American League Championship Series (ALCS)
The ALCS is a Best of Seven matchup with the winner advancing to the World Series to play for a championship title.
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The league series features the two best teams in the American League as determined by the Wild Card round that proceeded it. ALCS is a baseball term that gets thrown around a lot on TV because no one wants to keep repeating American League Championship Series.
When Does the ALCS Occur?
The ALCS is played between the Wild Card round and the World Series. This is usually during the second and third weeks of October in a typical season.
ALCS FAQs
How many games in the ACLS?
The ACLS is a Best-of-Seven series. This means that the first team to win four games will advance. That can happen in a 4-0 sweep, or, the series can play out over all seven games with the winner being determined in the final game.
The ALCS, in its inception, was a Best-of-Five series. This was back in the late 1960s.
Who played in the 2022 ALCS?
The Houston Astros and the New York Yankees played in the 2022 American League Championship Series. The Houston Astros won, sweeping the Yankees 4-0 on their way to the World Series.
One of the hottest topics in the 2022 ACLS was the question of why Dusty Baker wears gloves. Is it a clever way to deflect the Astros's scandalous past, or is it a way for him to prevent the spread of COVID? Anyway, the announcers loved to bring it up.
Who won ALCS MVP honors in 2022?
Jeremy Peña was named the MVP of the 2022 American League Championship Series due mainly to his timely hitting. Jeremy went 6 for 17 with two homers and two doubles in the series.
No player has ever won the ALCS MVP award more than once.
Who has the most ALCS victories?
The New York Yankees have won the American League Championship Series the most, with 11 victories. While this should come to no surprise as the Yankees have won the most Pennants as well as the most World Series, the ALCS wasn't part of the playoffs until 1969. Even still, it was a Best-of-Five series when it was implemented.
- 11 | New York Yankees
- 6 | Boston Red Sox
- 5 | Baltimore Orioles
Have any Wild Card teams advanced to the ALCS?
Yes, Wild Card teams have played in the ALCS. The Baltimore Orioles advanced to the ALCS from the Wild Card in 1996. They were the first to do so according to Baseball Almanac.
What trophy is awarded to the victors?
The William Harridge Trophy. Harridge, an elected member of the Baseball Hall of Fame, served as the President of the American League for 28 years. In some ways, you could consider him the commissioner of the AL.
The William Harridge Trophy is not among the most expensive trophies in sports.
Which manager(s) have won the ALCS the most times?
- 6 | Joe Torre
- 4 | Earl Weaver
- 3 | Terry Francona
- 3 | Tony La Russa
Which manager(s) have lost the ALCS the most times?
- 3 | Billy Martin
- 3 | Joe Girardi
- 3 | Lou Piniella
- 3 | Whitey Herzog
Which manager(s) have been in the most ALCS?
- 7 | Joe Torre (6-1 record)
- 6 | Earl Weaver (4-2 record)
- 5 | Billy Martin (2-3 record)
- 4 | Joe Girardi (1-3 record)
- 4 | Terry Francona (3-1 record)
- 4 | Tony La Russa (3-1 record)
ALCS Results
Check out the wonderful stats at Baseball Reference for a complete breakdown of games and stats on a year-by-year basis during the playoffs.
| Year | Winning Team | W/L | Losing Team |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1969 | Baltimore Orioles | 3–0 | Minnesota Twins |
| 1970 | Baltimore Orioles | 3–0 | Minnesota Twins |
| 1971 | Baltimore Orioles | 3–0 | Oakland Athletics |
| 1972 | Oakland Athletics | 3–2 | Detroit Tigers |
| 1973 | Oakland Athletics | 3–2 | Baltimore Orioles |
| 1974 | Oakland Athletics | 3–1 | Baltimore Orioles |
| 1975 | Boston Red Sox | 3–0 | Oakland Athletics |
| 1976 | New York Yankees | 3–2 | Kansas City Royals |
| 1977 | New York Yankees | 3–2 | Kansas City Royals |
| 1978 | New York Yankees | 3–1 | Kansas City Royals |
| 1979 | Baltimore Orioles | 3–1 | California Angels |
| 1980 | Kansas City Royals | 3–0 | New York Yankees |
| 1981 | New York Yankees | 3–0 | Oakland Athletics |
| 1982 | Milwaukee Brewers | 3–2 | California Angels |
| 1983 | Baltimore Orioles | 3–1 | Chicago White Sox |
| 1984 | Detroit Tigers | 3–0 | Kansas City Royals |
| 1985 | Kansas City Royals | 4–3 | Toronto Blue Jays |
| 1986 | Boston Red Sox | 4–3 | California Angels |
| 1987 | Minnesota Twins | 4–1 | Detroit Tigers |
| 1988 | Oakland Athletics | 4–0 | Boston Red Sox |
| 1989 | Oakland Athletics | 4–1 | Toronto Blue Jays |
| 1990 | Oakland Athletics | 4–0 | Boston Red Sox |
| 1991 | Minnesota Twins | 4–1 | Toronto Blue Jays |
| 1992 | Toronto Blue Jays | 4–2 | Oakland Athletics |
| 1993 | Toronto Blue Jays | 4–2 | Chicago White Sox |
| 1994 | Players' Strike of 1994 | ||
| 1995 | Cleveland Indians | 4–2 | Seattle Mariners |
| 1996 | New York Yankees | 4–1 | Baltimore Orioles |
| 1997 | Cleveland Indians | 4–2 | Baltimore Orioles |
| 1998 | New York Yankees | 4–2 | Cleveland Indians |
| 1999 | New York Yankees | 4–1 | Boston Red Sox |
| 2000 | New York Yankees | 4–2 | Seattle Mariners |
| 2001 | New York Yankees | 4–1 | Seattle Mariners |
| 2002 | Anaheim Angels | 4–1 | Minnesota Twins |
| 2003 | New York Yankees | 4–3 | Boston Red Sox |
| 2004 | Boston Red Sox | 4–3 | New York Yankees |
| 2005 | Chicago White Sox | 4–1 | Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim |
| 2006 | Detroit Tigers | 4–0 | Oakland Athletics |
| 2007 | Boston Red Sox | 4–3 | Cleveland Indians |
| 2008 | Tampa Bay Rays | 4–3 | Boston Red Sox |
| 2009 | New York Yankees | 4–2 | Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim |
| 2010 | Texas Rangers | 4–2 | New York Yankees |
| 2011 | Texas Rangers | 4–2 | Detroit Tigers |
| 2012 | Detroit Tigers | 4–0 | New York Yankees |
| 2013 | Boston Red Sox | 4–2 | Detroit Tigers |
| 2014 | Kansas City Royals | 4–0 | Baltimore Orioles |
| 2015 | Kansas City Royals | 4–2 | Toronto Blue Jays |
| 2016 | Cleveland Indians | 4–1 | Toronto Blue Jays |
| 2017 | Houston Astros | 4–3 | New York Yankees |
| 2018 | Boston Red Sox | 4–1 | Houston Astros |
| 2019 | Houston Astros | 4–2 | New York Yankees |
| 2020 | Tampa Bay Rays | 4–3 | Houston Astros |
| 2021 | Houston Astros | 4–2 | Boston Red Sox |
| 2022 | Houston Astros | 4–0 | New York Yankees |