American League Division Series - wikipedia American League Division Series Part of a series on the Major League Baseball postseason Wild Card Wild Card Game Division Series ALDS NLDS League Championship Series ALCS ( Winners list ) NLCS ( Winners list ) World Series List of World Series champions Commissioner 's Trophy Teams Appearances Series Streaks Droughts In Major League Baseball, the American League Division Series ( ALDS ) determines which two teams from the American League will advance to the American League Championship Series. The Division Series consists of two best - of - five series, featuring the three division winners and the winner of the wild - card play - off. Contents 1 History 1.1 Determining the matchups 2 ALDS results 2.1 ALDS appearances 2.2 Recurring matchups 3 See also 4 References 5 External links History The Division Series was implemented in 1981 as a one - off tournament because of a midseason strike, with the first place teams before the strike taking on the teams in first place after the strike. In 1994, it was returned permanently when Major League Baseball ( MLB ) restructured each league into three divisions, but with a different format than in 1981. In 1981, a split - season format forced the first ever divisional playoff series, in which the New York Yankees won the Eastern Division series over the Milwaukee Brewers ( who were in the American League until 1998 ) in five games while in the Western Division, the Oakland Athletics swept the Kansas City Royals ( the only team with an overall losing record to ever make the postseason ). Including the 2018 postseason, the Yankees have played in the most division series, with twenty appearances. In 2015, the Toronto Blue Jays and Houston Astros were the final American League teams to make their first appearances in the ALDS. The Astros had been in the National League through 2012, and had played in the National League Division Series ( NLDS ) seven times. Determining the matchups From 1998 to 2011, the wild card team was assigned to play the division winner with the best winning percentage ( outside of their own division ) in one series, and the other two division winners met in the other series. However, if the wild - card team and the division winner with the best record were from the same division, the wild - card team played the division winner with the second - best record, and the remaining two division leaders played each other. Beginning with the 2012 season, the wild card team that advances to the Division Series was to face the number 1 seed, regardless of whether or not they are in the same division. The two series winners move on to the best - of - seven ALCS. Home field advantage goes to the team with the better regular season record ( or head - to - head record if there is a tie between two or more teams ), except for the wild card team, which never receives the home field advantage. Beginning in 2003, MLB has implemented a new rule to give the team from the league that wins the All - Star Game with the best regular season record a slightly greater advantage. In order to spread out the Division Series games for broadcast purposes, the two ALDS series follow one of two off - day schedules. Starting in 2007, after consulting the MLBPA, MLB has decided to allow the team with the best record in the league that wins the All - Star Game to choose whether to use the seven - day schedule ( 1 - 2 - off - 3 - 4 - off - 5 ) or the eight - day schedule ( 1 - off - 2 - off - 3 - 4 - off - 5 ). The team only gets to choose the schedule ; the opponent is still determined by win - loss records. Initially, the best - of - 5 series played in a 2 - 3 format, with the first two games set at home for the lower seed team and the last three for the higher seed. Since 1998, the series has followed a 2 - 2 - 1 format, where the higher seed team plays at home in Games 1 and 2, the lower seed plays at home in Game 3 and Game 4 ( if necessary ), and if a Game 5 is needed, the teams return to the higher seed 's field. When MLB added a second wild card team in 2012, the Division Series re-adopted the 2 - 3 format due to scheduling conflicts. It reverted to the 2 - 2 - 1 format in 2013. ALDS results Team names link to the season in which each team played Key Wild card Year Winner Manager Loser Manager Wins Losses 1981 New York Yankees Bob Lemon Milwaukee Brewers Buck Rodgers Oakland Athletics Billy Martin Kansas City Royals Dick Howser 0 1995 Cleveland Indians Mike Hargrove Boston Red Sox Kevin Kennedy 0 Seattle Mariners Lou Piniella New York Yankees Buck Showalter New York Yankees Joe Torre Texas Rangers Johnny Oates Baltimore Orioles Davey Johnson Cleveland Indians Mike Hargrove 1997 Baltimore Orioles Davey Johnson Seattle Mariners Lou Piniella Cleveland Indians Mike Hargrove New York Yankees Joe Torre 1998 New York Yankees Joe Torre Texas Rangers Johnny Oates 0 Cleveland Indians Mike Hargrove Boston Red Sox Jimy Williams 1999 New York Yankees Joe Torre Texas Rangers Johnny Oates 0 Boston Red Sox Jimy Williams Cleveland Indians Mike Hargrove 2000 Seattle Mariners Lou Piniella Chicago White Sox Jimy Williams 0 New York Yankees Joe Torre Oakland Athletics Art Howe 2001 New York Yankees Joe Torre Oakland Athletics Art Howe Seattle Mariners Lou Piniella Cleveland Indians Charlie Manuel 2002 Minnesota Twins Ron Gardenhire Oakland Athletics Art Howe Anaheim Angels Mike Scioscia New York Yankees Joe Torre 2003 New York Yankees Joe Torre Minnesota Twins Jimy Williams Boston Red Sox Grady Little Oakland Athletics Ken Macha New York Yankees Joe Torre Minnesota Twins Ron Gardenhire Boston Red Sox Terry Francona Anaheim Angels Mike Scioscia 0 2005 Chicago White Sox Ozzie Guillén Boston Red Sox Terry Francona 0 Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim Mike Scioscia New York Yankees Joe Torre 2006 Detroit Tigers Jim Leyland New York Yankees Joe Torre Oakland Athletics Ken Macha Minnesota Twins Ron Gardenhire 0 2007 Boston Red Sox Terry Francona Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim Mike Scioscia 0 Cleveland Indians Eric Wedge New York Yankees Joe Torre 2008 Boston Red Sox Terry Francona Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim Mike Scioscia Tampa Bay Rays Joe Maddon Chicago White Sox Ozzie Guillén 2009 New York Yankees Joe Girardi Minnesota Twins Ron Gardenhire 0 Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim Mike Scioscia Boston Red Sox Terry Francona 0 Texas Rangers Ron Washington Tampa Bay Rays Joe Maddon New York Yankees Joe Girardi Minnesota Twins Ron Gardenhire 0 2011 Texas Rangers Ron Washington Tampa Bay Rays Joe Maddon Detroit Tigers Jim Leyland New York Yankees Joe Girardi 2012 Detroit Tigers Jim Leyland Oakland Athletics Bob Melvin New York Yankees Joe Girardi Baltimore Orioles Buck Showalter 2013 Detroit Tigers Jim Leyland Oakland Athletics Bob Melvin Boston Red Sox John Farrell Tampa Bay Rays Joe Maddon 2014 Baltimore Orioles Buck Showalter Detroit Tigers Brad Ausmus 0 Kansas City Royals Ned Yost Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim Mike Scioscia 0 2015 Toronto Blue Jays John Gibbons Texas Rangers Jeff Banister Kansas City Royals Ned Yost Houston Astros A.J. Hinch 2016 Cleveland Indians Terry Francona Boston Red Sox John Farrell 0 Toronto Blue Jays John Gibbons Texas Rangers Jeff Banister 0 2017 Houston Astros A.J. Hinch Boston Red Sox John Farrell New York Yankees Joe Girardi Cleveland Indians Terry Francona 2018 Houston Astros A.J. Hinch Cleveland Indians Terry Francona 0 Boston Red Sox Alex Cora New York Yankees Aaron Boone ALDS appearances Series appearances Team Wins Losses Win % Most recent win Most recent appearance Games won Games lost Game win % 20 New York Yankees 12 8. 600 2017 2018 48 35. 578 13 Boston Red Sox 7 6. 538 2018 2018 22 24. 478 11 Cleveland Indians 5 5. 500 2016 2018 22 18. 550 8 Oakland Athletics 6. 250 2006 2013 18 18. 500 7 Texas Rangers 5. 286 2011 2016 9 18. 333 7 Los Angeles Angels. 429 2009 2014 10 15. 400 6 Minnesota Twins 5. 167 2002 5 17. 227 5 Detroit Tigers. 800 2013 2014 12 10. 545 Baltimore Orioles. 750 2014 2014 11 5. 688 Seattle Mariners. 750 2001 2001 10 7. 588 Tampa Bay Rays. 250 2008 2013 7 10. 412 Chicago White Sox. 333 2005 2008 6. 400 Kansas City Royals. 667 2015 2015 6 5. 545 Houston Astros. 667 2018 2018 8. 667 Toronto Blue Jays 0 1.000 2016 2016 6. 750 Milwaukee Brewers 0. 000 - 1981. 400 Recurring matchups Count Matchup Record Years Boston Red Sox vs. Los Angeles Angels Red Sox, 3 -- 1 2004, 2007, 2008, 2009 New York Yankees vs. Minnesota Twins Yankees, 4 -- 0 2003, 2004, 2009, 2010 Cleveland Indians vs. Boston Red Sox Indians, 3 -- 1 1995, 1998, 1999, 2016 Texas Rangers vs. New York Yankees Yankees, 3 -- 0 1996, 1998, 1999 Cleveland Indians vs. New York Yankees Indians, 2 -- 1 1997, 2007, 2017 New York Yankees vs. Oakland Athletics Yankees, 2 -- 0 2000, 2001 New York Yankees vs. Anaheim - LA Angels Angels, 2 -- 0 2002, 2005 Texas Rangers vs. Tampa Bay Rays Rangers, 2 -- 0 2010, 2011 Oakland Athletics vs. Minnesota Twins Tied, 1 -- 1 2002, 2006 Detroit Tigers vs. New York Yankees Tigers, 2 -- 0 2006, 2011 Detroit Tigers vs. Oakland Athletics Tigers, 2 -- 0 2012, 2013 Texas Rangers vs. Toronto Blue Jays Blue Jays, 2 -- 0 2015, 2016 See also Baseball portal National League Division Series ( NLDS ) MLB division winners MLB postseason List of American League pennant winners List of National League pennant winners List of World Series champions References Jump up ^ 1984 NL Championship Series, Baseball-Reference.com Jump up ^ 1997 AL Division Series, Baseball-Reference.com Jump up ^ Gillette, Gary ; Palmer, Pete, eds. ( 2006 ). `` October Classics : Postseason Series and Playoffs ''. The 2006 ESPN Baseball Encyclopedia. New York : Sterling Publishing. p. 1656. External links Baseball-Reference.com - annual playoffs MLB.com - MLB 's Division Series historical reference - box scores, highlights, etc. Major League Baseball ( 2018 ) American League East Baltimore Orioles Boston Red Sox New York Yankees Tampa Bay Rays Toronto Blue Jays Central Chicago White Sox Cleveland Indians Detroit Tigers Kansas City Royals Minnesota Twins West Houston Astros Los Angeles Angels Oakland Athletics Seattle Mariners Texas Rangers National League East Atlanta Braves Miami Marlins New York Mets Philadelphia Phillies Washington Nationals Central Chicago Cubs Cincinnati Reds Milwaukee Brewers Pittsburgh Pirates St. Louis Cardinals West Arizona Diamondbacks Colorado Rockies Los Angeles Dodgers San Diego Padres San Francisco Giants Schedule Spring training Opening Day Jackie Robinson Day Civil Rights Game All - Star Game Interleague play International games Players Weekend World Baseball Classic Postseason World Series Champions AL AL Champions ALCS ALDS NL NL Champions NLCS NLDS Wild Card Game Appearances Streaks Droughts Series Business Draft Rule 5 Players Association Highest paid players Luxury tax Lockouts / strikes Winter Meetings Hot stove league Transactions Media Logo Radio Television MLB.com MLB Advanced Media Minor League Baseball Authentication Program Miscellaneous Instant replay Team uniforms Stadiums Mascots Rivalries Players investigated for domestic violence History History AL Seasons Tie - breakers Tie - breaking procedures Records Awards Retired numbers Hall of Fame Steroid usage Drug policy suspensions Mitchell Report Juiced Vindicated Biogenesis baseball scandal BALCO scandal Game of Shadows Barry Bonds perjury case Timeline Timeline of Major League Baseball History of team nicknames Dead - ball era Live - ball era Golden age of baseball Defunct and relocated teams Relocation of the 1950s -- 60s Expansion 1961 1962 1969 1977 1998 Commissioner : Rob Manfred League Presidents AL NL American League Division Series 1980s 1981 1990s -- 2000s 1995 1997 1998 1999 2000 2001 2002 2003 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010s 2011 2012 2013 2014 2015 2016 2017 2018 Broadcasters American League Organization Parent league : Major League Baseball Partner league : National League Origins : ( History Western League ) Honorary president : Frank Robinson Current teams East Baltimore Orioles Boston Red Sox New York Yankees Tampa Bay Rays Toronto Blue Jays Central Chicago White Sox Cleveland Indians Detroit Tigers Kansas City Royals Minnesota Twins West Houston Astros Los Angeles Angels Oakland Athletics Seattle Mariners Texas Rangers Former, relocated, and disestablished teams Baltimore Orioles ( 1901 -- 1902 ) Kansas City Athletics ( 1955 -- 1967 ) Milwaukee Brewers I ( 1901 ) Milwaukee Brewers II ( 1970 -- 1997 ) Philadelphia Athletics ( 1901 -- 1954 ) Seattle Pilots ( 1969 ) St. Louis Browns ( 1902 -- 1953 ) Washington Senators I ( 1901 -- 1960 ) Washington Senators II ( 1961 -- 1971 ) Championship play List of champions Championship Series Division Series Wild Card winners Related articles Designated hitter Professional baseball Portal Retrieved from `` https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=American_League_Division_Series&oldid=865113070 '' Categories : American League Division Series Recurring sporting events established in 1981 Hidden categories : Articles with hCards Talk Contents About Wikipedia Deutsch Français 한국어 Polski Русский Simple English Suomi 中文 Edit links This page was last edited on 21 October 2018, at 20 : 35 ( UTC ). 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Question: who has home field advantage in the alds
Answer: the team with the better regular season record