What are the most common MLB playoff matchups?

With the 2026 MLB postseason getting underway on Tuesday, here’s a look at the most common playoff matchups in league history.

Game 162 has finally arrived as the curtains will close on the 2026 MLB regular season, with 10 of the 12 playoff teams determined entering play on the final day of the season.

The 2026 season marks the fifth year that MLB is using a three-team Wild Card playoff format, featuring six playoff teams from both the American and National Leagues while giving the top two teams in each league a bye through the Wild Card Round.

Although not all four Wild Card round matchups are determined, there is already plenty of anticipation building for the rematch between the New York Yankees and Boston Red Sox – who are meeting each other in the playoffs for a seventh time, tied for the second-most occurrences of any postseason matchup.

What’s remarkable about the playoff history between the Red Sox and Yankees is that it was not even a possible postseason matchup until the start of the Wild Card era in 1995, with the two teams meeting each other for the first time in October during the 1999 ALCS.

Since then, fans have been treated to some of the most iconic moments in postseason history, many of which came during the ALCS in 2003 and 2004, which saw back-to-back seven-game series – the latter of which remains the only instance of an MLB team coming back from a 3-0 series deficit.

The modern era of baseball has allowed plenty of division rivalries to be taken to the next level on the postseason stage, with the current format also allowing for teams in the same division to meet in the League Division Series – something my Cubs have done in both 2015 (Cardinals) and 2025 (Brewers).

The most frequent playoff meeting in MLB history remains the World Series matchup between the Yankees and Los Angeles Dodgers – who most recently met in the 2024 Fall Classic in what was their 12th postseason meeting.

In MLB history, there have been 14 different matchups that have occurred at least five times – with the Yankees-Dodgers pairing being the only one to have reached double digits.

Entering the 2026 MLB playoffs, here’s a look at the most common postseason meetings:

12 meetings

• New York Yankees vs. Los Angeles Dodgers: Yankees lead 8-4, last meeting 2024 World Series

7 meetings

• New York Yankees vs. San Francisco Giants: Yankees lead 5-2, last meeting 1962 World Series
• New York Yankees vs. Cleveland Guardians: Yankees lead 5-2, last meeting 2024 ALCS
• New York Yankees vs. Boston Red Sox: Tied 3-3, meeting in 2026 AL Wild Card Round

6 meetings

• New York Yankees vs. Minnesota Twins: Yankees lead 6-0, last meeting 2019 ALDS
• Cincinnati Reds vs. Pittsburgh Pirates: Pirates lead 4-2, last meeting 2013 NL Wild Card Game
• St. Louis Cardinals vs. Los Angeles Dodgers: Cardinals lead 4-2, last meeting 2021 NL Wild Card Game
• Atlanta Braves vs. Houston Astros: Braves lead 4-2, last meeting 2021 World Series
• Los Angeles Dodgers vs. Philadelphia Phillies: Tied 3-3, last meeting 2025 NLDS

5 meetings

• St. Louis Cardinals vs. Atlanta Braves: Cardinals lead 4-1, last meeting 2019 NLDS
• Boston Red Sox vs. Los Angeles Angels: Red Sox lead 4-1, last meeting 2009 ALDS
• Los Angeles Dodgers vs. Atlanta Braves: Dodgers lead 3-2, last meeting 2021 NLCS
• Cleveland Guardians vs. Boston Red Sox: Guardians lead 3-2, last meeting 2016 ALDS
• St. Louis Cardinals vs. New York Yankees: Cardinals lead 3-2, last meeting 1964 World Series