Part of what makes MLB great is that the best team doesn't always win.
Baseball has a way of making greatness feel meaningless in October. A team can dominate for six months, pile up 100 wins, run away with a division and look destined for a World Series, only for one bad stretch to erase it all. Some of the best teams in MLB history never saw an ending their regular seasons seemed to promise.
The 2025 Brewers became the latest reminder. The Dodgers might've been the most talented team that season, but Milwaukee finished with MLB’s best record, lost to L.A. in the NLCS, and became one of the most stacked teams that didn't win the World Series. Let's take a look at where they rank alongside 29 other juggernauts that fell short of the ultimate goal.
1906 Chicago Cubs
- Season recap: 116-36-3, lost in World Series to White Sox (4-2)
- Key players: Mordecai Brown, Frank Chance, Harry Steinfeldt
The 1906 Chicago Cubs might be tied for the most wins in regular season history, but they won 116 games in just 155 attempts, which is just unfathomable. They led the majors in runs scored and allowed by wide margins, and had Mordecai Brown go 26-6 with a 1.04 ERA in 36 appearances (32 starts) and 277.1 innings of work. Unfortunately, they lost when it really counted to a Chicago White Sox team that won 23 fewer games than they did in the regular season.
2001 Seattle Mariners
- Season recap: 116-46, lost in ALCS to Yankees (4-1)
- Key players: Ichiro Suzuki, Bret Boone, Mike Cameron
As impressive as that Cubs team was, the Seattle Mariners are seen by many as the greatest regular-season team ever for a few reasons. First, they did this in the 2000s, while the Cubs did this nearly 100 years earlier. Eras matter. Second, this team was loaded. Ichiro Suzuki won the AL MVP award as a rookie, putting together a ridiculously dominant all-around season. He was surrounded in a lineup by Bret Boone, Mike Cameron, Edgar Martinez and John Olerud, all of whom hit at least 20 home runs and drove in at least 95 runs (Boone hit 37 and drove in 141). Additionally, the Mariners had the AL's best staff ERA, led by Freddy Garcia, who led the league in ERA and innings pitched. The Mariners were the best at everything; they just didn't show up when it mattered, bowing out in the ALCS (after being pushed to the brink in the ALDS).
1954 Cleveland Indians
- Season recap: 111-43-2, lost in World Series to Giants (4-0)
- Key players: Larry Doby, Early Wynn, Bobby Avila
The 1954 Cleveland Indians still have the best winning percentage in American League history (.721) thanks largely to an absurd pitching staff. Future Hall of Famers Early Wynn, Bob Lemon and Bob Feller were in their rotation; another future Hall of Famer, Hal Newhouser, was in their bullpen, and guys like Mike Garcia (3x All-Star) and Ray Narleski (2x All-Star) had great years, too. Their lineup wasn't too shabby either, with two of the three AL MVP finalists (Larry Doby and Bobby Avila), as well as two other players who finished with 4+ bWAR (Al Smith, Al Rosen). Despite all this talent, Cleveland got swept in that year's World Series by the Giants.
2022 Los Angeles Dodgers
- Season recap: 111-51, lost in NLCS to Padres (4-2)
- Key players: Mookie Betts, Freddie Freeman, Trea Turner
The Los Angeles Dodgers lost both Corey Seager and Max Scherzer after a 106-win 2021 campaign, giving reason to believe that even after signing Freddie Freeman, they'd lose some wins in the regular season. Instead, the Dodgers were even better in 2022, but their season ended in familiar fashion, as they were eliminated in the NLCS. Los Angeles was loaded with a pair of top-five NL MVP finishers (Freeman, Mookie Betts) and four All-Star starting pitchers (Julio Urias, Clayton Kershaw, Tyler Anderson, Tony Gonsolin), yet they won just one playoff series that year.
1969 Baltimore Orioles
- Season recap: 109-53, lost in World Series to Mets (4-1)
- Key players: Frank Robinson, Brooks Robinson, Jim Palmer
Part of what made the 1969 Miracle Mets season so spectacular is not only did they shed the lovable losers label by putting together a strong regular season, but they were able to knock off a 109-win Baltimore Orioles team in the World Series. This Orioles team not only consisted of future Hall of Famers like Frank Robinson, Brooks Robinson and Jim Palmer, but it also included that year's Cy Young award winner, Mike Cuellar, and the MVP runner-up, Boog Powell. As unfortunate as it was to see the O's lose in that World Series, they were able to redeem themselves by winning it all the very next year.
1931 Philadelphia Athletics
- Season recap: 107-45-1, lost in World Series to Cardinals (4-3)
- Key players: Lefty Grove, Jimmie Foxx, Al Simmons
The Philadelphia Athletics were looking to become the first team to ever pull off a three-peat in the 1931 World Series, and they came awfully close to doing just that. In fact, after their 8-1 win in Game 6, it felt as if the A's had all of the momentum, even against a really good Cardinals team. This A's squad seemingly had it all, with Connie Mack managing what felt like an All-Star team, but they fell just short in Game 7, failing to come back from an early 4-0 deficit, losing 4-2 despite having the tying runs on base.
2019 Houston Astros
- Season recap: 107-55, lost in World Series to Nationals (4-3)
- Key players: Justin Verlander, Gerrit Cole, Alex Bregman
An argument can be made that the 2019 Houston Astros were the best iteration of the Astros during their American League run from 2017 through 2023. Not only did the Astros have Rookie of the Year winner Yordan Alvarez (who hit 27 home runs with an OPS over 1.000 in just 87 games), but they also had the MVP runner-up (Alex Bregman), the Cy Young winner (Justin Verlander), the Cy Young runner-up (Gerrit Cole), and the AL saves leader (Roberto Osuna). This list of players doesn't even include guys like George Springer, Jose Altuve, Carlos Correa and Yuli Gurriel, all of whom had monster years. What's even crazier is that the Astros won every game in Washington in that year's World Series, only to lose every game played at home. Would the result have been different had Houston been the lower seed? Some are wondering.
2021 San Francisco Giants
- Season recap: 107-55, lost in NLDS to Dodgers (3-2)
- Key players: Buster Posey, Brandon Crawford, Kevin Gausman
The Dodgers are on pace to win their 13th division title in the last 14 years. The only exception during their dynastic run came in 2021, a year in which they still managed to win 106 games. They only lost out on a division title because the San Francisco Giants came out of nowhere to win 107 games and the NL West. This Giants team might not have been so stacked on paper, but they used platoons to their advantage, had excellent pitching, and were dominant all year long. If it weren't for a controversial Wilmer Flores check-swing call (he didn't swing), the Giants might've knocked off the Dodgers and gone on a run. This being Buster Posey's final season makes their early exit a tougher pill to swallow.
2021 Los Angeles Dodgers
- Season recap: 106-56, lost in NLCS to Braves (4-2)
- Key players: Mookie Betts, Walker Buehler, Julio Urias
Speaking of that Dodgers team, they were absolutely loaded. They essentially added Max Scherzer and Trea Turner to an All-Star team at the trade deadline, making them heavy favorites to win the World Series title, despite everything the Giants were doing that year. As good as the Giants were, the Dodgers' run differential (+269) was comfortably better than the Giants' (+210). Ultimately, the Dodgers being pushed to the limit in the NLDS, paired with being without Max Muncy and Dustin May in the NLCS, contributed to their downfall, as they lost to the 88-win Braves in six games.
2019 Los Angeles Dodgers
- Season recap: 106-56, lost in NLDS to Nationals (3-2)
- Key players: Cody Bellinger, Max Muncy, Hyun Jin Ryu
The Dodgers lost to an underdog that was playing its best baseball at the most important time in 2021, and the exact same thing happened two years prior, as the Washington Nationals eliminated them in the NLDS and won it all. The 2019 Dodgers were loaded, as their roster featured MVP winner Cody Bellinger and NL Cy Young runner-up Hyun Jin Ryu. The Dodgers had three 35+ home run hitters and three of the top 10 finishers in the NL Cy Young race.
1998 Atlanta Braves
- Season recap: 106-56, lost in NLCS to Padres (4-2)
- Key players: Andruw Jones, Chipper Jones, Greg Maddux
The Atlanta Braves were dominant in the 1990s, winning eight NL East titles and making five World Series appearances (with one World Series win), but it can be argued that the best iteration of them during this run was the 1998 team that didn't even make it to the Fall Classic. They're known for their three-headed monster in their rotation: Greg Maddux, Tom Glavine and John Smoltz, and all three of those guys had fantastic years, but can we talk about their lineup too? Chipper and Andruw Jones led the way, but guys like Andres Galarraga (44 HR, .991 OPS), Javy Lopez (34 HR) and Ryan Klesko (.832 OPS) were major contributors too. They had a +245 run differential that year.
2004 St. Louis Cardinals
- Season recap: 105-57, lost in World Series to Red Sox (4-0)
- Key players: Albert Pujols, Scott Rolen, Jim Edmonds
Not only did the 2004 St. Louis Cardinals have three top five NL MVP finishers (Albert Pujols, Scott Rolen, Jim Edmonds), but they also acquired Larry Walker, who proceeded to post an OPS over .900 with St. Louis down the stretch, at the trade deadline. Their rotation wasn't nearly as good as their loaded lineup, but Chris Carpenter, Jeff Suppan and Jason Marquis all had solid years, and their bullpen, led by Jason Isringhausen, was quite good. It felt as if after Albert Pujols hit one of the most memorable postseason home runs in Cardinals history in Game 5 of the NLCS, the World Series was certainly St. Louis' to lose, but running into a Boston Red Sox team that had just completed its 3-0 comeback against the Yankees in the ALCS proved to be a season-defining outcome in the worst way for Cardinals fans. This was the World Series that broke the Curse of the Bambino.
2017 Los Angeles Dodgers
- Season recap: 104-58, lost in World Series to Astros (4-3)
- Key players: Justin Turner, Corey Seager, Clayton Kershaw
To show just how good the 2017 Dodgers were, they took the cheating Astros to Game 7 of the World Series. The Astros knew what was coming, and the Dodgers still almost knocked them off. If it weren't for a wild Game 5 defeat, they probably would've won it all. This team was led by Cy Young runner-up Clayton Kershaw, Rookie of the Year Cody Bellinger, and an abundance of star-caliber depth. They absolutely deserved better.
2023 Atlanta Braves
- Season recap: 104-58, lost in NLCS to Phillies (3-1)
- Key players: Ronald Acuña Jr., Matt Olson, Austin Riley
The 2023 Atlanta Braves hit 307 home runs, nearly 60 more than the next-best team. They scored 947 runs, more than 40 more runs than anybody else. They had an .845 team OPS, the best mark we've seen since the 2019 Astros. Not to mention, they had the second-best staff ERA in the National League. This team seemingly had it all. This was Ronald Acuña Jr.'s 40-home-run, 70-stolen-base season. They had three 40+ home-run hitters (including Matt Olson's 54), they had five 30+ home-run hitters, seven 20+ home-run hitters, and nine 17+ home-run hitters. Acuña won the MVP award, four others received votes, and Spencer Strider won 20 games on the pitching side. As good as this team was, though, they lost in the NLDS to a Phillies team they finished 14.0 games ahead of in the NL East. Yikes.
1912 New York Giants
- Season recap: 103-48-3, lost in World Series to Red Sox (4-3-1)
- Key players: Christy Mathewson, Rube Marquard, Larry Doyle
The 1912 Giants had the MVP winner (Larry Doyle), the third-place finisher (Jack Meyers), and five others who received votes. Their rotation, headlined by Christy Mathewson, Rube Marquard and Jeff Tesreau (1.96 ERA that season) was genuinely absurd. This team was also as close to any in MLB history to winning a World Series. Their series against the Red Sox was so close that they literally had to play a Game 8 since Game 2 ended in a tie. The Giants rallied from a 3-1-1 deficit to force a Game 8 and even took an extra-inning lead in that game, but fell short in the end.
2018 Houston Astros
- Season recap: 103-59, lost in ALCS to Red Sox (4-1)
- Key players: Alex Bregman, Jose Altuve, Justin Verlander
The Astros won it all in 2017 and were seemingly better in 2018, having acquired Gerrit Cole before the year and Ryan Pressly at the trade deadline. Alex Bregman had another huge year (82 XBH) and the rotation, featuring Verlander, Cole, Dallas Keuchel and Charlie Morton, with Framber Valdez as a depth option, was absurd. It looked as if the Astros were poised to go on another run to the World Series after handily sweeping the Guardians in the ALDS, but they ran into a 108-win Red Sox team in the ALCS, where their season promptly came to an end.
1999 Atlanta Braves
- Season recap: 103-59, lost in World Series to Yankees (4-0)
- Key players: Andruw Jones, Chipper Jones, Kevin Millwood
Much like the 1998 Braves, the 1999 Braves were headlined by their starting pitching. As good as the trio of Maddux, Glavine and Smoltz was this season, Kevin Millwood (18-7, 2.68 ERA) made their rotation even scarier. Additionally, the Braves added a pair of 20-home-run hitters, Brian Jordan and Bret Boone, to an already loaded lineup. The only thing that stood in their way was the New York Yankees team that ran the late 1990s, and New York made quick work of Atlanta in the Fall Classic.
2002 Oakland Athletics
- Season recap: 103-59, lost in ALDS to Twins (3-2)
- Key players: Miguel Tejada, Barry Zito, Tim Hudson
The 2002 Oakland Athletics might be known by most as the "Moneyball A's," but don't be fooled by the movie - while guys like Scott Hatteberg, David Justice and Chad Bradford did contribute, this roster was star-studded. Miguel Tejada was the AL MVP winner. Eric Chavez hit 34 home runs and won a Gold Glove award. Barry Zito won the AL Cy Young award, and had two ace-caliber starters in Tim Hudson and Mark Mulder right behind him. Billy Koch saved 44 games. There's a reason the A's won 20 straight games and won the AL West, at the end of the day. Unfortunately, they blew a 2-1 ALDS lead and lost in five games to the Twins.
2001 Oakland Athletics
- Season recap: 102-60, lost in ALDS to Yankees (3-2)
- Key players: Jason Giambi, Eric Chavez, Mark Mulder
That 2002 A's team was quite good, but so was the 2001 team, albeit with a different look. The 2002 A's didn't have many big-name players, but the 2001 team certainly did. From Jason Giambi to Jason Isringhausen to Johnny Damon, there were several stars who helped the 2001 A's win 102 games but weren't around in 2002. Of course, guys like Tejada, Chavez, Zito, Hudson and Mulder were still around, too. The A's had a 2-0 ALDS lead after winning both games at Yankee Stadium, only to lose the next three, going home in frustrating fashion.
2011 Philadelphia Phillies
- Season recap: 102-60, lost in NLDS to Cardinals (3-2)
- Key players: Roy Halladay, Cliff Lee, Cole Hamels
The 2011 Philadelphia Phillies had one of the most intimidating rotations in MLB history. The trio of Roy Halladay, Cliff Lee and Cole Hamels each finished within the top five of the NL Cy Young balloting, and even near the end of his career, Roy Oswalt was no slouch, particularly as a No. 4 starter. Their lineup wasn't quite as scary, but between Ryan Howard, Chase Utley, Jimmy Rollins and Hunter Pence, whom the Phillies acquired at the deadline, there was certainly a lot of talent. Their magical season ended brutally, as they lost a winner-take-all Game 5 at home by a score of 1-0, and Ryan Howard tore his Achilles running to first base on the final out.
2017 Cleveland Indians
- Season recap: 102-60, lost in ALDS to Yankees (3-2)
- Key players: Jose Ramirez, Francisco Lindor, Corey Kluber
From August 24 through September 14, the 2017 Cleveland Indians didn't lose a single game. They set an AL record by winning 22 games in a row in a streak that consisted of many magical moments, none bigger than Jay Bruce's walk-off double to give them a 22nd consecutive victory. They fell to 69-56 on August 23 and ended the regular season with a 102-60 record, meaning they went 33-4 the rest of the way. With a lineup featuring two top five AL MVP finishers (Jose Ramirez, Francisco Lindor) and a rotation featuring the AL Cy Young award winner (Corey Kluber), the fourth-place finisher (Carlos Carrasco) and a loaded bullpen, it's easy to see how Cleveland went on this run. Unfortunately, the Indians would blow a 2-0 ALDS lead to the New York Yankees and drop a winner-take-all Game 5 at home, ending their magical season.
2022 New York Mets
- Season recap: 101-61, lost in NL Wild Card to Padres (2-1)
- Key players: Francisco Lindor, Max Scherzer, Pete Alonso
The 2022 New York Mets didn't lose a single series until mid-May. They lost just five series in the first half (and two of them came in two-game series against the Astros). They were as consistent as any team in the sport, and never really slowed down until the last week of the regular season. A win in Atlanta would've given them an NL East title, but they were swept by the red-hot Braves, forcing them to play in a Wild Card Series despite winning 101 games. Fittingly, they lost that series to the Padres, ending their season prematurely. That's a shame, because this roster was quite good. The Mets had four players who received MVP votes, a rotation headlined by Max Scherzer and Jacob deGrom, and a bullpen led by Edwin Diaz, who had one of the best seasons a Mets reliever has ever had.
2003 New York Yankees
- Season recap: 101-61, lost in World Series to Marlins (4-2)
- Key players: Jorge Posada, Alfonso Soriano, Mike Mussina
The New York Yankees felt like a team of destiny in 2003. Not only did they add Hideki Matsui to an already proven winning core, but Aaron Boone sent them to the World Series by launching a walk-off home run in Game 7 of the ALCS to eliminate the rival Red Sox. All they had to do to get back on top of the world was take care of an unproven Marlins team that had only won 91 games. Well, New York would fall in six games, making it three straight years without a World Series title.
1995 Cleveland Indians
- Season recap: 100-44, lost in World Series to Braves (4-2)
- Key players: Albert Belle, Jim Thome, Kenny Lofton
Despite it being a strike-shortened season, the 1995 Cleveland Indians scored 841 runs. That'd be a good total for a full 162-game slate, and they did that in 144 contests. Albert Belle hit 50 home runs and 52 doubles, Kenny Lofton stole 54 bases while hitting .310, Manny Ramirez hit 31 home runs with a .960 OPS. There was really no weak link in their lineup. Seven of their nine regulars had OPS marks above .800, and one of the exceptions, Omar Vizquel, won a Gold Glove award at shortstop. Their pitching wasn't quite as good as their historically great offense, but Dennis Martinez had a great year, as did Jose Mesa in the bullpen. They won the AL Central by a whopping 30 games, and finished 10.0 games better than the Braves, who had the second-best record in the majors. Despite that, Atlanta defeated Cleveland in that year's World Series, mainly because the Indians' offense didn't show up when it mattered most.
1988 New York Mets
- Season recap: 100-60, lost in NLCS to Dodgers (4-3)
- Key players: Darryl Strawberry, David Cone, Dwight Gooden
Not only was David Cone a top-three finisher in the 1988 NL Cy Young race, but the New York Mets also had two of the top-three NL MVP finishers in Darryl Strawberry and Kevin McReynolds. Two of those three players listed weren't even on the 1986 World Series-winning team, showing that the 1988 team might've been even better. Well, the end result wasn't as good, as the Mets fell in a hard-fought seven-game NLCS against the Dodgers.
2015 St. Louis Cardinals
- Season recap: 100-62, lost in NLDS to Cubs (3-1)
- Key players: Jason Heyward, Matt Carpenter, John Lackey
The 2015 St. Louis Cardinals weren't flashy, but they could really pitch, and got contributions up and down their lineup. A big reason why they're on this list is because of how tough it was for them to win 100 games. They had to deal with a 98-win Pirates team and a 97-win Cubs team within their own division, and wound up finishing with winning records against both clubs. That helped them win their division. Unfortunately, their regular-season success didn't transfer to October, as the Cards fell to the Cubs in the NLDS.
2012 Washington Nationals
- Season recap: 98-64, lost in NLDS to Cardinals (3-2)
- Key players: Bryce Harper, Gio Gonzalez, Ryan Zimmerman
The 2012 season was the first in which the Washington Nationals were true contenders, and they were really fun to watch every night. Bryce Harper electrified the MLB world in a Rookie of the Year campaign. Harper, Adam LaRoche, Ryan Zimmerman and Ian Desmond all received MVP votes. Gio Gonzalez was a Cy Young finalist. Stephen Strasburg was an All-Star in his first full season. The bullpen was quite good, too. Unfortunately, the Nationals controversially decided to shut Strasburg down before the postseason after he had reached his innings limit, and they blew a 6-0 lead in Game 5 of the NLDS, getting sent home earlier than anyone envisioned.
2006 New York Mets
- Season recap: 97-65, lost in NLCS to Cardinals (4-3)
- Key players: Carlos Beltran, Jose Reyes, David Wright
The 2006 New York Mets were absurdly talented. Carlos Beltran, Jose Reyes, David Wright and Carlos Delgado all received MVP votes, and Paul Lo Duca was an All-Star. Rounding out their lineup were veterans like Jose Valentin, Cliff Floyd and Endy Chavez, all of whom had productive seasons. Their rotation wasn't quite as good, but their bullpen certainly was, with Billy Wagner performing like one of the best closers in the game. The Mets won the NL East by 12.0 games and swept the Dodgers in the NLDS. All they had to do to go to the World Series was beat an 83-win Cardinals team. Endy Chavez made one of the greatest catches you'll ever see in that Game 7, but the Mets' star-studded lineup went down quietly, and their season ended with Carlos Beltran staring at an Adam Wainwright curveball for a strikeout.
2025 Milwaukee Brewers
- Season recap: 95-67, lost in NLCS to Dodgers (4-0)
- Key players: Brice Turang, Freddy Peralta, William Contreras
The 2025 Milwaukee Brewers weren't star-studded, but they were a well-oiled machine that found ways to win by playing their brand of baseball. They didn't hit for power, but they ran the bases extraordinarily well, put the ball in play a ton, and were elite defensively. Their rotation, led by Freddy Peralta, was good, and their bullpen, thanks largely to the two-headed monster of Trevor Megill and Abner Uribe, was extraordinary. They were a pain to play against. Unfortunately, the Dodgers were too good for them, and ended their run in that year's NLCS.
1931 New York Yankees
- Season recap: 94-59-2, missed playoffs
- Key players: Babe Ruth, Lou Gehrig, Ben Chapman
Some might scoff at the 1931 Yankees being on this list because they didn't even make the playoffs. However, they still won 94 games, which would be more than good enough to get to the playoffs in the modern game. Plus, they were just so dominant offensively. The Yankees scored 1,067 runs that season, which was nearly 200 more than the Indians, who ranked second. They allowed just 760 runs, which means they had a whopping +307 run differential, yet still didn't make the playoffs. Babe Ruth and Lou Gehrig led the way with monstrous offensive seasons. Ultimately, the Yankees didn't win enough of their close games, and missed the playoffs as a result.
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