NOTE: Due to a strike in mid-season, the season was divided into a first half and a second half. The division winner of the first half (denoted East 1, West 1) played the division winner of the second half (denoted East 2, West 2).
Division Series ABC/NBC | League Championship Series NBC | World Series ABC | |||||||||||
East 1 | New York Yankees | 3 | |||||||||||
East 2 | Milwaukee | 2 | |||||||||||
East | New York Yankees | 3 | |||||||||||
American League | |||||||||||||
West | Oakland | 0 | |||||||||||
West 1 | Oakland | 3 | |||||||||||
West 2 | Kansas City | 0 | |||||||||||
AL | New York Yankees | 2 | |||||||||||
NL | Los Angeles | 4 | |||||||||||
East 1 | Philadelphia | 2 | |||||||||||
East 2 | Montreal | 3 | |||||||||||
East | Montreal | 2 | |||||||||||
National League | |||||||||||||
West | Los Angeles | 3 | |||||||||||
West 1 | Los Angeles | 3 | |||||||||||
West 2 | Houston | 2 |
- American League Championship Series MVP: Graig Nettles
- National League Championship Series MVP: Burt Hooton
- World Series: Los Angeles Dodgers over New York Yankees (4–2); Ron Cey, Pedro Guerrero, and Steve Yeager, co-MVPs
WORLD SERIES:
- October 28 – Pedro Guerrero drives in five runs, and pitcher Burt Hooton and the Los Angeles Dodgers beat the New York Yankees 9–2 to win the 1981 World Series in six games. In a remarkable postseason, the Dodgers rallied from game deficits of 2–0 against the Astros in the division series, 2-1 against the Expos in the National League Championship series, and 2–0 against the Yankees in the World Series. Guerrero, Ron Cey and Steve Yeager are named co-MVPs.
Awards and honors[edit]
- Most Valuable Player
- Rollie Fingers, Milwaukee Brewers, P (AL)
- Mike Schmidt, Philadelphia Phillies, 3B (NL)
- Cy Young Award
- Rollie Fingers, Milwaukee Brewers (AL)
- Fernando Valenzuela, Los Angeles Dodgers (NL)
- Rookie of the Year
- Dave Righetti, New York Yankees, P (AL)
- Fernando Valenzuela, Los Angeles Dodgers, P (NL)