List of World Series champions explained

The World Series is the annual championship series of Major League Baseball (MLB) and concludes the MLB postseason. First played in 1903,[1] the World Series championship is a best-of-seven playoff and is a contest between the champions of baseball's National League (NL) and American League (AL).[2] Often referred to as the "Fall Classic",[3] the modern World Series has been played every year since 1903 with two exceptions: in 1904, when the NL champion New York Giants declined to play the AL champion Boston Americans; and in 1994, when the series was canceled due to the players' strike.[1] [2] [4] [5] The best-of-seven style has been the format of all World Series except in 1903, 1919, 1920, 1921, when the winner was determined through a best-of-nine playoff.[1] [2] Although the large majority of contests have been played entirely during the month of October, a small number of Series have also had games played during September and November. The Series-winning team is awarded the Commissioner's Trophy.[6] Players, coaches and others associated with the team are generally given World Series rings to commemorate their victory; however, they have received other items such as pocket watches and medallions in the past.[7] The winning team is traditionally invited to the White House to meet the President of the United States.

A total of 120 World Series have been contested through 2024, with the AL champion winning 68 and the NL champion winning 52. The New York Yankees of the AL have played in 41 World Series, winning 27 – the most championship appearances and most victories by any MLB team. The Dodgers and the Yankees are tied for the most losses with 14 each. The St. Louis Cardinals have won 11 championships, the most among NL clubs and second-most all-time behind the Yankees.[3] The Dodgers have represented the NL the most in the World Series with 22 appearances. The Seattle Mariners are the only MLB franchise that has never appeared in a World Series; the Milwaukee Brewers, San Diego Padres, Tampa Bay Rays, and Colorado Rockies have all played in the Series but have never won it, with the Padres and the Rays appearing twice. The Los Angeles Angels and Washington Nationals are the only teams who have won their only World Series appearance, and the Toronto Blue Jays and Miami Marlins are the only teams with multiple World Series appearances with no losses. The Toronto Blue Jays are the only franchise from outside the United States to appear in and win a World Series, winning in 1992 and 1993. The Houston Astros are the only franchise to have represented both the NL (2005) and the AL (2017, 2019, 2021, 2022), winning the Series in 2017 and 2022. The 1919 and 2017 World Series were both marred with cheating scandals: the Black Sox Scandal and the Houston Astros sign stealing scandal. The most recent World Series champions are the Los Angeles Dodgers.

The last team to repeat as champions were the Yankees in 2000. Two World Series matchups (in 1982 and 2005) have no possibility of a rematch due to one of the contending teams switching to the opposing league – the Milwaukee Brewers moved to the NL in 1998, and the Houston Astros moved to the AL in 2013.

Results

Numbers in parentheses in the table are World Series appearances as of the date of that World Series, and are used as follows:

YearWinning teamManagerSeriesLosing teamManager
Modern World Series (pre-1967):
Boston Americans (1, 1–0)5–3Pittsburgh Pirates (1, 0–1)
(not played)
New York Giants (1, 1–0)4–1Philadelphia Athletics (1, 0–1)
Chicago White Sox (1, 1–0)4–2Chicago Cubs (1, 0–1)
Chicago Cubs (2, 1–1)4–0–(1)Detroit Tigers (1, 0–1)
Chicago Cubs (3, 2–1)4–1Detroit Tigers (2, 0–2)
Pittsburgh Pirates (2, 1–1)4–3Detroit Tigers (3, 0–3)
Philadelphia Athletics (2, 1–1)4–1Chicago Cubs (4, 2–2)
Philadelphia Athletics (3, 2–1)4–2New York Giants (2, 1–1)
Boston Red Sox (2, 2–0)4–3–(1)New York Giants (3, 1–2)
Philadelphia Athletics (4, 3–1)4–1New York Giants (4, 1–3)
Boston Braves (1, 1–0)4–0Philadelphia Athletics (5, 3–2)
Boston Red Sox (3, 3–0)4–1Philadelphia Phillies (1, 0–1)
Boston Red Sox (4, 4–0)4–1Brooklyn Robins (1, 0–1)
Chicago White Sox (2, 2–0)4–2New York Giants (5, 1–4)
Boston Red Sox (5, 5–0)4–2Chicago Cubs (5, 2–3)
Cincinnati Reds (1, 1–0)5–3Chicago White Sox (3, 2–1)
Cleveland Indians (1, 1–0)5–2Brooklyn Robins (2, 0–2)
New York Giants (6, 2–4)5–3New York Yankees (1, 0–1)
New York Giants (7, 3–4)4–0–(1)New York Yankees (2, 0–2)
New York Yankees (3, 1–2)4–2New York Giants (8, 3–5)
Washington Senators (1, 1–0)4–3New York Giants (9, 3–6)
Pittsburgh Pirates (3, 2–1)4–3Washington Senators (2, 1–1)
St. Louis Cardinals (1, 1–0)4–3New York Yankees (4, 1–3)
New York Yankees (5, 2–3)4–0Pittsburgh Pirates (4, 2–2)
New York Yankees (6, 3–3)4–0St. Louis Cardinals (2, 1–1)
Philadelphia Athletics (6, 4–2)4–1Chicago Cubs (6, 2–4)
Philadelphia Athletics (7, 5–2)4–2St. Louis Cardinals (3, 1–2)
St. Louis Cardinals (4, 2–2)4–3Philadelphia Athletics (8, 5–3)
New York Yankees (7, 4–3)4–0Chicago Cubs (7, 2–5)
New York Giants (10, 4–6)4–1Washington Senators (3, 1–2)
St. Louis Cardinals (5, 3–2)4–3Detroit Tigers (4, 0–4)
Detroit Tigers (5, 1–4)4–2Chicago Cubs (8, 2–6)
New York Yankees (8, 5–3)4–2New York Giants (11, 4–7)
New York Yankees (9, 6–3)4–1New York Giants (12, 4–8)
New York Yankees (10, 7–3)4–0Chicago Cubs (9, 2–7)
New York Yankees (11, 8–3)4–0Cincinnati Reds (2, 1–1)
Cincinnati Reds (3, 2–1)4–3Detroit Tigers (6, 1–5)
New York Yankees (12, 9–3)4–1Brooklyn Dodgers (3, 0–3)
St. Louis Cardinals (6, 4–2)4–1New York Yankees (13, 9–4)
New York Yankees (14, 10–4)4–1St. Louis Cardinals (7, 4–3)
St. Louis Cardinals (8, 5–3)4–2St. Louis Browns (1, 0–1)
Detroit Tigers (7, 2–5)4–3Chicago Cubs (10, 2–8)
St. Louis Cardinals (9, 6–3)4–3Boston Red Sox (6, 5–1)
New York Yankees (15, 11–4)4–3Brooklyn Dodgers (4, 0–4)
Cleveland Indians (2, 2–0)4–2Boston Braves (2, 1–1)
New York Yankees (16, 12–4)4–1Brooklyn Dodgers (5, 0–5)
New York Yankees (17, 13–4)4–0Philadelphia Phillies (2, 0–2)
New York Yankees (18, 14–4)4–2New York Giants (13, 4–9)
New York Yankees (19, 15–4)4–3Brooklyn Dodgers (6, 0–6)
New York Yankees (20, 16–4)4–2Brooklyn Dodgers (7, 0–7)
New York Giants (14, 5–9)4–0Cleveland Indians (3, 2–1)
Brooklyn Dodgers (8, 1–7)4–3New York Yankees (21, 16–5)
New York Yankees (22, 17–5)4–3Brooklyn Dodgers (9, 1–8)
Milwaukee Braves (3, 2–1)4–3New York Yankees (23, 17–6)
New York Yankees (24, 18–6)4–3Milwaukee Braves (4, 2–2)
Los Angeles Dodgers (10, 2–8)4–2Chicago White Sox (4, 2–2)
Pittsburgh Pirates (5, 3–2)4–3New York Yankees (25, 18–7)
New York Yankees (26, 19–7)4–1Cincinnati Reds (4, 2–2)
New York Yankees (27, 20–7)4–3San Francisco Giants (15, 5–10)
Los Angeles Dodgers (11, 3–8)4–0New York Yankees (28, 20–8)
St. Louis Cardinals (10, 7–3)4–3New York Yankees (29, 20–9)
Los Angeles Dodgers (12, 4–8)4–3Minnesota Twins (4, 1–3)
Baltimore Orioles (2, 1–1)4–0Los Angeles Dodgers (13, 4–9)
Modern World Series Commissioner's Trophy (post-1967):
St. Louis Cardinals (11, 8–3)4–3Boston Red Sox (7, 5–2)
Detroit Tigers (8, 3–5)4–3St. Louis Cardinals (12, 8–4)
New York Mets (1, 1–0)4–1Baltimore Orioles (3, 1–2)
Baltimore Orioles (4, 2–2)4–1Cincinnati Reds (5, 2–3)
Pittsburgh Pirates (6, 4–2)4–3Baltimore Orioles (5, 2–3)
Oakland Athletics (9, 6–3)4–3Cincinnati Reds (6, 2–4)
Oakland Athletics (10, 7–3)4–3New York Mets (2, 1–1)
Oakland Athletics (11, 8–3)4–1Los Angeles Dodgers (14, 4–10)
Cincinnati Reds (7, 3–4)4–3Boston Red Sox (8, 5–3)
Cincinnati Reds (8, 4–4)4–0New York Yankees (30, 20–10)
New York Yankees (31, 21–10)4–2Los Angeles Dodgers (15, 4–11)
New York Yankees (32, 22–10)4–2Los Angeles Dodgers (16, 4–12)
Pittsburgh Pirates (7, 5–2)4–3Baltimore Orioles (6, 2–4)
Philadelphia Phillies (3, 1–2)4–2Kansas City Royals (1, 0–1)
Los Angeles Dodgers (17, 5–12)4–2New York Yankees (33, 22–11)
St. Louis Cardinals (13, 9–4)4–3Milwaukee Brewers (1, 0–1)
Baltimore Orioles (7, 3–4)4–1Philadelphia Phillies (4, 1–3)
Detroit Tigers (9, 4–5)4–1San Diego Padres (1, 0–1)
Kansas City Royals (2, 1–1)4–3St. Louis Cardinals (14, 9–5)
New York Mets (3, 2–1)4–3Boston Red Sox (9, 5–4)
Minnesota Twins (5, 2–3)4–3St. Louis Cardinals (15, 9–6)
Los Angeles Dodgers (18, 6–12)4–1Oakland Athletics (12, 8–4)
Oakland Athletics (13, 9–4)4–0San Francisco Giants (16, 5–11)
Cincinnati Reds (9, 5–4)4–0Oakland Athletics (14, 9–5)
Minnesota Twins (6, 3–3)4–3Atlanta Braves (5, 2–3)
Toronto Blue Jays (1, 1–0)4–2Atlanta Braves (6, 2–4)
Toronto Blue Jays (2, 2–0)4–2Philadelphia Phillies (5, 1–4)
Cancelled due to a players' strike.
Atlanta Braves (7, 3–4)4–2Cleveland Indians (4, 2–2)
New York Yankees (34, 23–11)4–2Atlanta Braves (8, 3–5)
Florida Marlins (1, 1–0)4–3Cleveland Indians (5, 2–3)
New York Yankees (35, 24–11)4–0San Diego Padres (2, 0–2)
New York Yankees (36, 25–11)4–0Atlanta Braves (9, 3–6)
New York Yankees (37, 26–11)4–1New York Mets (4, 2–2)
Arizona Diamondbacks (1, 1–0)4–3New York Yankees (38, 26–12)
Anaheim Angels (1, 1–0)4–3San Francisco Giants (17, 5–12)
Florida Marlins (2, 2–0)4–2New York Yankees (39, 26–13)
Boston Red Sox (10, 6–4)4–0St. Louis Cardinals (16, 9–7)
Chicago White Sox (5, 3–2)4–0Houston Astros (1, 0–1)
St. Louis Cardinals (17, 10–7)4–1Detroit Tigers (10, 4–6)
Boston Red Sox (11, 7–4)4–0Colorado Rockies (1, 0–1)
Philadelphia Phillies (6, 2–4)4–1Tampa Bay Rays (1, 0–1)
New York Yankees (40, 27–13)4–2Philadelphia Phillies (7, 2–5)
San Francisco Giants (18, 6–12)4–1Texas Rangers (1, 0–1)
St. Louis Cardinals (18, 11–7)4–3Texas Rangers (2, 0–2)
San Francisco Giants (19, 7–12)4–0Detroit Tigers (11, 4–7)
Boston Red Sox (12, 8–4)4–2 St. Louis Cardinals (19, 11–8)
San Francisco Giants (20, 8–12)4–3Kansas City Royals (3, 1–2)
Kansas City Royals (4, 2–2)4–1New York Mets (5, 2–3)
Chicago Cubs (11, 3–8)4–3Cleveland Indians (6, 2–4)
Houston Astros (2, 1–1)4–3Los Angeles Dodgers (19, 6–13)
Boston Red Sox (13, 9–4)4–1Los Angeles Dodgers (20, 6–14)
Washington Nationals (1, 1–0)4–3Houston Astros (3, 1–2)
Los Angeles Dodgers (21, 7–14)4–2Tampa Bay Rays (2, 0–2)
Atlanta Braves (10, 4–6)4–2Houston Astros (4, 1–3)
Houston Astros (5, 2–3)4–2Philadelphia Phillies (8, 2–6)
Texas Rangers (3, 1–2)4–1Arizona Diamondbacks (2, 1–1)
Los Angeles Dodgers (22, 8–14)4–1New York Yankees (41, 27–14)
Legend

Source for this Table[9]

Records by franchise

In the sortable table below, teams are ordered first by number of wins, then by number of appearances, and finally by year of first appearance. In the "Season(s)" column, bold years indicate winning appearances.

TeamWinsLossesWin %Season(s)
271441,, ,, , , , , , , , ,, , , , , , , ,, ,, ,, , ,,,, , ,, , , , ,,, ,
St. Louis Cardinals11819,,, , , ,, , , , ,, ,,,, , ,
Philadelphia / Kansas City / Oakland / Athletics9514, , , ,, , ,, , , ,, ,
9413, , , , ,,,,, , , ,
81422,,,,,,, ,, , , ,,,,, , ,,, ,
81220,,,,, , ,,, ,,,, ,,,, , ,
549,, ,,,, , ,
527, , ,, , ,
4711,,,, ,, , , ,,
4610,, ,,,, ,,,
3811, , ,,,,,,,,
347, ,, ,,,
336,,,, ,
325, ,,,
268,, ,,, ,,
246, ,,,,
235,, ,,
235.400, ,,,
224, ,,
202,
202,
123,,
112,
101
101
022,
022,
011
011
000

Frequent matchups

The following are the 20 matchups of teams that have occurred two or more times in the World Series. All teams that have participated in these were "Classic Eight" members of either the American or National League; no expansion team (created in 1961 or later) has faced the same opponent more than once in a World Series.

CountMatchupRecordYearsNotes
12Yankees, 84,,,,,,,,,,, Dodgers were the Brooklyn Dodgers for the 1941–1956 matchups
7New York Yankees vs. San Francisco GiantsYankees, 52,,,,,, Giants were the New York Giants for the 1921–1951 matchups
5St. Louis Cardinals vs. New York YankeesCardinals, 32,,,,
4Chicago Cubs vs. Detroit TigersTied, 22,,,
4Athletics vs. San Francisco GiantsAthletics, 31,,, Athletics were the Philadelphia Athletics for the 1905–1913 matchups, Oakland Athletics for the 1989 matchup; Giants were the New York Giants for the 1905–1913 matchups
4New York Yankees vs. Atlanta BravesYankees, 31,,, Braves were the Milwaukee Braves for the 1957–1958 matchups
4Boston Red Sox vs. St. Louis CardinalsTied, 22,,,
3New York Yankees vs. Cincinnati RedsYankees, 21,,
3St. Louis Cardinals vs. Detroit TigersCardinals, 21,,
2Athletics vs. Chicago CubsAthletics, 20, Athletics were the Philadelphia Athletics for the matchups
2Athletics vs. St. Louis CardinalsTied, 11, Athletics were the Philadelphia Athletics for the matchups
2Minnesota Twins vs. San Francisco GiantsTied, 11, Twins were the Washington Senators; Giants were the New York Giants for the matchups
2New York Yankees vs. Chicago CubsYankees, 20,
2New York Yankees vs. Pittsburgh PiratesTied, 11,
2Pirates, 20,
2Los Angeles Dodgers vs. AthleticsTied, 11, Athletics were the Oakland Athletics for the matchups
2Cincinnati Reds vs. AthleticsTied, 11, Athletics were the Oakland Athletics for the matchups
2Atlanta Braves vs. Cleveland GuardiansTied, 11, Braves were the Boston Braves for the 1948 matchup; Guardians were the Cleveland Indians for the matchups
2New York Yankees vs. Philadelphia PhilliesYankees, 20,
2Boston Red Sox vs. Los Angeles DodgersRed Sox, 20, Dodgers were the Brooklyn Dodgers for the 1916 matchup

See also

External links

Notes and References

  1. Web site: Baseball-Reference Playoff and World Series Index. Baseball-Reference.com. November 5, 2009.
  2. Web site: World Series Overview. MLB Advanced Media. New York. January 2, 2010.
  3. Web site: World Series History: Championships by Club. MLB Advanced Media. New York. January 2, 2010.
  4. Web site: History of the World Series – 1904. https://web.archive.org/web/20091203130127/http://www.sportingnews.com/archives/worldseries/1904.html. December 3, 2009. The Sporting News. September 27, 2011.
  5. Web site: Season interrupted . https://web.archive.org/web/20020828162310/http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/baseball/news/2002/08/25/1994_strike_victims_ap/. dead. August 28, 2002. Sports Illustrated. August 26, 2002. January 2, 2010.
  6. Web site: Phillies Announce World Series Trophy Tour Presented by Teva Pharmaceuticals and Comcast SportsNet . January 9, 2009 . PR Newswire Association . January 1, 2010 . dead . https://web.archive.org/web/20090223202250/http://news.prnewswire.com/ViewContent.aspx?ACCT=109&STORY=%2Fwww%2Fstory%2F01-09-2009%2F0004952249&EDATE= . February 23, 2009 .
  7. Web site: World Series rings, the real scoop. ESPN. Paul. Lukas. October 30, 2009. December 9, 2009.
  8. News: Brewers switch leagues, join Reds in NL Central. The Kentucky Post (Associated Press). E. W. Scripps Company. November 6, 1997. https://web.archive.org/web/20050505095313/http://www.cincypost.com/sports/1997/brew110697.html. May 5, 2005.
  9. Web site: World Series Winners . . Philadelphia. Sports Reference, LLC. December 27, 2020.

This article is licensed under the GNU Free Documentation License. It uses material from the Wikipedia article "List of World Series champions".

Except where otherwise indicated, Everything.Explained.Today is © Copyright 2009-2025, A B Cryer, All Rights Reserved. Cookie policy.