The MLB postseason is where legends are made… and where some players completely unravel. Whether it’s a pitcher who melts under the bright lights, a hitter who suddenly forgets how to hit, or a team that just finds new ways to collapse, playoff choking is a time-honored tradition.
Here’s our list of the 15 biggest playoff chokers in MLB history—ranked from “bad luck” to “downright embarrassing.”
15. Barry Bonds
Before 2002, Bonds was the undisputed king of playoff flops. From 1990 to 2000, he hit a pitiful .196 in the postseason, with just one home run in 27 games. Sure, he finally figured it out in the ‘02 playoffs, but before that? Pitchers had no reason to fear him in October.
14. Clayton Kershaw
One of the best regular-season pitchers ever, but come playoff time? Things get dicey. Kershaw has had moments of brilliance, but he’s also been shelled in some of the biggest games of his career. Whether it’s blowing a 7th-inning lead or serving up back-to-back homers, his October résumé has a few too many horror stories.
13. David Price
For years, Price was a walking playoff nightmare. Before 2018, he was 0-9 as a postseason starter with an ERA that screamed, “Why is this guy still on the mound?” Sure, he redeemed himself with the Red Sox, but his early playoff career was one long facepalm.
12. Alex Rodriguez
A-Rod had a weird playoff career—he either hit like a Hall of Famer or completely disappeared. His early Yankee years were filled with brutal slumps, including a 1-for-14 stretch in the 2006 ALDS. He eventually came through in 2009, but before that? New York fans were ready to run him out of town.
11. Mark Langston
The 1995 ALCS should have been Langston’s big moment. Instead, it became one of the worst blown calls in history (thanks, umpire Richie Garcia) and a collapse for the ages. Langston loaded the bases and gave up a controversial grand slam, forever cementing his place in playoff infamy.
10. Giancarlo Stanton
The Yankees brought in Stanton to deliver in big October moments… and he’s mostly responded by striking out. His playoff numbers aren’t horrible, but when your biggest contributions are swinging through sliders and leaving runners stranded, it’s hard to call that clutch.
9. Matt Holliday
You drop one crucial fly ball in the 2009 NLDS, and suddenly you’re a choker forever. But let’s be real—Holliday had a habit of disappearing in big games. His .246 career postseason batting average and tendency to fade when it mattered put him firmly on this list.
8. Craig Kimbrel
Elite in the regular season, absolute chaos in the playoffs. Kimbrel’s postseason ERA is a rollercoaster, and his 2018 playoff run was so shaky that Red Sox fans begged Alex Cora not to use him in big moments. That’s not exactly the sign of a lockdown closer.
7. Billy Buckner
Yes, we know—Buckner was a great hitter, and yes, that infamous 1986 error wasn’t entirely his fault. But when your name becomes synonymous with choking, there’s no escaping this list. That ball rolling through his legs will live in playoff infamy forever.
6. Rick Ankiel
Ankiel’s 2000 postseason meltdown was straight out of a horror movie. A rising star with electric stuff, he suddenly forgot how to throw a strike, launching five wild pitches in one inning. His playoff collapse was so bad it ended his pitching career—but hey, at least he reinvented himself as an outfielder.
5. Barry Zito
The Giants paid Zito $126 million, hoping he’d be an ace. Instead, they got a guy who wasn’t even trusted in the 2010 playoffs. His disastrous postseason numbers (6.14 ERA with Oakland, benched in 2010) make him one of the biggest October letdowns ever—though, to be fair, he finally came through in 2012.
4. Jose Mesa
If you’re a Cleveland fan, you probably just groaned. Mesa had a chance to seal the 1997 World Series—Cleveland’s first title since 1948. Instead, he blew the save in Game 7, setting up one of the most painful losses in MLB history. He was never the same after that.
3. David Justice
Justice had some clutch moments, but he also went ice cold in multiple postseasons. His .224 career playoff batting average is rough, but his 4-for-29 slump in the 1995 World Series and 2-for-21 nosedive in the 2001 ALDS make him a certified October liability.
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2. Armando Benitez
If there was a Hall of Fame for postseason meltdowns, Benitez would be a first-ballot inductee. He blew save after save when it mattered most, including two crushing blown saves for the Mets in the 1997 and 1999 playoffs. If you needed a closer to not get the job done, Benitez was your guy.
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1. The Entire 2004 Yankees
This isn’t about one player—this is about the greatest team-wide choke job in MLB history. Up 3-0 in the ALCS against the Red Sox, the Yankees folded in ways we’ll never fully understand. They blew leads, got wrecked by David Ortiz, and completed the first-ever collapse of its kind in baseball history. If you need the definition of a playoff choke, look no further.
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