Every MLB franchise's leader in all-time postseason home runs

During the Yankees' dynasty spanning the mid-1990s to early 2000s, the Bronx Bombers were routinely playing deep into October, which gave the stalwarts on those New York teams a plethora of postseason opportunities. And while he might not be the first name you think of when you look back at those dominant Yankees teams, center fielder Bernie Williams was routinely at his best when it mattered most. In a staggering 121 career playoff games, Williams slashed .275/.371/.480 with 80 RBI, and his 22 postseason homers are the most in Yankees' history. 

I'm not sure there has ever been a more universally beloved — even after their retirement — Boston athlete than left-handed slugger David Ortiz. For 14 incredible years, Ortiz was the undeniable heart and soul of the Red Sox, and is one of the primary reasons the team enjoyed so much October success during his tenure. In 76 career postseason contests with Boston, Ortiz hit .291 with 17 home runs and 57 RBI. He led the Red Sox to three World Series championships, was named the MVP of the ALCS in 2004, and became a symbol of strength for the community following the horrific Boston Marathon bombing in 2013. The Red Sox retired Ortiz's number 34 almost instantly following his retirement, and he was easily inducted into the Hall of Fame in 2022. 

Outfielder Frank Robinson enjoyed a truly spectacular career that spanned more than two decades. The ferocious right-handed slugger crushed 586 regular season home runs, earned two MVP awards, and played in four World Series with the Orioles — winning two of them. With Baltimore, Robinson became one of the most feared big-game hitters in baseball — blasting seven World Series long balls in an O's uniform. The nine total postseason homers he hit for Baltimore remain the club record. 

The Blue Jays' record for postseason home runs is relatively modest compared to some other clubs, but that is certainly not an indication that they haven't had dramatic October moments. In fact, outfielder Joe Carter blasted perhaps the most impactful home run in World Series history when he connected on a walk-off blast to win the 1993 Fall Classic and give the Blue Jays back-to-back World Series championships. That homer was the last of six playoff long balls Carter hit in a Toronto uniform, which ties him with Jose Bautista for the club record. The Blue Jays teams Bautista played for did not ever advance to the World Series, but he impressively clubbed six homers in 20 playoff games between 2015 and 2016, most notably a towering bomb in Game 5 of the 2015 ALDS against Texas. 

The postseason outfielder Randy Arozarena put together for the Rays in 2020 was simply sensational. In 20 games that October, Arozarena slashed an eye opening .377/.442/.831 with 10 home runs, 14 RBI, three doubles, and a triple. He almost single-handedly propelled Tampa Bay to the American League pennant, and his playoff exploits put him firmly on the map as a legitimate superstar. He added another playoff homer the following October, and the 11 total postseason home runs he hit for the Rays are easily the most in club history. 

Hall of Famer Jim Thome was a dynamic run-producing force for several different teams during his 22-year major league career, but he is clearly most remembered for his exploits as a Cleveland Indian. In just under 1,400 career games with Cleveland, Thome slashed .287/.414/.566 with 337 home runs and 937 RBI. He became the undisputed leader of some very good Indians teams that for most of the 1990s were yearly participants in October. That gave Thome plenty of chances on the postseason stage, on which he often thrived. The 17 playoff homers he hit for Cleveland remain the team's all-time record — a mark that will not be broken anytime soon, as no current member of the Guardians has more than two playoff homers on their ledger. 

Providence, RI-born Paul Konerko spent 16 seasons on the South Side of Chicago with the White Sox, and for most of that timeframe was one of the elite right-handed run producers in the American League. Konerko drove in more than 100 runs for Chicago six times, represented the club in the All-Star Game on six different occasions, and still holds the White Sox all-time record for total bases. He also hit more postseason homers than anyone in team history. Konerko crushed seven playoff home runs for Chicago, five of which came in 2005 when he was named ALCS MVP and later helped the Sox take home their first World Series championship since 1917. 

Trading for Miguel Cabrera was one of the best moves the Detroit Tigers organization ever made. The right-handed slugger had already established himself as a premier talent with the Marlins early in his career, and in Detroit he cemented a legacy as one of the greatest hitters in our sport's history. Cabrera won a pair of MVP awards with the Tigers, represented them in eight all-star games, and earned countless other accolades along the way. He also connected on nine postseason long balls, which remains the club record. 

Third baseman George Brett is the most accomplished player in the history of the Kansas City Royals franchise, so it should come as no surprise that he holds the team record for postseason homers. Brett connected on 10 clutch October long balls, three of which came in the fall of 1985 when he led Kansas City to a World Series championship. Notably, he smacked three homers in Game 3 of the 1978 ALCS against the Yankees, tying him for the most homers in a single postseason contest. 

Ironically, the Twins organization's all-time leader in postseason home runs did not hit a single long ball as a member of the Minnesota Twins. Outfielder Goose Goslin played for this franchise when they played their home games in D.C. and were known as the Washington Senators. In 19 career playoff games with Washington, Goslin crushed seven big flies, but this is a record the Twins understandably hope will be broken. Current Minnesota infielder Royce Lewis has four postseason home runs on his ledger, and with the club trending towards a playoff berth later this month, perhaps he can make a run at the mark this October. 

Third baseman Troy Glaus was one of the best power hitters of his era, and in the seven years he spent in Anaheim he provided the Angels with one of the most lethal right-handed bats in the game. The Tarzana, CA native was especially dominant during the 2002 postseason, slashing .344/.420/.770 with seven homers and 13 RBI in only 16 games en route to leading the Angels to a World Series title and being named the MVP of the Fall Classic. He added two more playoff homers for the Halos during the '04 postseason, and while Angels fans wish either Mike Trout or Shohei Ohtani held this record, Glaus' nine postseason long balls remain the franchise's all-time mark. 

Jose Canseco has a strange and maligned reputation in baseball now, due to revelations about his participation in the steroid era, but it's impossible to ignore just how dynamic he really was in his heyday. Long before he used any performance enhancing drugs, Canseco had already established himself as one of the premier all-around talents in the game, and he is a big reason why the A's of the late 1980s and early 1990s were as good as they were. In October, Canseco was not necessarily the most productive situational hitter for Oakland, hitting just .213 in 26 playoff games with the club, but he could always change a game with one swing. He connected on seven postseason home runs for the Athletics, which remains the most in team history, and earned a World Series ring with Oakland in 1989. 

No Major League team has enjoyed more recent success than the Houston Astros, which has given their star second baseman Jose Altuve a plethora of opportunities on the October stage. And it's safe to say he's taken full advantage. To date, Altuve has played in 103 playoff games and slashed .273/.340/.510. His 27 postseason home runs are not just an Astros club record — he currently sits just two long balls behind Manny Ramirez for the most all-time. With Houston closing in on yet another AL West division title, Altuve should get an opportunity to break that record later this fall. 

Prior to finally qualifying for the American League playoffs two years ago, the Mariners had endured a frustrating two decade-long October drought. That meant that there simply were not opportunities for modern Seattle players to hit dramatic postseason home runs, and it's the reason why the club record holders in this category are from the team's last run of sustained success. Seattle made the playoffs four times between 1995-2001, and right-handed sluggers Jay Buhner and Edgar Martinez each hit eight postseason long balls during that period. 

Nelson Cruz was unquestionably one of the best right-handed hitters of his era, and for whatever reason it always felt like he was perpetually underrated. Cruz played nearly two decades in the Major Leagues and crushed 464 home runs at the sport's highest level. He also had a knack for elevating his game when it mattered most. That was never more evident than during the Rangers' back-to-back American League pennant-winning runs in 2010 and 2011. Between those two Octobers, Cruz blasted 14 homers and drove in 27 runs in 33 games. He was named the MVP of the ALCS in '11, and even though Texas failed to seal the deal in either World Series, Cruz is still considered royalty in Arlington. 

The run that Mets second baseman Daniel Murphy went on during the 2015 postseason was simply unprecedented. After hitting 14 homers during the regular season, Murphy elevated his game to previously unseen heights during October, slashing .328/.391/.724 with seven home runs and 11 RBI in 14 playoff games. He set a major league record by homering in six consecutive postseason contests, and was the biggest reason the Mets were able to capture the National League pennant for the first time since 2000. 

The Braves were yearly playoff participants from 1995-2005, and that level of continuous excellence gave their best player from that era, Chipper Jones, plenty of opportunities on the game's biggest stage. Jones played in 93 playoff games for Atlanta, slashing .287/.409/.456 with 13 home runs, 47 RBI, and 18 doubles. The closest current Braves player on the team's postseason home run list is Travis d'Arnaud with seven, so it would appear Jones' mark is going to be safe for a bit longer. 

The Nationals' postseason home run record is shared by four different players, all of whom played for the team in this current era. As a 20-year-old in 2019, Juan Soto connected on five long balls — three of which came in the World Series — and was a huge reason Washington brought the championship trophy back to D.C. Third baseman Anthony Rendon slashed .328/.413/.590 with three homers in that same postseason, after hitting two previous October homers for the Nats. Bryce Harper was no longer in Washington when the Nationals finally captured that elusive World Series title, but the one-time face of the franchise launched five cumulative postseason homers between '12-'17. Then there's Mr. National, Ryan Zimmerman, who holds almost every club record since this franchise moved to D.C. from Montreal, and deservingly owns a share of this one as well.  

Speaking of Bryce Harper, in addition to owning a share of the Nationals' postseason home run record, he's also currently tied for the Phillies' all-time mark. Since coming to the City of Brotherly Love, Harper has been simply sensational. The veteran has crushed 11 balls over the fence over the last two Octobers, and was arguably the primary reason Philadelphia represented the National League in the 2022 Fall Classic. His current teammate, outfielder Kyle Schwarber, has ironically equaled Harper's feat identically, crushing 11 home runs in two playoff runs with the Phillies. Then there's Jayson Werth, who was an underrated member of Philadelphia's 2009 NL pennant-winning team. Werth was especially dynamic in that '09 postseason, crushing seven homers in only 15 games, while adding two October long balls in both the season prior and the season after. 

Bryce Harper is not the only player on this list for multiple different teams. While Miguel Cabrera spent the majority of his career in Detroit, he first came up as a baby-faced phenom in Miami, with whom he carried all the way to an unlikely World Series championship in 2003. That October, a 20-year-old Cabrera slashed .265/.315/.471 with four home runs and 12 RBI in 17 games, including a memorable World Series homer against Roger Clemens. 

The St. Louis Cardinals are one of the most storied organizations in the game, and it's saying something that Albert Pujols is the most accomplished hitter in the franchise's history. The right-handed slugger won three NL MVP awards with St. Louis and finished his career as one of only four members of the 700 home run club. In the playoffs he was consistently excellent, and his 18 October long balls really jump off the page. Eight of those big flies came between the '06 and '11 postseasons, the two years Pujols led St. Louis to World Series championships. 

The Cubs' postseason home run record is shared by a trio of players who helped the club break a more-than-century-long World Series drought in 2016. That year, third baseman Kris Bryant enjoyed a magical October, slashing .308/.400/.523 with eight extra-base hits in 17 games. Across the diamond at first base, Anthony Rizzo was in many ways the heartbeat of the Cubs during his Chicago tenure, and in the three postseasons between '15-'17 he crushed six long balls and drove in 18 runs. Then there's Kyle Schwarber, who homered an incredible five times in only 27 playoff at-bats in 2015, and then added an additional October long ball two years later. 

The Brewers' playoff home run record is a modest four, and it's shared by slugging first baseman Prince Fielder, and scrappy shortstop Orlando Arcia. Fielder was one of the National League's elite power hitters during his prime, and while he didn't get many postseason opportunities during his Brewers tenure, he did connect on four long balls in 15 playoff games. Arcia, meanwhile, was not known as a huge power threat, especially early in his career, and it was certainly impressive that he blasted three homers in 10 playoff games in 2018. He added one more in the 2020 Wild Card round. 

The Reds were annual playoff participants during the 1970s which afforded Hall of Fame catcher Johnny Bench a plethora of opportunities on the October stage. In 45 career postseason contests with Cincinnati, Bench slashed .266/.337/.527 with 10 home runs, 20 RBI, and eight doubles. His production was one of the primary reasons the Reds were able to win back-to-back World Series championships in 1975 and 1976. 

Left-handed slugger Willie Stargell was one of the most feared power hitters of his generation, and for two decades he was the face of the Pittsburgh Pirates. Stargell was a model of consistency throughout his career, qualifying for seven all-star teams and earning numerous other accolades, including the National League MVP award in 1979. Perhaps most impressively, Stargell routinely took his game to a new level when the games mattered most. In the 1979 postseason, for example, he slashed .415/.435/.927 with five home runs, 13 RBI, and six doubles in only 10 games. He was named the MVP of both the NLCS and World Series that year en route to leading Pittsburgh to a championship. Stargell had previously hit two October homers in 1974, and his seven total playoff bombs remain a Pittsburgh club record. 

The Dodgers have been the premier team in the National League in recent years, so it's really no surprise that their postseason home run record holders are two recent members of their team. Shortstop Corey Seager has earned a reputation as one of the best big-game players in the sport, and he routinely stepped up when the games mattered most. He homered 13 times for the Dodgers in the playoffs — including eight during the team's World Series run in 2020 — before heading to Texas and leading the Rangers to a championship in '23. His left side of the infield partner, Justin Turner, was in many ways the glue of the Dodgers team during his tenure, and while he didn't have one specific monster October like Seager, he was consistently productive and launched 13 long balls in 86 playoff games with L.A. 

It might come as a surprise to some to learn that despite participating in only two playoff runs with San Diego, third baseman Manny Machado 's six October home runs are the most in club history. The Padres brought Machado to southern California with visions of soon winning the team's first World Series title, and perhaps that could even be in the cards later this fall. Machado has homered six times in 18 playoff games with the Friars to date, but San Diego is charging towards a playoff berth this season and more October opportunities will likely be on the horizon. 

Barry Bonds is obviously a polarizing name in Major League Baseball, but love him or hate him, one thing is for certain — the guy could hit the ball over the fence. Bonds is the sport's all-time home run king — though some refuse to acknowledge his record thanks to the use of performance enhancing drugs — and it really should come as no surprise that he also owns the Giants' playoff home run mark. All eight of those long balls came in 2002, when in 17 games Bonds slashed .356/.581/.978 and drove in 16 runs en route to carrying San Francisco to the National League pennant. 

The Rockies have only made the playoffs five times in their history, with their most magical run unquestionably coming in 2007. That October, outfielder Matt Holliday took center stage, slashing .289/.319/.622 with five home runs and 10 RBI in 11 games. The right-handed slugger was the biggest reason Colorado was able to sweep both the Phillies and Diamondbacks en route to their first and only World Series appearance. While the Rockies ultimately fell to the Red Sox in the Fall Classic, fans in Denver still remember their 2007 team fondly, and Matt Holliday will always be remembered as one of the best players in club history. 

The Diamondbacks have employed more than a few big-name offensive players, so it's likely to come as a bit of a surprise to learn that outfielder Chris Young holds the team's all-time record for playoff long balls. The Houston, TX native played in 12 playoff games with Arizona, crushing five homers and driving in nine runs. This is a record the Diamondbacks would love to see fall next month though, as current Arizona star Ketel Marte has hit three homers in October, and should get more chances soon with the Diamondbacks currently occupying a Wild Card position.