Historic Comebacks: Discover the Last Playoff Team to Win a Seven-Game Series After a 2-0 Deficit

The Milwaukee Brewers are currently faced with the challenge of overcoming a 2-0 deficit in the National League Championship Series (NLCS) against the Los Angeles Dodgers. This series, pivotal for the Brewers, reflects a trend where teams find themselves at a severe disadvantage after losing the first two games.

Historic Comebacks in Seven-Game Series

In the history of Major League Baseball, only 15 teams have succeeded in winning a seven-game series after trailing 2-0. This statistic includes various postseason formats. Notably, the League Championship Series (LCS) and the World Series were not always structured as seven-game formats.

Historical Context and Current Trends

• The LCS was introduced in 1969.
• Initially, the LCS was a five-game series until 1985.
• Three opportunities exist annually for a seven-game series: the two championship series and the World Series.

Teams that gain a 2-0 lead in any best-of-seven series are expected to win 83.9% of the time, according to MLB statistics. This leaves only a 16.1% chance for teams like the Brewers to stage a comeback.

Recent Examples of Comebacks

The Arizona Diamondbacks are the last team to have successfully won a series after trailing 2-0. This comeback occurred in 2023, when they turned the tables on the Philadelphia Phillies in the NLCS. This same Diamondbacks team eliminated the Brewers in the wild-card round, showcasing the cyclical nature of postseason play.

Another notable comeback was achieved by the Los Angeles Dodgers. In 2020, they rallied to win the NLCS against the Atlanta Braves after falling behind 2-0. Additionally, the New York Yankees overcame a similar challenge in the 1996 World Series. They lost their first two games at home but then won four consecutive games to clinch the series.

Challenges for the Brewers

Historically, it is particularly difficult for teams to overcome a 2-0 deficit when both losses occur at home. Only four teams have achieved this feat in the history of MLB. The Dodgers were among them in 2020, while the 1986 Mets did so against the Boston Red Sox, turning around a crucial series marred by a famous error.

For the Milwaukee Brewers, the path ahead is challenging but not impossible. They enter Game 2 of the NLCS against a formidable opponent, hoping to create their own chapter in baseball’s history of comebacks.