Kammala jumla mai zuwa: The Cardinals sun sami damar shiga cikin wasan kwaikwayo ta hanyar lashe gasar NL ta tsakiya, kuma suna da mafi kyawun nasara / rashin nasara a cikin NL. Red Sox sun lashe katin AL don su cancanci nasu. Cardinals sun isa gasar cin kofin duniya ta hanyar kayar da Los Angeles Dodgers a cikin mafi kyawun biyar na NL Division Series da Houston Astros a cikin mafi kyawun bakwai
Gasar Zakarun NL. Red Sox sun doke Anaheim Angels a gasar cin kofin AL. Bayan sun yi wasa uku ba tare da kowa ba a New York Yankees a cikin Gasar Championship Series, Red Sox sun dawo don lashe jerin, suna ci gaba zuwa gasar cin kofin duniya ta farko tun. Cardinals sun yi wasan farko a gasar cin kofin duniya tun daga lokacin. Tare da New England Patriots da suka lashe Super Bowl XXXVIII, nasarar gasar cin kofin duniya ta sanya Boston ta zama birni na farko da ya sami Super Bowl da kuma gasar cin kofin duniya a cikin shekara guda (2004) tun Pittsburgh a shekarar 1979. Red Sox ya zama na uku a jere na wasan kwaikwayo na wasan kwaikwayo don lashe gasar cin kofin duniya; Anaheim Angels ya lashe a 2002 kuma Florida Marlins ya lashe a 2003.