Pitching Dominates as 2026 Postseason Offense Hits Historic Low
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With a run-prevention field and skyrocketing velocities, hitters are struggling in a postseason that is on pace for the lowest scoring average since 1995.
The 2026 MLB postseason has become a pitcher's paradise, with offense plummeting far more than in previous years, as CBS Sports first reported. According to the outlet, teams are averaging just 3.46 runs per game through 25 contests, a drop of about 25% from the regular season. If this trend holds, it will mark the lowest scoring postseason since the Division Series became a permanent fixture in 1995.
Several factors are contributing to the scoring drought. CBS Sports reports that the postseason field is heavily skewed toward run prevention, with 10 of the top 12 teams in runs allowed per game and nine of the top 12 in defensive efficiency making the cut. In contrast, just six of the 11 most productive regular-season offenses advanced. The talent gap is further widened by injuries to key bats; Aaron Judge of the New York Yankees is sidelined, while Shohei Ohtani, Ronald Acuña Jr., and Jake Bauers are all playing through physical compromises.
Pitchers are also bringing unprecedented heat. CBS Sports notes that average fastball velocity has climbed to 96.1 mph. In just 25 games, pitchers have thrown 254 pitches clocking 100 mph or more, surpassing the 211 thrown during the entire 2008 regular season.
Even the usual October surge in home runs has vanished. While homers typically increase in the playoffs, they are down this year to 0.96 per game. This trend is reflected in the remaining teams: the Los Angeles Dodgers, Milwaukee Brewers, Tampa Bay Rays, and Cleveland Guardians all struggled with home run production during the regular season. As Cleveland Guardians manager Stephen Vogt noted after a Game 5 ALDS win over the Chicago White Sox, the team is now one step away from their ultimate goal.