Top 5 Single Game Baseball Playoff Performances Ever (Hint: Ohtani is now #1)

October 18, 2025

Shohei Ohtani hits one of 3 HR for Dodgers in NLCS Game 4

After the absolutely insane display put on by Shohei Ohtani Friday night in the Los Angeles Dodgers' Game 4 NLCS clincher over the Milwaukee Brewers, it's only fitting to look at the "other" Top 5 postseason performances in baseball history.

5. Don Larsen Perfect Game, 1956 World Series Game 5

Still the only perfect game in World Series history, New York Yankees starter Don Larsen struck out seven and didn't allow a single baserunner in a Game 5 2-0 victory against the Brooklyn Dodgers. Larsen threw just 97 pitches. 

4. Reggie Jackson, 1977 World Series Game 6

It was Game 6 of the 1977 Fall Classic, when Reggie entered baseball lore forever. He blasted not one, not two, but three home runs in leading the New York Yankees to the championship with an 8-4 win. From that moment on, he was forever known as Mr. October. Interestingly enough, the World Series MVP he took home for that performance wasn't his first such award. He also took MVP honours in the 1973 Fall Classic for the Oakland A's.

3. Jack Morris, 1991 World Series Game 7

In the ultimate refuse-to-lose performance, Jack Morris gutted out a 122-pitch complete game, 10-INNING shutout in Game 7 of the '91 Fall Classic, for a 1-0 win over the Atlanta Braves. Morris would take home the Series MVP.

2. Madison Bumgarner, 2014 World Series Games 1, 5 AND 7

Bumgarner earns the spot ahead of the previous three on this list because he didn't just provide the ultimate heroics in one game, he won no less than THREE games for the Giants in leading them to their third Series victory in five years. After surrendering just one run in 16 innings while starting and winning Games 1 and 5, he was then called on in relief in Game 7, and put the Giants on his back again with five more shutout innings to lead them to a 3-2 win. He posted a ridiculous 0.43 ERA in those 21 innings, in the most insane full series performance by a pitcher ever. 

1. Shohei Ohtani, 2025 NLCS Game 4

What more can be said about Ohtani's performance Friday night that hasn't already been said? He combined the best of Reggie with the best of Bumgarner & Morris. All in one game. Three home runs. Six shutout innings and 10 strikeouts. Game 4 clincher for the Dodgers. Absolutely unfathomable.

Yes, as some are saying, that might not be just the greatest baseball playoff performance ever, but the greatest athletic performance of all-time. Period. 

And the World Series is still to come. 

Photo: © Kiyoshi Mio-Imagn Images


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