What are some of the most iconic Wild Card Games of our time?

Juan Soto celebrating his go-ahead single in the 2019 NL Wild Card Game, CCed by Liscense 2.0

The wild card series underwent a major revamp to a best of three game series instead of a one-game decide-it-all in 2022. Overall, the wild card series has been part of Major League Baseball’s playoff format since 1995, and has given more teams an opportunity and fans games to remember.

These are the top five wildest MLB wild card games:

5. Cincinnati Reds at Pittsburgh Pirates, 2013

It’s honestly to imagine that the Pittsburgh Pirates were once a playoff contending team. In 2013, the Pirates faced the Reds and drew blood. In what was a powerful outing by Pirates starter Francisco Liriano at PNC Park, the Pirates offense would explode in front of a sold-out crowd. The game was mainly highlighted by Russell Martin’s two solo shots in what was a 6-2 bashing.

4. Colorado Rockies at Chicago Cubs, 2018

What’s crazier than the Pirates being in the playoffs? Well how about the Colorado Rockies being a playoff team in 2018. In what was an absolute pitchers duel with 17 combined pitchers used throughout 13-innings, the end result would see the Rockies survive by Tony Wolters driving in the go-ahead run. The Rockies were gassed from a tiebreaker game just one day prior, so them pulling out this extra innings win away at the loud Wrigley Field was just pure cinema.

3. Minnesota Twins at New York Yankees, 2017

The 2017 Yankees were special in many ways – that deserves its own article for another day. Their 2017 wild card affair though in itself deserves a mini Netflix documentary. The Minnesota Twins ambushed and hit the Yankees hard, knocking ace Luis Severino out after 0.1 innings pitched. All hope looked lost, but then the baby bombers did their thing. Didi Gregorius belted a 3-run homer to tie the game and the bullpen pulled through to an eventual comeback win for the Yankees, 8-4.

2. Milwaukee Brewers at Washington Nationals, 2019

The 2019 wild card game between the Nationals and the Brewers should probably be around 4-5 on this list. It is so high not because of Juan Soto lifting the Nats, but because this win jump started Washington’s miracle World Series run to eventually win it all. Trailing 3-1 into the 8th inning, Juan Soto hit a bases clearing single that turned into a three-run play thanks to rookie Trent Grisham misplaying the ball. The Nationals would win 4-3 and the rest would be history…literally.

1. Oakland Athletics at Kansas City Royals, 2014

Another extra-innings thriller was in 2014 between the Royals and the Athletics, which featured 12 innings of wild card baseball. Kansas City, who marked their return to playoff baseball for the first time in 29-years, staged multiple comebacks. The Royals stole seven bases with four of them being swiped by Jarrod Dyson. An eventual 9-8 win thanks to a walk-off Salvador Perez single would mark the true beginning to a brief Royals dynasty.