Now that the Texas Rangers have dispatched the Arizona Diamondbacks and claimed the World Series trophy for the first time in franchise history, that whittles their erstwhile group of blighted fellow travelers down to five teams. We speak of those Major League Baseball franchises that have never won it all, and until the Rangers' triumph in Game 5 they were one of them.
Now, though, the Ledger of Unfortunates consists of the Seattle Mariners, Milwaukee Brewers, San Diego Padres, Colorado Rockies, and Tampa Bay Rays. While the Cleveland Guardians have the longest title drought purely in terms of years – they haven't won it all since 1948 – these five squadrons are the last ones that have never achieved ultimate baseball glory. As we look forward into the uncertain and probably distant future when the next club abandons these ranks, a quick walking tour of the title-less is in order. Let's do that now.
Milwaukee Brewers
First season: 1969 (originally founded as the Seattle Pilots)
Overall record: 4,215-4,461 (.486)
Playoff appearances: 9
Pennants: 1
Closest call: 1982. Time was when the Brewers were an American League team (they jumped to the NL in 1998). Back in '82, the club lovingly known as "Harvey's Wallbangers" – a nod to manager Harvey Kuehn and the Brewers' power up and down the lineup – clocked 95 wins, won the AL East, and topped the Angels in five games in the then-best-of-five ALCS. Against the Cardinals in the World Series, however, they succumbed in the maximum seven games. The Brewers led the series 3-2 after five games but dropped the final two contests in St. Louis.
San Diego Padres
First season: 1969
Overall record: 4,034-4,648 (.465)
Playoff appearances: 7
Pennants: 2
Closest call: 1984. As noted, the Pads have made the World Series twice, in 1998 and 1984. In '98, they were swept by the juggernaut Yankees, but in '84 they were at least able to win a game off the similarly juggernaut Tigers. Despite the dismal results, franchise hero Tony Gwynn batted .371 in those two series. The '98 club won a franchise-record 98 games, but the sweep at the hands of the 114-win Yankees buried any possible legacy.
Seattle Mariners
First season: 1977
Overall record: 3,514-3,873 (.476)
Playoff appearances: 5
Pennants: 0
Closest call: 2001. The M's are the only MLB franchise to never win a pennant, so we'll have to go with the 2001 team, which tied an MLB record by winning 116 games in the regular season. The club, helmed by the likes of Ichiro Suzuki, Edgar Martinez, Bret Boone, and John Olerud, prevailed in the maximum five games over Cleveland in the ALDS. However, the Yankees bounced them in five games in the ALCS. Overall the M's have made the ALCS three times, but none has yielded a trip to the Fall Classic.
Colorado Rockies
First season: 1993
Overall record: 2,260-2,598 (.465)
Playoff appearances: 5
Pennants: 1
Closest call: 2007. The Rockies and their eternal struggle to figure out baseball at a mile above sea level has not led to much success, as you can see above. Under Clint Hurdle in 2007, though, they broke through as a 90-win wild-card team. They entered their World Series matchup with the Red Sox at 7-0 in the postseason, thanks to sweeps of the Phillies in the NLDS and the Diamondbacks NLCS. Then, though, the sweepers became the swept as Boston bounced them in four games. Two of those losses were by a single run. A strong lineup core of Matt Holliday, Troy Tulowitzki, Todd Helton, and Brad Hawpe carried the Rox to the brink.
Tampa Bay Rays
First season: 1998
Overall record: 2,011-2,097 (.490)
Playoff appearances: 9
Pennants: 2
Closest call: 2020. The youngest team on our list is also the most accomplished. The upstart Rays have been one of baseball's best teams over the last half-decade or so, and they've achieved that status despite zero effort from owner Stuart Sternberg. Despite annual roster churn and a home in the generally brutal AL East, the Rays have ripped off five straight playoff berths. They made the Series for the first time in 2008 under Joe Maddon but fell in five games to the Phillies. The abbreviated 2020 season occasioned their second trip to the Fall Classic, which was played out in the COVID-forced bubble in Arlington. The regular season spanned just 60 games, and the Rays managed a mighty record of 40-20. Unfortunately, they ran into the only superior team – the 43-17 Dodgers. They pushed L.A. to six games before falling.
So who's the next team to join the Rangers in vacating these ranks? That's impossible to say for certain, given the idiosyncrasies of the postseason, but the Rockies were the only one of these teams that failed to manage a winning season in 2023. Two of them – the Rays and Brewers – made the playoffs. Given the strength of their recent body of work, we'll say the Rays, but, really, there's no predicting such things. We'll also give a nod to the Padres, who will be a strong rebound candidate in 2024, for having the owner most committed to winning.
If all else fails, look to the Rangers for inspiration. This, after all, is a team that lost a combined 196 games in the two seasons prior to their first ever championship campaign.
Rangers World Series championship gear now available
The Rangers have won thier first World Series title in five games over the Diamondbacks. Texas hadn't even had a winning season since 2016, making the 2023 World Series title all the sweeter. You can already get Rangers World Series championship hoodies, t-shirts, hats, autographed baseballs, and more. Grab your piece of history before it's gone here.
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