The Biggest MLB Playoff Chokes of All Time
With three weeks left in the MLB season the New York Mets went from a 92% chance of making the playoffs to flaming out and missing one the final day of the regular season. New York had a 4 game lead on the Reds with 19 games remaining and found a way to choke at the worst time of the season. With that in mind, let’s revisit some of the biggest MLB playoff chokes of all time.
1. 2004 New York Yankees – ALCS vs. Boston Red Sox
Series lead: 3-0
Final result: Lost series 4-3
No list of baseball chokes is complete without mentioning the 2004 Yankees. Up three games to none in the ALCS against their bitter rivals, the Red Sox, the Yankees had the series wrapped up — or so everyone thought. Game 4 went into extra innings, and Boston’s season was hanging by a thread. Enter Dave Roberts, who stole second base off Mariano Rivera — a moment now immortalized in Red Sox lore. The Sox tied the game, won it in the 12th, and never looked back. They won the next three games decisively, completing the first 3-0 comeback in MLB postseason history. To make matters worse for New York, the Red Sox went on to sweep the Cardinals in the World Series, breaking the “Curse of the Bambino” after 86 years.
This was more than a choke — it was a collapse of mythic proportions.
2. 2011 Texas Rangers – World Series Game 6 & 7 vs. St. Louis Cardinals
Series lead: 3-2
Final result: Lost series 4-3
Twice — yes, twice — the Texas Rangers were one strike away from winning the 2011 World Series in Game 6. And twice, they let it slip away. In the bottom of the 9th, with two outs and two strikes, David Freese hit a game-tying triple. Then, after Texas retook the lead in the 10th, the Cardinals tied it again — once more with two outs and two strikes — before Freese ended the game with a walk-off homer in the 11th. The psychological blow was devastating. Texas looked completely deflated in Game 7, and the Cardinals took advantage, winning the championship. To this day, that Game 6 ranks among the most heartbreaking chokes in World Series history.
3. 1986 Boston Red Sox – World Series Game 6 vs. New York Mets
Series lead: 3-2
Final result: Lost series 4-3
“Ground ball to first… it gets through Buckner!”
That one sentence, delivered by Vin Scully, haunts Red Sox fans to this day. In Game 6 of the 1986 World Series, the Red Sox were one out away from winning their first title since 1918. They had a 5-3 lead in the 10th inning, with two outs and nobody on. Then the unthinkable happened: three straight singles, a wild pitch, and the infamous error by Bill Buckner, allowing the Mets to walk off in dramatic fashion. The Mets won Game 7 two nights later. Though Buckner became the scapegoat, the Red Sox’s bullpen collapse and poor decision-making were just as responsible. It would take another 18 years before Boston finally broke their curse.
4. 2003 Chicago Cubs – NLCS Game 6 vs. Florida Marlins
Series lead: 3-1
Final result: Lost series 4-3
If you say “Steve Bartman” to a Cubs fan, prepare for a pained expression.
In Game 6 of the 2003 NLCS, the Cubs were up 3-0 in the 8th inning, just five outs away from their first World Series since 1945. That’s when a foul ball down the left-field line was deflected by a fan — Bartman — preventing Moisés Alou from making the catch. What followed was a complete unraveling. The Cubs gave up eight runs in the inning, and the Marlins won the game. Then, in Game 7, the Cubs again failed to hold a lead, and the Marlins went on to win the World Series. Though Bartman became the scapegoat, the choke was about more than one play — it was a historic bullpen meltdown.
5. 1995 Seattle Mariners – ALCS vs. Cleveland Indians
Series lead: 2-0
Final result: Lost series 4-2
After one of the most exhilarating playoff series ever (their dramatic ALDS win over the Yankees), the Mariners jumped out to a 2-0 lead over the Indians in the ALCS. Behind a loaded lineup featuring Ken Griffey Jr., Edgar Martinez, and Randy Johnson, they seemed poised to ride their momentum into the World Series. Then came the collapse: four straight losses, including two blowouts and two close games that slipped away late. Johnson, the team’s ace, was tagged with the loss in Game 5, and Seattle’s offense went cold at the worst time. It wasn’t the most famous choke, but given the hype around that Mariners team and how close they came, it was a big opportunity squandered.
6. 1996 Atlanta Braves – World Series vs. New York Yankees
Series lead: 2-0
Final result: Lost series 4-2
The Braves looked unstoppable after the first two games of the ’96 World Series, outscoring the Yankees 16-1. With Greg Maddux, Tom Glavine, and John Smoltz in the rotation, it seemed the series was all but over. But the Yankees responded with four straight wins, including a stunning Game 4 comeback from a 6-0 deficit. The Braves’ vaunted pitching faltered, and their offense went cold. While it may not have the same dramatic flair as other collapses, blowing a 2-0 lead with two home games in hand — as defending champions, no less — was a major choke.
7. 2012 Washington Nationals – NLDS Game 5 vs. St. Louis Cardinals
Series lead: N/A (Game 5 elimination)
Final result: Lost series 3-2
The Nationals were just six outs away from advancing to the NLCS in their first playoff appearance since relocating from Montreal. They led 6-0 early and still held a 7-5 lead heading into the 9th. Then came a complete bullpen implosion: the Cardinals scored four runs in the top of the 9th, capitalizing on walks, bloopers, and poor execution. The Nats went down quietly in the bottom half, stunned. It was the biggest blown lead in a winner-take-all postseason game at the time and a harsh introduction to October baseball for the new generation of Nats fans.
8. 2019 Los Angeles Dodgers – NLDS Game 5 vs. Washington Nationals
Series lead: 2-1
Final result: Lost series 3-2
The Dodgers were coming off a 106-win season and were heavy favorites against the Nationals. They led Game 5 3-1 heading into the 8th with Clayton Kershaw on the mound in relief — a curious decision. Then, in back-to-back pitches, Anthony Rendon and Juan Soto hit home runs to tie the game. In extra innings, Howie Kendrick crushed a grand slam to seal the Dodgers’ fate. The collapse reignited the narrative of Kershaw’s postseason struggles and left Dodgers fans stunned.
Conclusion
Baseball is unforgiving in October. A team can dominate all season long, but one bad inning, one bullpen misfire, or one mental lapse can change everything. While heroes are remembered, the heartbreaks — the chokes — are never forgotten. For fans, these moments sting for decades. For players, they become part of their legacy, fairly or not. And for the rest of us, they serve as unforgettable reminders of why playoff baseball is the most dramatic show in sports.
