Best home-field advantage in MLB playoffs

The 2024 World Series featured two giants of postseason baseball in the Dodgers and the Yankees, both of whom take pride in high-energy, even hostile hometown crowds for visiting clubs to contend with. Los Angeles proved worthy both at home and on the road, winning both games at Dodger Stadium in L.A. and taking two of three at Yankee Stadium in the Bronx to win the Fall Classic in five games.

Historically, how much has home-field advantage in the postseason mattered? Let’s take a look by breaking down the top 10 ballparks that have produced the best home records for their teams in playoff history, through the end of the 2024 World Series. Note: We’re using a 20-game minimum here, which narrowly excludes Truist Park, where the Braves have gone 13-6 (.684) since 2017.

1. Philadelphia Phillies, Citizens Bank Park (2004-present)
29-14 record (.674)

Most of these playoff games came during the heyday of the Ryan Howard-Chase Utley-Jimmy Rollins core, including a magical 2008 run when the team finished 11-3 in the playoffs, culminating with a 4-3 win over Tampa Bay to clinch the Fall Classic at home. But since 2022, a new generation of players have created some October magic, as the ’22 team was the first No. 6 seed to reach the World Series, and the 2023 group was on the verge of making it to the Fall Classic. After losing three straight playoff games at CBP, the Phillies snapped that with a thrilling win in Game 2 of the 2024 NLDS against the Mets, although the team was later eliminated back at Citi Field.

2. New York Mets, Shea Stadium (1964-2008)
26-13 record (.667)

With all due respect to the 1969 “Miracle Mets,” who clinched the World Series with a Game 5 home win over the Orioles, the most memorable Fall Classic event at Shea Stadium — and maybe at any stadium — took place in 1986. In the bottom of the 10th of a tied Game 6, the infamous Bill Buckner error gave the Mets a walk-off win to keep the series alive. Two days later, also at home, the Mets overcame a 3-0 lead to win Game 7 and finish off a classic series. (At their current home, Citi Field, the Mets have gone 8-8 in the playoffs.)

3. St. Louis Cardinals, Busch Stadium II (1966-2005)
35-18 record (.660)

Many different Cardinals legends played October baseball here, with the list of names ranging from Bob Gibson to Ozzie Smith to Albert Pujols and many others. St. Louis reached the World Series six times during its tenure at Busch Stadium II, and remarkably, five went to seven games. The home team won Game 7 in three of those instances, including the Cardinals’ 6-3 win over the Brewers in 1982.

4. Baltimore Orioles, Memorial Stadium (1954-1991)
19-11 record (.633)

Led by the likes of the legendary Brooks Robinson and Cal Ripken Jr., the mid-to-late 20th century was the peak of Orioles history, largely coinciding with the team’s tenure at Memorial Stadium. Both the 1966 and 1970 World Series were clinched with home wins, including an epic 1-0 game in 1966 when Dave McNally outdueled the Dodgers’ Don Drysdale as both pitched complete games. However, Baltimore has struggled in home playoff games since Camden Yards was built, going just 7-13.

5. New York Yankees, Yankee Stadium I (1923-2008)
101-60 record (.627)

How ridiculous is it that the Yankees essentially played a full season’s schedule worth of playoff games at the original Yankee Stadium? Whatever you think the answer to that question is, amplify it even more, because the playoffs only consisted of the World Series until 1969. The Yankees’ 101 playoff wins are 36 more than the next-closest team at any playoff venue, the Dodgers’ 65 wins at Dodger Stadium. There could be thousands of words about the Yankees’ preposterous playoff dominance over the 20th century, but the 26 rings won while playing at the original stadium speak for themselves.

6. San Francisco Giants, Oracle Park (2000-present)
25-15 record (.625)

What’s now known as Oracle Park has had several names over the course of the 21st century, but one relative constant has been the Giants’ playoff success. Interestingly, all three of the team’s World Series wins this century were clinched on the road (one at Texas, one at Detroit, one at Kansas City), though the 2012 and 2014 NLCS were clinched at home.

7. Detroit Tigers, Comerica Park (2000-present)
15-10 record (.600)

That World Series loss to St. Louis came many decades before Comerica Park was built, as the Tigers have fared better in the postseason in the 21st century. Though Detroit has not yet won a World Series at the stadium, they clinched the 2006 and 2012 ALCS — both of which were sweeps — with wins at home, the former of which was sealed by a Magglio Ordóñez walk-off home run.

8. New York Yankees, Yankee Stadium II (2009-present)
28-19 record (.596)

Yep, the Bronx Bombers crack this list at two iterations of Yankee Stadium. The Yanks immediately put up their first banner at their new ballpark, closing out the Phillies in Game 6 of the 2009 World Series at home. They also wrapped up the 2010, 2012 and 2022 ALDS in the Bronx and won the 2017 and 2018 AL Wild Card Games in front of their home fans. They reached the World Series in 2024 in part by going 3-1 there against the Royals and Guardians, but they went 1-2 in Games 3-5 of the Fall Classic against the Dodgers.

9. St. Louis Cardinals, Busch Stadium III (2006-present)
26-18 record (.591)

The new Busch Stadium opened in St. Louis in 2006. The Cardinals won the 2006 World Series. Coincidence? OK, probably, but the Redbirds have played well in front of their home fans at Busch Stadium III as well as Busch II — which, as you might remember, is No. 3 on this list. The Cards won all three of their home games in the World Series in 2006 and closed out the 2011 Fall Classic with an unforgettable walk-off win in Game 6 and another victory in Game 7.

10. Los Angeles Dodgers, Dodger Stadium (1962-present)
65-44 (.596)

Dodger Stadium trails only the original Yankee Stadium for most postseason games hosted. It also leads active ballparks in that category (ahead of Fenway Park’s 89), including 29 World Series contests through the first two games of the 2024 Fall Classic. The team didn’t get to play at Dodger Stadium for most of its 2020 championship run, with the final three postseason rounds held at neutral sites. But the Dodgers did clinch the 1963 World Series against the Yankees at Chavez Ravine, and 25 years later, Kirk Gibson authored one of the most famous moments in postseason history there, in Game 1 of the 1988 World Series. Powered by Freddie Freeman’s walk-off grand slam in Game 1, the Dodgers won the first two games of the 2024 World Series at home.

Honorable mentions:
Kansas City Royals, Kauffman Stadium: 24-17 (.585)
Boston Red Sox, Fenway Park: 51-37 (.580)
Cleveland Guardians, Progressive Field: 34-25 (.576)
Arizona Diamondbacks, Chase Field: 16-12 (.571)
Houston Astros, Minute Maid Park: 36-27 (.571)