National League Championship Series

Before 1969, the National League champion (the "pennant winner") was determined by the best win–loss record at the end of the regular season.

A structured postseason series began in 1969, when both the National and American Leagues were reorganized into two divisions each, East and West.

In 1981, a one-off division series was held due to a split season caused by a players' strike.

The winners of that round advance to the best-of-seven NLCS; however, due to the player's strike later that season, no postseason was played and the new format did not formally begin until 1995.

For the first time in history, two wild card teams played in the 2022 National League Championship Series.

The MVP award has been given to a player on the losing team twice, in 1986 to Mike Scott of the Houston Astros and in 1987 to Jeffrey Leonard of the San Francisco Giants.