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50 best MLB teams that didn’t win the World Series

By Nicholas Ian Allen

Oct 25, 2013; St. Louis, MO, USA; A general view of the World Series logo in the St. Louis Cardinals dugout during workouts a day before game three of the World Series against the Boston Red Sox at Busch Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Jeff Curry-USA TODAY Sports
Oct 25, 2013; St. Louis, MO, USA; A general view of the World Series logo in the St. Louis Cardinals dugout during workouts a day before game three of the World Series against the Boston Red Sox at Busch Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Jeff Curry-USA TODAY Sports /
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Oct 3, 2014; Anaheim, CA, USA; Los Angeles Angels center fielder Mike Trout reacts after popping out for the first out in the 9th inning against the Kansas City Royals in game two of the 2014 ALDS playoff baseball game at Angel Stadium of Anaheim. Mandatory Credit: Robert Hanashiro-USA TODAY Sports
Oct 3, 2014; Anaheim, CA, USA; Los Angeles Angels center fielder Mike Trout reacts after popping out for the first out in the 9th inning against the Kansas City Royals in game two of the 2014 ALDS playoff baseball game at Angel Stadium of Anaheim. Mandatory Credit: Robert Hanashiro-USA TODAY Sports /

Some of the best Major League Baseball teams in history didn’t win the World Series. We’ve ranked the top 50 MLB that came up short of a World Championship.

There are many different reasons why a great Major League Baseball team doesn’t win the World Series. Over the course of a 154- or 162-game season, injuries can take their toll and players can suffer through cold streaks. Also, thanks to an ever-expanding MLB playoff system, it’s tougher than ever to even earn the opportunity to play in the Fall Classic.

For many decades, all a team had to do was post a better record than the other seven teams in their league, and they earned an express trip to the World Series. Now, there are 15 teams in both the American and National Leagues, and even if one ball club wins 98 games in the regular season, like the Los Angeles Angels did last year in posting the best record in all of baseball, they are susceptible to losing in the League Division Series before they even have an opportunity to play in the League Championship Series or World Series.  

Because of the differences in eras, the expansion of Major League Baseball, and the changes in the postseason format, ranking the 50 best MLB teams that didn’t win the World Series is an inexact science. Regular season wins and losses are important, as is the timing in which an otherwise great team was eliminated from championship contention.

However, those facts do not necessarily separate one team from another. Some of our highest ranked teams posted incredible records in the regular season, but came up short in the Division Series. Others didn’t make the postseason at all since a second place finish in the standings prior to 1995 (the first year of the Wild Card) doomed them.

Whether a team came up one strike short of a World Championship, or missed the playoffs completely, we’ve ranked the 50 greatest Major League Baseball teams that didn’t win it all.

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