2010 Major League Baseball postseason
Tournament details
DatesOctober 6 – November 1, 2010[1]
Teams8
Final positions
ChampionsSan Francisco Giants
(6th title)
Runner-upTexas Rangers
(1st World Series appearance)
Tournament statistics
MVPÉdgar Rentería
(SF)

The 2010 Major League Baseball postseason was the playoff tournament of Major League Baseball for the 2010 season. The winners of the League Division Series would move on to the League Championship Series to determine the pennant winners that face each other in the World Series.

In the American League, the New York Yankees returned for the fifteenth time in the past sixteen years, the Minnesota Twins returned for the sixth time in the past nine years, the Tampa Bay Rays returned for the second time in three years, and the Texas Rangers returned for the first time since 1999. This would be the first of three consecutive postseason appearances for the Rangers, and the last postseason appearance for the Twins until 2017.

In the National League, the Philadelphia Phillies returned to the postseason for the fourth straight time, the San Francisco Giants made their first postseason appearance since 2003, the Atlanta Braves returned for the first time since 2005, and the Cincinnati Reds made their first postseason appearance since 1995.

The postseason began on October 6, 2010, and ended on November 1, 2010, with the Giants defeating the Rangers in five games in the 2010 World Series, ending the Curse of Coogan's Bluff. It was the Giants' first title since 1954 and their sixth overall.

Playoff seeds

The following teams qualified for the postseason:

American League

  1. Tampa Bay Rays – AL East champions, 96–66[2]
  2. Minnesota Twins – AL Central champions, 94–68[3]
  3. Texas Rangers – AL West champions, 90–72[4]
  4. New York Yankees – AL Wild Card qualifier, 95–67[5]

National League

  1. Philadelphia Phillies – NL East champions, 97–65[6]
  2. San Francisco Giants – NL West champions, 92–70[7]
  3. Cincinnati Reds – NL Central champions, 91–71[8]
  4. Atlanta Braves – NL Wild Card qualifier, 91–71[9]

Playoff bracket

Division Series
(ALDS, NLDS) 		League Championship Series
(ALCS, NLCS) 		World Series
         
1 Tampa Bay 2
3 Texas 3
3 Texas 4
American League
4 NY Yankees 2
2 Minnesota 0
4 NY Yankees 3
AL3 Texas 1
NL2 San Francisco 4
1 Philadelphia 3
3 Cincinnati 0
1 Philadelphia 2
National League
2 San Francisco 4
2 San Francisco 3
4 Atlanta 1

Note: Two teams in the same division could not meet in the division series.

American League Division Series

(1) Tampa Bay Rays vs. (3) Texas Rangers

Texas won the series, 3–2.

GameDateScoreLocationTimeAttendance 
1October 6Texas Rangers – 5, Tampa Bay Rays – 1Tropicana Field3:0635,474[10] 
2October 7Texas Rangers – 6, Tampa Bay Rays – 0Tropicana Field3:1035,535[11] 
3October 9Tampa Bay Rays – 6, Texas Rangers – 3Rangers Ballpark in Arlington3:3851,746[12] 
4October 10Tampa Bay Rays – 5, Texas Rangers – 2Rangers Ballpark in Arlington3:2249,218[13] 
5October 12Texas Rangers – 5, Tampa Bay Rays – 1Tropicana Field3:0041,845[14]

This was the first postseason meeting between the Rays and Rangers. In the first postseason series where neither team won a home game, the Rangers defeated the Rays in five games to advance to the ALCS for the first time in franchise history.

The Rangers dominated the first two games in Tampa, thanks to solid pitching performances from Cliff Lee and C. J. Wilson. When the series shifted to Arlington for Game 3, the Rangers possessed a 2–1 lead going into the eighth, but the Rays went on a 5–1 run through the eighth and ninth innings to win and avoid a sweep. In Game 4, the Rays jumped out to an early lead and did not relinquish it, sending the series back to Tampa for Game 5. However, Lee would yet again lead the Rangers to victory, pitching a complete game and giving the Rangers their first playoff series victory.

The Rays and Rangers met again in the ALDS the next year, which the Rangers also won, but this time in four games.

(2) Minnesota Twins vs. (4) New York Yankees

New York won the series, 3–0.

GameDateScoreLocationTimeAttendance 
1October 6New York Yankees – 6, Minnesota Twins – 4Target Field3:4742,032[15] 
2October 7New York Yankees – 5, Minnesota Twins – 2Target Field2:5942,035[16] 
3October 9Minnesota Twins – 1, New York Yankees – 6Yankee Stadium3:0650,840[17]

This was the fourth postseason meeting between the Yankees and Twins (2003, 2004, 2009). The Yankees once again swept the Twins to advance to the ALCS for the second year in a row.

In Minneapolis, the Yankees stole Game 1 by a 6–4 score. In Game 2, Andy Pettitte helped lead the Yankees to victory in what would be his nineteenth and final postseason win. When the series moved to the Bronx, Phil Hughes and the Yankees bullpen held the Twins to one run scored to complete the sweep.

The Twins would not return to the postseason again until 2017.

National League Division Series

(1) Philadelphia Phillies vs. (3) Cincinnati Reds

Philadelphia won the series, 3–0.

GameDateScoreLocationTimeAttendance 
1October 6Cincinnati Reds – 0, Philadelphia Phillies – 4†Citizens Bank Park2:3446,411[18] 
2October 8Cincinnati Reds – 4, Philadelphia Phillies – 7Citizens Bank Park3:3946,511[19] 
3October 10Philadelphia Phillies – 2, Cincinnati Reds – 0Great American Ball Park3:0044,599[20]

†: No-hitter by Roy Halladay

This was the first postseason meeting between these two teams since the 1976 NLCS, which the Reds won in a sweep en route to winning back-to-back titles. This time, the Phillies returned the favor, sweeping the Reds to advance to the NLCS for the third year in a row.

This series was notable for a no-hitter thrown by Roy Halladay in Game 1, the first no-hitter in the postseason since Don Larsen's perfect game in the 1956 World Series.[21] In Game 2, the Reds held a 4–0 lead, but the Phillies would rally with seven unanswered runs in the bottom the fifth, sixth, seventh, and eighth respectively to win and take a 2–0 series lead headed to Cincinnati. Cole Hamels pitched a complete-game shutout for the Phillies in Game 3 to complete the sweep.

This was the last playoff series won by the Phillies until 2022.

(2) San Francisco Giants vs. (4) Atlanta Braves

San Francisco won the series, 3–1.

GameDateScoreLocationTimeAttendance 
1October 7Atlanta Braves – 0, San Francisco Giants – 1AT&T Park2:2643,936[22] 
2October 8Atlanta Braves – 5, San Francisco Giants – 4 (11 innings)AT&T Park3:4744,046[23] 
3October 10San Francisco Giants – 3, Atlanta Braves – 2Turner Field3:2353,284[24] 
4October 11San Francisco Giants – 3, Atlanta Braves – 2Turner Field2:5644,532[25]

This was the second postseason meeting between these two teams. The Giants defeated the Braves in four games to return to the NLCS for the first time since 2002.

Giants' ace Tim Lincecum pitched a complete-game shutout in Game 1, while the Braves evened the series with a one-run victory in Game 2. In Atlanta, the Giants narrowly prevailed in Game 3 to take a 2–1 series lead after being down to their last out while trailing in the top of the ninth. Giants' rookie pitcher Madison Bumgarner helped close out the series in Game 4 in what would be his first of many postseason wins.

American League Championship Series

(3) Texas Rangers vs. (4) New York Yankees

Texas won the series, 4–2.

GameDateScoreLocationTimeAttendance 
1October 15New York Yankees – 6, Texas Rangers – 5Rangers Ballpark in Arlington3:5050,930[26] 
2October 16New York Yankees – 2, Texas Rangers – 7Rangers Ballpark in Arlington3:5250,362[27] 
3October 18Texas Rangers – 8, New York Yankees – 0Yankee Stadium3:1849,480[28] 
4October 19Texas Rangers – 10, New York Yankees – 3Yankee Stadium4:0549,977[29] 
5October 20Texas Rangers – 2, New York Yankees – 7Yankee Stadium3:4849,832[30] 
6October 22New York Yankees – 1, Texas Rangers – 6Rangers Ballpark in Arlington2:5751,404[31]

This was the fourth postseason meeting between the Rangers and Yankees. They had previously met in the ALDS in 1996, 1998, and 1999, which were all won by the Yankees. This time, the Rangers returned the favor, defeating the Yankees in six games to advance to the World Series for the first time in franchise history (in the process denying a rematch of the 1962 World Series between the Yankees and Giants).

Both teams split the first two games in Arlington — the Yankees overcame a 5–0 lead in Game 1 to win 6–5, and in Game 2, the Rangers won their first home postseason game in franchise history. When the series moved to the Bronx, the Rangers blew out the Yankees, 8–0, partly thanks to another solid pitching performance from Cliff Lee. The Rangers blew out the Yankees again in Game 4, 10–3, to take a 3–1 series lead. CC Sabathia and the Yankees' bullpen helped send the series back to Arlington with a 7–2 victory in Game 5. In Game 6, with the game tied at one going into the bottom of the fifth, Vladimir Guerrero and Nelson Cruz put the Rangers in the lead for good with a four-run fifth, effectively securing the pennant.

The Rangers would win the AL pennant again the next year against the Detroit Tigers in six games. The Yankees returned to the ALCS in 2012, but were swept by the Tigers.

National League Championship Series

(1) Philadelphia Phillies vs. (2) San Francisco Giants

San Francisco won the series, 4–2.

GameDateScoreLocationTimeAttendance 
1October 16San Francisco Giants – 4, Philadelphia Phillies – 3Citizens Bank Park2:5945,929[32] 
2October 17San Francisco Giants – 1, Philadelphia Phillies – 6Citizens Bank Park3:0146,099[33] 
3October 19Philadelphia Phillies – 0, San Francisco Giants – 3AT&T Park2:3943,320[34] 
4October 20Philadelphia Phillies – 5, San Francisco Giants – 6AT&T Park3:4043,515[35] 
5October 21Philadelphia Phillies – 4, San Francisco Giants – 2AT&T Park3:1543,713[36] 
6October 23San Francisco Giants – 3, Philadelphia Phillies – 2Citizens Bank Park3:4146,062[37]

The Giants upset the heavily favored Phillies in six games to return to the World Series for the first time since 2002.

Both teams split the first two games in Philadelphia - Tim Lincecum and Giants' closer Brian Wilson led the Giants to an upset win in Game 1, while Roy Oswalt helped lead the Phillies to victory in Game 2 by pitching seven scoreless innings. When the series shifted to San Francisco, the Giants shut out the Phillies in Game 3 by a 3–0 score thanks to a solid pitching performance from Matt Cain. In Game 4, the Giants overcame multiple attempts by the Phillies offense to even the series, as they prevailed by one run in the bottom of the ninth inning to take a 3–1 series lead. The Phillies sent the series back to Philadelphia with a 4–2 victory in Game 5. In Game 6, the Phillies jumped out to an early 2–0 lead in the bottom of the first, however the Giants tied the game with a two-run third inning. No team scored a run until the top of the eighth, when San Francisco's Juan Uribe hit a solo home run to put the Giants in the lead for good. Brian Wilson then struck out Philadelphia's Ryan Howard looking in the bottom of the ninth to clinch the pennant for the Giants.

This was the last NLCS appearance by the Phillies until 2022. The Giants would win two more NL pennants during the decade, in 2012 and 2014, both against the St. Louis Cardinals.

2010 World Series

(AL3) Texas Rangers vs. (NL2) San Francisco Giants

San Francisco won the series, 4–1.

GameDateScoreLocationTimeAttendance 
1October 27Texas Rangers – 7, San Francisco Giants – 11AT&T Park3:3643,601[38] 
2October 28Texas Rangers – 0, San Francisco Giants – 9AT&T Park3:1743,622[39] 
3October 30San Francisco Giants – 2, Texas Rangers – 4Rangers Ballpark in Arlington2:5152,419[40] 
4October 31San Francisco Giants – 4, Texas Rangers – 0Rangers Ballpark in Arlington3:0951,920[41] 
5November 1San Francisco Giants – 3, Texas Rangers – 1Rangers Ballpark in Arlington2:3252,045[42]

This was the eighth postseason meeting in North American sports history between teams from the San Francisco Bay Area and the Dallas-Ft. Worth Metroplex. The other meetings were in the NFL Playoffs, during the heyday of the 49ers–Cowboys rivalry from 1971 to 1995.

In the first World Series ever played in the Dallas-Ft. Worth Metroplex, the Giants defeated the Rangers in five games to win their first World Series title since 1954, ending the Curse of Coogan's Bluff.

In Game 1, the Giants prevailed in an offensive duel by an 11–7 score. In Game 2, the Giants blew out the Rangers, 9–0, thanks to another solid pitching performance from Matt Cain. When the series moved to Arlington, the Rangers won Game 3 by a 4–2 score to win their first World Series game. In Game 4, Madison Bumgarner helped the Giants shut out the Rangers again to take a 3–1 series lead, as Bumgarner became the fourth-youngest pitcher to win a World Series game at the age of 21. In Game 5, thanks to a solid pitching effort from Tim Lincecum and closer Brian Wilson, the Giants prevailed by a 3–1 score to end their long World Series title drought.

This was the first championship won by a team from the San Francisco Bay Area since 1995, when the San Francisco 49ers won Super Bowl XXIX. It was also the first World Series title for the Bay Area since 1989, which was won by the Oakland Athletics, who ironically swept the Giants that year.

This marked the start of a dynasty for the Giants, as they would win the World Series again in 2012 against the Detroit Tigers, and in 2014 against the Kansas City Royals. The Rangers would return to the World Series the next year, but fell to the St. Louis Cardinals in seven games. It would not be until 2023 that the Rangers would win their first championship.

Broadcasting

This was the fourth postseason under a seven-year U.S. rights agreement with Fox and TBS. TBS primarily aired all Division Series games, with sister network TNT used as an overflow channel. TBS also had the American League Championship Series. Fox televised the National League Championship Series and the World Series.

References

  1. ↑ "2010 Major Leagues Schedule". Baseball-Reference.com. Retrieved July 13, 2022.
  2. ↑ "2010 Tampa Bay Rays Statistics". Baseball-Reference.com. Retrieved July 14, 2022.
  3. ↑ "2010 Minnesota Twins Statistics". Baseball-Reference.com. Retrieved July 14, 2022.
  4. ↑ "2010 Texas Rangers Statistics". Baseball-Reference.com. Retrieved July 14, 2022.
  5. ↑ "2010 New York Yankees Statistics". Baseball-Reference.com. Retrieved July 14, 2022.
  6. ↑ "2010 Philadelphia Phillies Statistics". Baseball-Reference.com. Retrieved July 14, 2022.
  7. ↑ "2010 San Francisco Giants Statistics". Baseball-Reference.com. Retrieved July 14, 2022.
  8. ↑ "2010 Cincinnati Reds Statistics". Baseball-Reference.com. Retrieved July 14, 2022.
  9. ↑ "2010 Atlanta Braves statistics". Baseball-Reference.com. Retrieved July 14, 2022.
  10. ↑ "Boxscore:Texas vs. Tampa Bay- October 6, 2010". MLB.com. October 6, 2010. Archived from the original on October 9, 2010. Retrieved July 14, 2022.
  11. ↑ "Boxscore:Texas vs. Tampa Bay – October 7, 2010". MLB.com. October 7, 2010. Archived from the original on October 10, 2010. Retrieved July 14, 2022.
  12. ↑ "Boxscore:Tampa Bay vs. Texas – October 9, 2010". MLB.com. October 9, 2010. Archived from the original on October 13, 2010. Retrieved July 14, 2022.
  13. ↑ "Boxscore:Tampa Bay vs. Texas – October 10, 2010". MLB.com. July 14, 2022. Archived from the original on October 13, 2010. Retrieved October 10, 2010.
  14. ↑ "Boxscore:Texas vs. Tampa Bay- October 12, 2010". MLB.com. October 12, 2010. Archived from the original on October 16, 2010. Retrieved July 14, 2022.
  15. ↑ "Boxscore:NY Yankees vs. Minnesota – October 6, 2010". MLB.com. July 14, 2022. Archived from the original on October 10, 2010. Retrieved October 6, 2010.
  16. ↑ "Boxscore:NY Yankees vs. Minnesota – October 7, 2010". MLB.com. July 14, 2022. Archived from the original on October 11, 2010. Retrieved October 7, 2010.
  17. ↑ "Boxscore:Minnesota vs. NY Yankees – October 9, 2010". MLB.com. July 14, 2022. Archived from the original on October 13, 2010. Retrieved October 9, 2010.
  18. ↑ "Boxscore:Cincinnati vs. Philadelphia – October 6, 2010". MLB.com. October 6, 2010. Archived from the original on October 10, 2010. Retrieved July 14, 2022.
  19. ↑ "Boxscore:Cincinnati vs. Philadelphia – October 8, 2010". MLB.com. October 8, 2010. Archived from the original on October 12, 2010. Retrieved July 14, 2022.
  20. ↑ "Boxscore:Philadelphia vs. Cincinnati – October 10, 2010". MLB.com. October 10, 2010. Archived from the original on October 13, 2010. Retrieved July 14, 2022.
  21. ↑ Zolecki, Todd (October 6, 2010). "Doctober! No-no for Halladay in playoff debut". MLB.com. Archived from the original on October 9, 2010. Retrieved July 14, 2022.
  22. ↑ "Boxscore:Atlanta vs. San Francisco – October 7, 2010". MLB.com. October 7, 2010. Archived from the original on October 11, 2010. Retrieved July 14, 2022.
  23. ↑ "Boxscore:Atlanta vs. San Francisco – October 8, 2010". MLB.com. October 8, 2010. Archived from the original on October 12, 2010. Retrieved July 14, 2022.
  24. ↑ "Boxscore:San Francisco vs. Atlanta – October 10, 2010". MLB.com. October 10, 2010. Archived from the original on October 13, 2010. Retrieved July 14, 2022.
  25. ↑ "Boxscore:San Francisco vs. Atlanta – October 11, 2010". MLB.com. October 11, 2010. Archived from the original on October 15, 2010. Retrieved July 14, 2022.
  26. ↑ "Boxscore:NY Yankees vs. Texas – October 15, 2010". MLB.com. October 15, 2010. Archived from the original on October 19, 2010. Retrieved July 14, 2022.
  27. ↑ "Boxscore:NY Yankees vs. Texas – October 16, 2010". MLB.com. October 16, 2010. Archived from the original on October 19, 2010. Retrieved July 14, 2022.
  28. ↑ "Boxscore:Texas vs. NY Yankees – October 18, 2010". MLB.com. October 18, 2010. Archived from the original on October 22, 2010. Retrieved July 14, 2022.
  29. ↑ "Boxscore:Texas vs. NY Yankees – October 19, 2010". MLB.com. October 19, 2010. Archived from the original on October 23, 2010. Retrieved July 14, 2022.
  30. ↑ "Boxscore:Texas vs. NY Yankees – October 20, 2010". MLB.com. October 20, 2010. Archived from the original on October 24, 2010. Retrieved July 14, 2022.
  31. ↑ "Boxscore:NY Yankees vs. Texas – October 22, 2010". MLB.com. October 22, 2010. Archived from the original on October 26, 2010. Retrieved July 14, 2022.
  32. ↑ "Boxscore:San Francisco vs. Philadelphia – October 16, 2010". MLB.com. October 16, 2010. Archived from the original on October 20, 2010. Retrieved July 14, 2022.
  33. ↑ "Boxscore:San Francisco vs. Philadelphia – October 17, 2010". MLB.com. October 17, 2010. Archived from the original on October 21, 2010. Retrieved July 14, 2022.
  34. ↑ "Boxscore:Philadelphia vs. San Francisco – October 19, 2010". MLB.com. October 19, 2010. Archived from the original on October 22, 2010. Retrieved July 14, 2022.
  35. ↑ "Boxscore:Philadelphia vs. San Francisco – October 20, 2010". MLB.com. October 20, 2010. Archived from the original on October 24, 2010. Retrieved July 14, 2022.
  36. ↑ "Boxscore:Philadelphia vs. San Francisco – October 21, 2010". MLB.com. October 21, 2010. Archived from the original on October 24, 2010. Retrieved July 14, 2022.
  37. ↑ "Boxscore:San Francisco vs. Philadelphia – October 23, 2010". MLB.com. October 23, 2010. Archived from the original on October 27, 2010. Retrieved July 14, 2022.
  38. ↑ "Boxscore:Texas vs. San Francisco – October 27, 2010". MLB.com. October 27, 2010. Retrieved July 14, 2022.
  39. ↑ "Boxscore:Texas vs. San Francisco – October 28, 2010". MLB.com. October 28, 2010. Retrieved July 14, 2022.
  40. ↑ "Boxscore:San Francisco vs. Texas – October 30, 2010". MLB.com. October 30, 2010. Retrieved July 14, 2022.
  41. ↑ "Boxscore:San Francisco vs. Texas – October 31, 2010". MLB.com. October 31, 2010. Retrieved July 14, 2022.
  42. ↑ "Boxscore:San Francisco vs. Texas – November 1, 2010". MLB.com. November 1, 2010. Retrieved July 14, 2022.
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