5 most recent seasons where no MLB team reached 100 wins
A 100-win season is a sign of excellence in the MLB. Achieving this means a team has posted a win rate above 60%, coming out on top in nearly two-thirds of the 162 games played during the regular season.
This has become something of a regular occurrence in recent years, with that high mark being reached 10 times in the past three seasons alone. Nevertheless, it does not guarantee a pennant at the end of the season, as only one of those teams has managed to reach the Fall Classic since the Atlanta Braves took the World Series in 2021.
Let's take a look at the five most recent MLB seasons where no one reached 100 wins (excluding the 2020 campaign when the regular season was shortened to 60 games due to the COVID-19 pandemic).
5 most recent MLB seasons in which no team recorded 100 wins
#5. 2007
In 2007, the Boston Red Sox and Cleveland Indians shared the best regular season record at 96-66 to win their respective divisions in the AL. Meanwhile, the Arizona Diamondbacks were the best team in the NL at 90-72.
Boston swept the Colorado Rockies 4-0 in the World Series to claim their second title in four seasons following an 86-year drought.
#4. 2010
The Tampa Bay Rays were the best team in the AL with a 95-67 record, one win better than their division rivals, the New York Yankees. The Minnesota Twins and Texas Rangers also broke the 90-win barrier to take their divisions and head to the postseason.
The Philadelphia Phillies were the best team in the NL with a 97-65 record, while the San Francisco Giants, Cincinnati Reds, and Atlanta Braves also broke 90 wins. The Giants overcame the Phillies before beating the Rangers 4-1 to win their first World Series since the franchise moved to California more than 50 years before.
#3. 2012
The Washington Nationals had the best win rate in the MLB at the end of the 2012 season with a 98-64 record. Meanwhile, the Giants, Braves and Reds also won more than 90 games in the NL.
The Yankees had the best record in the AL with 95 victories, but the Baltimore Orioles, Tampa Bay Rays, and Oakland Athletics also won at least 90 games that year. The Detroit Tigers reached the World Series after winning 88 games in the regular season but they were swept 4-0 by the Giants.
#2. 2013
The Red Sox were the best team in the AL with a 97-65 record, while the Oakland Athletics, Tigers, Rays, and Indians also posted more than 90 wins. Meanwhile, the Rangers missed out on the playoffs despite bagging 91 wins.
The St. Louis Cardinals matched the Red Sox in the NL, while the Atlanta Braves, Los Angeles Dodgers, Pittsburgh Pirates, and Cincinnati Reds also recorded at least 90 wins.
The Red Sox and the Cardinals faced each other in the World Series, which ended 4-2 in favor of the home team at Fenway Park.
#1. 2014
The Los Angeles Angels set the standard in the AL, posting a 98-64 record. Meanwhile, the Orioles finished with just two fewer wins, and the Tigers won 90 games as each team clinched their respective divisions.
In the NL, the Washington Nationals were the best team with a 96-66 record, while the Dodgers and Cardinals both won their divisions with at least 90 wins. However, it was two Wild Card teams that squared off in the World Series as San Francisco beat the Kansas City Royals to win their third Fall Classic in five years.
With the MLB season entering its final third in 2024, not many teams look to be on course for 100-win seasons. The Cleveland Guardians are the likeliest team in the AL at present, as they are .609 with a 67-43 record. Behind them, the Orioles and Yankees are the only other teams in the conference that look to be threatening at .589.
Crossing to the NL, the Phillies are 65-45 and .591, but after going 2-8 in their last 10, will need to pick themselves up quickly if they are to do so. Behind them, the Dodgers are 64-47 (5.77) and have also been a bit patchy, going 4-6 in their last 10.