tampa Bay Rays202008, 20206Los Angeles Angels151979, 1982, 1986, 2002, 2005, 20093Chicago White Sox121983, 1993, 20051Milwaukee Brewers1019824Seattle Mariners041995, 2000, 2001, 2025
Recurring matchups CountMatchupRecordYears4Kansas City Royals vs. New York YankeesYankees, 3–11976, 1977, 1978, 19803Baltimore Orioles vs. AthleticsAthletics, 2–11971, 1973, 19743Boston Red Sox vs. AthleticsAthletics, 2–11975, 1988, 19903Boston Red Sox vs. New York YankeesYankees, 2–11999, 2003, 20043Houston Astros vs. New York YankeesAstros, 3–02017, 2019, 20222Baltimore Orioles vs. Minnesota TwinsOrioles, 2–01969, 19702Athletics vs. Toronto Blue JaysTied, 1–11989, 19922New York Yankees vs. Seattle MarinersYankees, 2–02000, 20012Detroit Tigers vs. AthleticsTied, 1–11972, 20062Kansas City Royals vs. Toronto Blue JaysRoyals, 2–01985, 20152Boston Red Sox vs. Houston AstrosTied, 1–12018, 20212Cleveland Guardians vs. New York YankeesYankees, 2–01998, 2024
National League Championship Series
+KeyWild cardMVP did not play for winning team