List of MLB franchise post-season droughts
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This is a list of Major League Baseball franchise postseason and World Series droughts. Those teams which have never made it in franchise history are listed by the date they entered the leagues. The list includes only the modern World Series between the American League and the National League, not the various 19th-century championship series.
[edit] MLB franchises with the longest current post-season drought
* Year does not indicate a postseason appearance, but rather the team's first year of existence
[edit] MLB franchises with the longest current league pennant drought
* Year does not indicate a pennant, but rather the team's first year of existence.
[edit] MLB franchises with the longest current World Series crown drought
* Year does not indicate a championship, but rather the team's first year of existence.
[edit] Cities waiting for their first World Series crown
- Only includes cities which currently host a major league franchise
- Note that while neither the Washington Nationals nor Milwaukee Brewers have ever won a World Series, their cities celebrated championships with, respectively, the 1924 Senators and 1957 Braves.
| City | First Season | Years waited | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| San Francisco | 1958 | 49 | Franchise last won in 1954, before relocating from New York; N.L. champions 1962, 1989, 2002. |
| Houston | 1962 | 45 | N.L. Champions 2005. |
| San Diego | 1969 | 38 | N.L. Champions 1984, 1998. |
| Arlington (Texas)** | 1972 | 35 | |
| Seattle* | 1977 | 30 | Not including 1969, when the Brewers franchise played here as the Seattle Pilots |
| Denver (Colorado)** | 1993 | 14 | |
| St. Petersburg (Tampa Bay)*** | 1998 | 9 |
* Has yet to host a World Series game
** Has yet to host an LCS game
*** Has yet to host a playoff game
[edit] Longest major league pennant droughts through history
List begins with 1903, about the time the current configuration of National League and American League stabilized. Note that no pennants were won in 1994 due to strike. This list only shows droughts of 20 or more years.
* Year does not indicate a pennant, but rather the team's first year of existence or the first year of this list (1903).
[edit] Longest World Series crown droughts through history
The first World Series was played in 1903. Note that no World Series was played in 1904 or 1994. This list only shows droughts of 30 or more years.
| Years | Team | Prev. Title | Next Title |
|---|---|---|---|
| 98 | Chicago Cubs | 1908 | |
| 87 | Chicago White Sox | 1917 | 2005 |
| 85 | Boston Red Sox | 1918 | 2004 |
| 77 | Philadelphia Phillies | 1903* | 1980 |
| 63 | St. Louis Browns/Baltimore Orioles | 1903* | 1966 |
| 62 | Washington Senators/Minnesota Twins | 1924 | 1987 |
| 58 | Cleveland Indians | 1948 | |
| 52 | Brooklyn Dodgers | 1903* | 1955 |
| 52 | New York-San Francisco Giants | 1954 | |
| 46 | Washington Senators/Texas Rangers | 1961* | |
| 45 | Houston Colt .45s/Astros | 1962* | |
| 42 | Boston-Milwaukee Braves | 1914 | 1957 |
| 41 | Philadelphia-Kansas City-Oakland Athletics | 1930 | 1972 |
| 41 | Los Angeles-California-Anaheim Angels | 1961* | 2002 |
| 38 | Montreal Expos/Washington Nationals | 1969* | |
| '38 | Seattle Pilots/Milwaukee Brewers | 1969* | |
| 38 | San Diego Padres | 1969* | |
| 37 | Milwaukee-Atlanta Braves | 1957 | 1995 |
| 34 | Pittsburgh Pirates | 1925 | 1960 |
| 34 | Cincinnati Reds | 1940 | 1975 |
| 32 | Detroit Tigers | 1903* | 1935 |
| 30 | Seattle Mariners | 1977* |
* Year does not indicate a title won, but rather the team's first year of existence or the first year of this list (1903).
Bold is active drought.
[edit] World Series in which both teams were making their first Series appearance
| Year | Won | Lost |
|---|---|---|
| 1906 World Series | Chicago White Sox | Chicago Cubs |
| 1905 World Series | New York Giants | Philadelphia Athletics |
| 1903 World Series | Boston Americans | Pittsburgh Pirates |
[edit] World Series in which neither team had ever won a Series
[edit] World Series in which both teams were ending 20-year-plus pennant droughts
| Year | Won | Drought (years) | Lost | Drought (years) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2005 World Series | Chicago White Sox | 46 | Houston Astros | 44 |
| 1948 World Series | Cleveland Indians | 28 | Boston Braves | 34 |
[edit] World Series in which either team could have ended a 30-year-plus championship drought
| Year | Won | Drought (years) | Lost | Drought (years) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2005 World Series | Chicago White Sox | 88 | Houston Astros | 44 |
| 2002 World Series | Anaheim Angels | 42 | San Francisco Giants | 48* |
| 1995 World Series | Atlanta Braves | 38* | Cleveland Indians | 47 |
| 1975 World Series | Cincinnati Reds | 35 | Boston Red Sox | 57 |
| 1972 World Series | Oakland Athletics | 42* | Cincinnati Reds | 32 |
* Note: In 2002, the Giants had been in San Francisco for 45 years; in 1995, the Braves had been in Atlanta for 30 years; in 1972, the Athletics had been in Oakland for 5 years.
