Oscar's homer, Tatis' bat flip and other memorable WCS moments

Through four years, it’s safe to say the Wild Card Series has lived up to its name.

The best-of-three series, which first came about during the expanded playoffs in the 2020 season, was officially added during the 2022 season when six teams made the postseason cut in each league. This expanded series took away the volatility of the one-game Wild Card while retaining the drama and intrigue we’ve come to love from postseason baseball.

To celebrate the change, we’ve compiled a list of some of the best moments from each year of the Wild Card Series. Note that there’s not an inclusion from 2021, as the postseason returned to its pre-2020 format for one season.

2024

Clutch Alonso sends Mets to LDS
Mets at Brewers, Game 3
The 2024 winner-take-all finale between the Brewers and Mets was a true roller coaster ride of emotions. With both teams scoreless through six, the Brewers finally broke through in the bottom of the seventh with back-to-back homers on back-to-back pitches off Mets reliever José Buttó, appearing to spell doom for New York's 2024 playoff run.

Not so fast. Facing Brewers closer Devin Williams in the top of the ninth, the Mets picked up a couple of baserunners on a walk by Francisco Lindor and a single by Brandon Nimmo. That brought up Pete Alonso, at that point 1-for-8 in the series and riding a long cold streak, who hit a three-run shot to put the Mets on top for good. In doing so, he became the first player in MLB history to hit a go-ahead home run while trailing in the ninth inning or later of a winner-take-all postseason game.

Series result: NYM wins, 2-1

2023

The Twins end their postseason drought in flashy fashion
Blue Jays at Twins, Game 1
What a way for the Twins to break their record 18-game postseason losing streak. After missing the last two weeks of the regular season with a hamstring injury, Royce Lewis recorded a two-homer game in his postseason debut, making him the first player to homer in their first two postseason at-bats since Evan Longoria in 2008.

Series result: MIN wins, 2-0

Arizona ambushes a Cy Young winner
D-backs at Brewers, Game 1
The D-backs' youth movement was on full display in their come-from-behind win against the Brewers. After going down 3-0 in the first two innings, Arizona got on the board against Brewers ace Corbin Burnes in the third inning on a two-run home run from Corbin Carroll (who was making his postseason debut).

After Ketel Marte added a game-tying homer in the third inning, catcher Gabriel Moreno staked the Snakes to a lead with a solo home run in the fourth inning. It marked the seventh time in postseason history a team has gotten home runs from multiple players 23 years old or younger.

Series result: ARI wins, 2-0

2022

Oscar ends scoreless marathon
Rays at Guardians, Game 2
After four hours and 57 minutes of scoreless baseball, Oscar Gonzalez guaranteed he’d never have to pay for a drink in Cleveland again with a walk-off home run off Corey Kluber in the bottom of the 15th inning. The teams combined for just 11 hits and set a new postseason record with 39 strikeouts.

Series result: CLE wins, 2-0

Seattle’s sensational comeback
Mariners at Blue Jays, Game 2
The Mariners’ first foray into the postseason in 20 years featured twists, turns and one historic comeback. Seattle was down 8-1 after five innings but managed to claw its way back into the game and ended up tying the game in the eighth inning on a two-out, bases-loaded double from J.P. Crawford. They took the lead an inning later to secure the win.

Series result: SEA wins, 2-0

Ninth-inning magic starts Philly pennant run
Phillies at Cardinals, Game 1
It was all set up for St. Louis. Juan Yepez gave the Redbirds a lead in the seventh inning with the first postseason pinch-hit home run in team history, and All-Star closer Ryan Helsley was heading in to secure the win. Then the Phillies showcased the never-say-die attitude that would lead them to the World Series, as they tagged Helsley and the Cardinals bullpen for six runs and became the first team in postseason history to score six runs in the ninth inning when trailing to enter the frame.

Series result: PHI wins, 2-0

2020

DJ spins the hits for Yanks
Yankees at Cleveland, Game 2
New York’s Game 2 matchup had a little bit of everything. Not only was it the longest nine-inning game ever played on a Major League diamond (it spanned four hours and 50 minutes along with having 76 minutes of weather delays), but it also had four lead changes, with each one seemingly more dramatic than the last. After Cleveland took the lead in the eighth inning, the Yankees grabbed the lead in the ninth on a DJ LeMahieu single, which marked the first blown save for Brad Hand all season.

Series result: NYY wins, 2-0

Freddie Freeman plays hero
Reds at Braves, Game 1
The first scoreless marathon in the Wild Card Series came in the Series’ first year when the Reds and Braves played 12 scoreless innings before Freeman called game with a walk-off single. It was the first postseason game to make it through the 11th inning with neither team having scored a single run, along with being the longest postseason win in Braves history.

Series result: ATL wins, 2-0

Fernando Tatis Jr. introduces himself to the world
Cardinals at Padres, Game 2
While Tatis had put together a solid 2019 season (he finished third in Rookie of the Year voting), Tatis became a household name with a two-homer, five-RBI performance that featured an all-time bat flip. The Padres, who were down 4-0 after three innings, also got a spark from Wil Myers, who had a two-homer game himself, which meant that he and Tatis became the first teammates with multiple homers in a postseason game since Babe Ruth and Lou Gehrig did so 88 years ago to the day.

Series result: SDP wins, 2-1