Due to a mid-season players' strike, the season was divided into a first half and a second half. The division winner of each half played each other in a five-game divisional series. The Cincinnati Reds, despite having the best overall record during the season, finished 2nd in both halves, so did not qualify for the post-season.
LDS
LCS
World Series
NYY 3
MIL 2
OAK 3
KC 0
LAD 3
HOU 2
PHI 2
MTL 3
OAK 0
NYY 3
MTL 2
LAD 3
LAD 4
NYY 2
Major League Baseball - 1981 MLB Playoffs Logo
Champ
LAD
1981 MLB Champion Los Angeles Dodgers
z: best record, c: conference winner, y: division winner, w: wildcard, x: clinched playoff spot

NLDS

Best of 5-game series
DateAwayScoreHomeSeries
10/7Philadelphia 1-3 Montreal MTL 1-0
10/8Philadelphia 1-3 Montreal MTL 2-0
10/9Montreal 2-6 Philadelphia MTL 2-1
10/10Montreal 5-6
10
Philadelphia Tied 2-2
10/11Montreal 3-0 Philadelphia MTL 3-2

NLDS

Best of 5-game series
DateAwayScoreHomeSeries
10/6LA Dodgers 1-3 Houston HOU 1-0
10/7LA Dodgers 0-1
11
Houston HOU 2-0
10/9Houston 1-6 LA Dodgers HOU 2-1
10/10Houston 1-2 LA Dodgers Tied 2-2
10/11Houston 0-4 LA Dodgers LAD 3-2

ALDS

Best of 5-game series
DateAwayScoreHomeSeries
10/6Oakland 4-0 Kansas City OAK 1-0
10/7Oakland 2-1 Kansas City OAK 2-0
10/9Kansas City 1-4 Oakland OAK 3-0

ALDS

Best of 5-game series
DateAwayScoreHomeSeries
10/7NY Yankees 5-3 Milwaukee NYY 1-0
10/8NY Yankees 3-0 Milwaukee NYY 2-0
10/9Milwaukee 5-3 NY Yankees NYY 2-1
10/10Milwaukee 2-1 NY Yankees Tied 2-2
10/11Milwaukee 3-7 NY Yankees NYY 3-2

NLCS

Best of 5-game series
DateAwayScoreHomeSeries
10/13Montreal 1-5 LA Dodgers LAD 1-0
10/14Montreal 3-0 LA Dodgers Tied 1-1
10/16LA Dodgers 1-4 Montreal MTL 2-1
10/17LA Dodgers 7-1 Montreal Tied 2-2
10/19LA Dodgers 2-1 Montreal LAD 3-2

ALCS

Best of 5-game series
DateAwayScoreHomeSeries
10/13Oakland 1-3 NY Yankees NYY 1-0
10/14Oakland 3-13 NY Yankees NYY 2-0
10/15NY Yankees 4-0 Oakland NYY 3-0

World Series

Best of 7-game series
DateAwayScoreHomeSeries
10/20LA Dodgers 3-5 NY Yankees NYY 1-0
10/21LA Dodgers 0-3 NY Yankees NYY 2-0
10/23NY Yankees 4-5 LA Dodgers NYY 2-1
10/24NY Yankees 7-8 LA Dodgers Tied 2-2
10/25NY Yankees 1-2 LA Dodgers LAD 3-2
10/28LA Dodgers 9-2 NY Yankees LAD 4-2