2002 Major League Baseball postseason


The 2002 Major League Baseball postseason was the playoff tournament of Major League Baseball for the 2002 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 Anaheim Angels, formerly known as the California Angels, returned to the postseason for the first time since 1986. Joining them were the New York Yankees, who made their eighth straight postseason appearance, the Oakland Athletics, who returned for the third year in a row, and the Minnesota Twins, who made their first appearance since 1991.
In the National League, the San Francisco Giants returned for the second time in three years, the Arizona Diamondbacks returned for the third time in four years, the St. Louis Cardinals returned for the third straight time, and the Atlanta Braves made their eleventh consecutive appearance.
The postseason began on October 1, 2002, and ended on October 27, 2002, with the Angels defeating the Giants in seven games in the 2002 World Series to win their first World Series title in franchise history. This was the first World Series to feature both Wild Card teams from the American and National Leagues. It was also the last World Series to feature two teams from the same state.

Playoff seeds

The following teams qualified for the postseason:

American League

  1. New York Yankees – 103–58, AL East champions
  2. Oakland Athletics – 103–59, AL West champions
  3. Minnesota Twins – 94–67, AL Central champions
  4. Anaheim Angels – 99–63

    National League

  5. Atlanta Braves – 101–59, NL East champions
  6. Arizona Diamondbacks – 98–64, NL West champions
  7. St. Louis Cardinals – 97–65, NL Central champions
  8. San Francisco Giants – 95–66

    Playoff bracket


American League Division Series

(1) New York Yankees vs. (4) Anaheim Angels

This was the first postseason meeting between the Angels and Yankees. The Angels knocked off the four-time defending American League champion Yankees in four games to reach the ALCS for the first time since 1986.
This was the first playoff series win in franchise history for the Angels. The Yankees unsurprisingly took Game 1, as they prevailed in an offensive slugfest by an 8–5 score thanks to home runs from Derek Jeter, Jason Giambi, Rondell White, and Bernie Williams respectively. Game 2 was yet another offensive showdown between both teams, however the Angels would narrowly emerge victorious by an 8–6 score, thanks to home runs from Tim Salmon, Scott Spiezio, Garret Anderson, and Troy Glaus respectively. When the series shifted to Anaheim, the Yankees jumped out to a 6–1 lead after the top of the third, however the Angels scored eight unanswered runs to come from behind and win by a 9–6 score. In Game 4, the Yankees led 2–1 after the top of the fifth, but the Angels again rallied with eight runs in the bottom of the fifth to take a lead they would not relinquish, as they won 9–5, ending the Yankees' bid for a fifth straight AL pennant.
Both teams would meet again in the ALDS in 2005 and the ALCS in 2009, with the Angels winning the former and the Yankees winning the latter en route to a World Series title.

(2) Oakland Athletics vs. (3) Minnesota Twins

This was the first postseason meeting between the Twins and Athletics. The Twins defeated the Athletics in five games to return to the ALCS for the first time since 1991.
In Game 1, the Twins prevailed in an offensive slugfest. In Game 2, the A's offense got the best of Twins' starter Joe Mays as they prevailed in a blowout win to even the series headed to Minneapolis. In Game 3, the Athletics won 6–3 to take the series lead, thanks to home runs from Ray Durham, Scott Hatteberg, Terrance Long, and Jermaine Dye respectively. In Game 4, Eric Milton pitched seven solid innings as the Twins blew out the Athletics to force a decisive fifth game back in Oakland. In Game 5, with the Twins leading 5–1 and one out away from advancing, the Athletics mounted a furious comeback as Mark Ellis hit a three-run homer to cut the Twins’ lead to one. However, the Athletics fouled out to end the series two batters later.
Both teams would meet again in the ALDS in 2006, which the Athletics won in a sweep.
This was the last time the Twins won a playoff series until 2023. As of, this remains the Twins’ only LDS series win.

National League Division Series

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

This was the first postseason meeting between the Giants and Braves. The Giants knocked off the top-seeded Braves in five games to advance to the NLCS for the first time since 1989.
Game 1 was an offensive slugfest that was won by the Giants. In Game 2, back-to-back homers from Javy López and Vinny Castilla in the bottom of the second gave the Braves a lead they wouldn’t let go of as they evened the series headed to San Francisco. In Game 3, Greg Maddux pitched six solid innings as the Braves blew out the Giants to take a 2–1 series lead. Liván Hernández pitched eight solid innings as the Giants blew out the Braves to force a decisive fifth game back in Atlanta. Russ Ortiz out-dueled Kevin Millwood as the Giants won the series with a 3–1 victory. The loss to the Giants marked the start of a chain of playoff series losses for the Braves that did not end until 2020.
Both teams would meet again in the NLDS in 2010, which the Giants also won en route to a World Series title.

(2) Arizona Diamondbacks vs. (3) St. Louis Cardinals

This was the second straight postseason meeting between the Cardinals and Diamondbacks. They met in the NLDS the previous year, which the Diamondbacks won in five games en route to a World Series title. The Cardinals swept the defending World Series champion Diamondbacks to advance to the NLCS for the second time in three years.
In Phoenix for Game 1, things got ugly for the Diamondbacks fast, as St. Louis' Matt Morris outdueled Cy Young winner Randy Johnson in a 12–2 blowout win for the Cardinals. In Game 2, the Cardinals held off a potential rally by the Diamondbacks to win 2–1, thanks to stellar pitching from relief pitcher Jason Isringhausen. When the series shifted to St. Louis, the Cardinals completed the sweep with a 6–3 victory in Game 3.

American League Championship Series

(3) Minnesota Twins vs. (4) Anaheim Angels

This was the first ALCS since 1993 to not feature either the New York Yankees, Cleveland Indians or Seattle Mariners. After three previous failed attempts, the Angels finally broke through, as they defeated the Twins in five games to advance to the World Series for the first time in franchise history.
Minnesota's Joe Mays out-dueled Anaheim's Kevin Appier in a tight Twins' victory in Game 1. In Game 2, the Angels jumped out to a big lead early thanks to home runs from Darin Erstad and Brad Fullmer and held on to win 6–3 to even the series headed to Anaheim. Troy Glaus led the Angels to victory in Game 3 with a solo home run in the bottom of the eighth. Game 4 started off as a pitchers' duel between John Lackey and Brad Radke, but things then got ugly for the Twins as the Angels' offense came alive in the bottom of the seventh, and they blew out the Twins to take a 3–1 series lead. In Game 5, the Angels blew out the Twins again to clinch the pennant, a game which was notable for Adam Kennedy's three home runs and the Angels scoring ten runs in the bottom of the seventh.
While the Angels and Twins experienced regular-season success in the following years, 2002 marked a high point for both franchises. As of, this is the last postseason appearance outside of the divisional round for the Twins. After the series loss, the Twins would go on to win the American League Central in three of the next four seasons, although they would lose in the ALDS each time. In 2020, the Twins set a mark of postseason futility when they lost their 18th straight playoff game, setting a record for major professional sports in North America.
As of, this is the only time the Angels won the AL pennant. They would return to the ALCS in 2005, but lost to the eventual World Series champion Chicago White Sox in five games, who won their first pennant in 46 years.

National League Championship Series

(3) St. Louis Cardinals vs. (4) San Francisco Giants

This was a rematch of the 1987 NLCS, which the Cardinals won in seven games before falling in the World Series. This time, the Giants returned the favor and defeated the Cardinals in five games, advancing to the World Series for the first time since 1989.
Game 1 was an offensive slugfest that was won by the Giants, capped off by a two-run homer by Benito Santiago in the top of the sixth. Jason Schmidt pitched seven innings of shutout ball as the Giants prevailed to take a 2-0 series lead headed to San Francisco. In Game 3, the Cardinals staved off a sweep thanks to a solo home run from Eli Marrero in the sixth inning which put them ahead for good. The Cardinals attempted to tie the series with a late rally in Game 4, but Giants closer Robb Nen struck out Albert Pujols and J.D. Drew to put the Giants up 3–1 in the series. Game 5 was a pitchers’ duel that saw both teams go through their bullpens, which saw the game go into the bottom of the ninth, where Kenny Lofton won the pennant for the Giants with a walk-off RBI single.
The Giants would win their next pennant in 2010 against the Philadelphia Phillies in six games en route to a World Series victory, which marked the start of a dynasty for the team.
The Cardinals returned to the NLCS in 2004, where they defeated the Houston Astros in seven games after being ten outs away from elimination in Game 7, but would fall in the World Series.
The Cardinals and Giants would meet in the NLCS again, in 2012 and 2014, and both times the Giants won en route to winning the World Series.