The Indians defeated the Blue Jays in the ALCS, then lost the 2016 World Series to the National League champion Chicago Cubs.

[10][11] It was also the first series between the two teams since May 15, a game which featured multiple bench clearing skirmishes and the infamous Rougned Odor punch of Bautista.

However, three runs was all that Texas could get on the day, as their dismal hitting with runners in scoring position failed to bring home any more baserunners (the Rangers went 2-for-18 in RISP situations, and left 13 men on base).

In the eighth, Francisco Liriano allowed a leadoff double and one out walk before Carlos Gomez's RBI single made it 5–2 Blue Jays.

Looking to eliminate the Rangers from the playoffs for the second consecutive year, the Blue Jays sent American League ERA leader Aaron Sanchez to the mound in Game 3.

Joe Biagini would allow a double to Mitch Moreland that just got out of the reach of Kevin Pillar that scored two runs and gave the Rangers a 6–5 lead.

In the bottom of the sixth, a passed ball by Jonathan Lucroy with the bases loaded allowed Troy Tulowitzki to score the tying run.

Jose Ramírez led off the bottom of the second with a double off Rick Porcello and scored on Lonnie Chisenhall's single to tie the game.

The Red Sox cut the lead to one on Sandy Leon's leadoff home run in the fifth off Bauer, who was replaced by Andrew Miller with two outs in the inning.

Holt's leadoff home run in the eighth off Bryan Shaw made it 5−4, but Cody Allen pitched 11⁄3 shutout innings for the save.

Red Sox's David Price, after a perfect first, allowed three straight one-out singles in the second, the last of which to Brandon Guyer scoring Carlos Santana, before Lonnie Chisenhall's three-run home run put the Indians up 4−0.

In the fourth, Price allowed a leadoff single to Guyer, then walked Roberto Pérez with one out before being relieved by Matt Barnes.

Guyer hit a leadoff single off Barnes in the sixth, then moved to third one out later on Dustin Pedroia's fielding error before scoring on Davis's sacrifice fly off Brad Ziegler to make it 6−0 Indians, who went up two games to none in the series heading to Boston.

The Indians struck first in Game 3 off Clay Buchholz when with runners on second and third in the fourth with one out, Tyler Naquin drove them both in with a single to right field.

After Betts hit into a force out, Cody Allen relieved Shaw and walked Ortiz before Hanley Ramírez's RBI single made it 4−3 Indians.