Skip to content

Lind, Albers snap longest active playoff droughts with Nationals' clinch

Brad Mills / USA TODAY Sports

For Washington Nationals first baseman Adam Lind and reliever Matt Albers, the champagne was probably tasting just a little bit sweeter on Sunday afternoon.

When the Nationals officially clinched their third National League East title in the past four seasons Sunday, it ensured that Lind and Albers - both in their 12th big-league seasons - will finally be getting their first taste of October baseball. Lind's 1,331 regular-season games played are the most among active position players without reaching the playoffs; Albers' 508 appearances without pitching in October are tops among active pitchers.

Both Lind and Albers are 34 years old, and reached the majors during the 2006 season.

A former third-round pick of the Toronto Blue Jays, Lind spent his first nine seasons north of the border at a time when Toronto was in the midst of a 22-year playoff drought. The Blue Jays traded him to Milwaukee in the winter of 2014, ensuring that he missed out on their run to the 2015 ALCS. He almost snapped the streak last year in Seattle, but the Mariners were eliminated on the second-last day of the season.

Lind only joined the Nationals on a one-year deal on Feb. 15 of this year - one day after the club's spring-training reporting date. He's appeared in 103 games for the NL East champions this season, primarily as a pinch-hitter with occasional stints at first base and left field. He owns a .297/.352/.490 slash line with 11 homers over his limited action.

"I was fortunate this was the team that decided to give me the opportunity," Lind told Tyler Kepner of the New York Times on Saturday.

Albers, unlike Lind, was actually on a team that reached the playoffs when with the 2013 Cleveland Indians, who hosted that year's AL wild-card game. Unfortunately for Albers, his personal playoff drought continued when he did not pitch in the contest, and the Indians lost the game and were eliminated.

This season has been a career year for Albers, as he owns a 1.66 ERA, 0.883 WHIP, and 56 strikeouts in 54 1/3 innings for the Nationals, emerging as a key member of an oft-beleaguered bullpen corps for much of this season.

Who will hold the record for most games pitched without a playoff appearance after Albers isn't yet known, as there are several other active pitchers on contending teams who could wind up with the title. Lind is the only active player with over 1,000 games played and zero playoff appearances, according to Baseball-Reference, so it's not clear who will take that crown from him in a month's time.

The all-time record for most games played without reaching the playoffs belongs to Hall of Famer Ernie Banks, who suited up for 2,528 regular-season contests over his 19-year career. Right-hander Lindy McDaniel, who pitched in 987 games for five teams, holds the mark among pitchers.

Daily Newsletter

Get the latest trending sports news daily in your inbox