March 12, 2026 5:30 am EDT
In the four previous editions of our tested, trusted, completely objective, never-been-questioned, all-math-and-no-bias MLB franchise rankings, as we tinkered with the scoring system and tweaked the time frame, there remained one constant: the New York Yankees were the team to beat.
Now, they have been dethroned.
The Los Angeles Dodgers — who else? — are the No. 1 team of the past 25 years, according to our formula that rewards postseason success and punishes prolonged stretches of losing seasons. The Yankees’ 2000 World Series title has dropped outside of our quarter-century window of consideration, while the Dodgers are now in position to become the first three-peat World Series winners since those Yanks.
Here is the scoring system we borrowed years ago from football writer Bob Sturm and adjusted to fit Major League Baseball’s postseason structure:
Winning the World Series (WS): 9 points
Losing in the World Series (WSL): 6 points
Losing in the Championship Series (CS): 3 points
Losing in Division Series (DS): 2 points
Losing in Wild Card Round (WC): 1 point
The scoring system also incentivizes division titles (+1 point) and docks teams (-1 point) each time they lose at least 90 games in consecutive seasons. The formula does not weigh recent performance more heavily; the point is to measure sustained success and failure over a 25-year span. But we have included each team’s point total from the past decade and how it stacks up leaguewide.
Tiebreaker order: World Series wins, World Series losses, Championship Series appearances, Division Series appearances, division titles
Previous rankings: 2022, 2023, 2024, 2025
League American National
Division Central East West
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The Yankees sitting on top for our previous four franchise rankings wasn’t the only constant; the Pirates have been last every time. While they haven’t climbed the list yet, there are reasons for optimism in Pittsburgh. They boast the best right-handed pitcher in the sport (Paul Skenes), the game’s top prospect (Konnor Griffin), and an improved lineup after a series of offseason additions. It will likely take a World Series run to escape the cellar in next year’s rankings, but any postseason berth would be enough to buoy the spirits of the Pirates faithful.
Total playoff years: 13DS, 14WC, 15WC
Consecutive 90-loss seasons
8
Last decade: -1 points (MLB rank: t-28th)
Average: -0.16 points per season
The Orioles fell further behind the above-zero pack this past year after woefully underperforming expectations, while the team they were chasing — the Reds — snuck into the postseason. After a frustrating 75-win campaign in 2025, Baltimore leveled up this offseason by acquiring big bats Pete Alonso and Taylor Ward and upgrading the pitching staff with Chris Bassitt, Shane Baz, and Ryan Helsley. They project to be safely above .500 this season, though a fierce battle for playoff spots looms in the mighty AL East.
Total playoff years: 12DS, 14CS, 16WC, 23DS, 24WC
Consecutive 90-loss seasons
8
Last decade: 4 points (MLB rank: 21st)
The Reds secured a playoff spot on the final day of the 2025 regular season, only to be thrashed by the Dodgers in the Wild Card round. That appearance wasn’t enough to move them up the rankings, however, as they lost a tiebreaker to the Rockies. Cincinnati added thump to the lineup by bringing back Eugenio Suárez, but the club’s hopes hinge on the health and performance of an all-under-30 rotation. After finishing eighth in NL Cy Young voting last year, ace Hunter Greene will miss significant time with an elbow injury.
Total playoff years: 10DS, 12DS, 13WC, 20WC, 25WC
Consecutive 90-loss seasons
3
Last decade: -1 points (MLB rank: t-28th)
There is no shame in being jumped by a team that just fell agonizingly short of the World Series, but the Rockies’ point total is trending in the wrong direction. Colorado has averaged 104.5 losses over the past four seasons, costing them three points in our rankings. Their 2007 World Series run is still doing the heavy lifting here, breaking the tie with the Reds. The 2026 Rockies feature a new head of baseball operations (Paul DePodesta) and several new faces, including Willi Castro, Edouard Julien, José Quintana, and Michael Lorenzen.
Total playoff years: 07WSL, 09DS, 17WC, 18DS
Consecutive 90-loss seasons
5
Last decade: 0 points (MLB rank: t-26th)
In last year’s rankings, we cautioned that Seattle could slide once their 2000 and 2001 ALCS appearances fell outside our 25-year window. Not so fast. The Mariners replaced that 2000 run with a 2025 ALCS appearance and a division title. While the Blue Jays’ George Springer prevented Seattle from advancing to its first World Series — and from overtaking the Marlins, who hold the tiebreaker via their 2003 title — the Mariners have the mojo, momentum and mashers to make more October magic this year.
Total playoff years: 01CS, 22DS, 25CS
Consecutive 90-loss seasons
2
Last decade: 6 points (MLB rank: 17th)
The Marlins endured another losing season last year — their 18th in our 25-year window — but the results weren’t all bad. They won 79 games, welcomed Sandy Alcantara and Eury Pérez back to the mound, and found something in outfielders Kyle Stowers and Jakob Marsee. There’s a new name to watch in Owen Caissie, acquired from the Cubs in the Edward Cabrera trade, and a new closer in former Rays reliever Pete Fairbanks. The Marlins have four of Keith Law’s top 65 prospects entering the 2026 season.
Total playoff years: 03WS, 20DS, 23WC
Consecutive 90-loss seasons
4
Last decade: 1 point (MLB rank: t-24th)
Despite holding the record for the most consecutive 90-loss seasons (9) and being tied for the fewest playoff appearances (3) in the past 25 years, the Royals remain in a respectable spot in these rankings because of their back-to-back pennants in 2014 and 2015. Kansas City won 82 games last season, and after mostly adding at the margins this winter — acquiring outfielders Isaac Collins, Starling Marte and Lane Thomas and relievers Matt Strahm, Alex Lange and Nick Mears — they project to be in that ballpark again in 2026. In a volatile AL Central, that might be enough to keep them in the hunt.
Total playoff years: 14WSL, 15WS, 24DS
Consecutive 90-loss seasons
9
Last decade: 0 points (MLB rank: t-26th)
The Padres climb one spot following their first back-to-back postseason appearances since 2005-06. Their 2025 playoff run was short-lived, ending in the Wild Card round against the Cubs. While it was the end of the line for Dylan Cease, Robert Suarez, Luis Arraez and Ryan O’Hearn in San Diego, the club did bring back Michael King on a three-year deal. Top-end talent remains, but if the Padres want to challenge the Dodgers as they did in 2025, they’ll need a healthy Joe Musgrove and better injury luck across the staff this year.
Total playoff years: 05DS, 06DS, 20DS, 22CS, 24DS, 25WC
Consecutive 90-loss seasons
4
Last decade: 5 points (MLB rank: t-18th)
The White Sox are tumbling for three reasons: three consecutive 90-loss seasons, a tiebreaker loss to the Nationals, and their 2000 division title and ALDS appearance dropping outside of our 25-year window. While another 90-loss season may be on the horizon, the team should be more watchable with Munetaka Murakami, Luisangel Acuña, and Everson Pereira in the mix. Veterans Austin Hays, Erick Fedde, Seranthony Dominguez, Sean Newcomb and Jordan Hicks will raise the floor as the club’s top prospects near the majors.
Total playoff years: 05WS, 08DS, 20WC, 21DS
Consecutive 90-loss seasons
3
Last decade: 1 points (MLB rank: t-24th)
Five consecutive 90-loss seasons have caused the Nats to bleed points, unwinding much of the progress made from 2012 to 2019. Washington introduced new leadership this offseason, including 33-year-old manager Blake Butera, but the roster remains largely the same outside of trading lefty MacKenzie Gore to Texas for five prospects. The position player group is incredibly young, filled with former top prospects who have sky-high ceilings. The Nationals’ oldest projected starter is catcher Keibert Ruiz, who is just 27.
Total playoff years: 12DS, 14DS, 16DS, 17DS, 19WS
Consecutive 90-loss seasons
7
Last decade: 11 points (MLB rank: t-12th)
No team fell farther in these rankings than the Mets, who dropped four spots. This was less about their late-2025 collapse and more about their 2000 World Series appearance aging out of our window. Expect the Mets to give the Phillies a run for the NL East title this year; they overhauled their roster by adding an ace (Freddy Peralta), a center fielder (Luis Robert Jr.), a reconstructed infield (Marcus Semien, Bo Bichette and Marcus Semien) and an almost-all-new bullpen.
Total playoff years: 06CS, 15WSL, 16WC, 22WC, 24CS
Consecutive 90-loss seasons
1
Last decade: 5 points (MLB rank: t-18th)
The Jays are surging, up three spots from last year. They are the only team outside the top four to avoid a penalty point for consecutive 90-loss seasons since 2001. After reaching the World Series for the first time since 1993 and taking the Dodgers to the brink last fall, Toronto is poised to keep climbing. Offseason additions of Kazuma Okamoto, Dylan Cease, Cody Ponce and Tyler Rogers, alongside the re-signings of Shane Bieber and Max Scherzer, make the Blue Jays legitimate threats to win the AL East.
Total playoff years: 15CS, 16CS, 20WC, 22WC, 23WC, 25WSL
Consecutive 90-loss seasons
0
Last decade: 13 points (MLB rank: t-10th)
The steady climb continues for the Brewers, who own the fifth-best winning percentage in MLB since 2018. In that eight-year span, they’ve made the playoffs seven times and captured five NL Central titles. All that remains is to break through to the World Series — a height the franchise hasn’t reached since 1982. Milwaukee will now rely on Brandon Woodruff and Jacob Misiorowski to lead the rotation after a trade sent Freddy Peralta to New York. It was a bold move, but those have worked out for Milwaukee before.
Total playoff years: 08DS, 11CS, 18CS, 19WC, 20WC, 21DS, 23WC, 24WC, 25CS
Consecutive 90-loss seasons
3
Last decade: 17 points (MLB rank: 8th)
The Athletics are still firmly in the middle of the pack despite not making the playoffs since the pandemic-shortened 2020 season. They helped their case by snapping a streak of three consecutive 90-loss seasons last year, losing “only” 86 games. The Athletics aren’t projected to be a contender this season, but they’ve built an interesting ballclub. Their handful of veterans — Brent Rooker, Jeff McNeil, Luis Severino, Jeffrey Springs and Aaron Civale — are surrounded by a promising young core: Nick Kurtz, Jacob Wilson, Tyler Soderstrom and Lawrence Butler are all under 26.
Total playoff years: 01DS, 02DS, 03DS, 06CS, 12DS, 13DS, 14WC, 18WC, 19WC, 20DS
Consecutive 90-loss seasons
3
Last decade: 2 points (MLB rank: t-22th)
The Rays’ momentum has stagnated recently, and PECOTA’s 2026 projection — a .502 winning percentage, good only for a last-place AL East finish — is sobering. But the ingredients are there for a wild-card run. Junior Caminero is a burgeoning star. Shane McClanahan is back. And since last year’s trade deadline, Tampa has added a slew of veterans — Cedric Mullins, Griffin Jax, Jake Fraley, Gavin Lux, Nick Martinez and Steven Matz — to infuse the roster with high-floor depth.
Total playoff years: 08WSL, 10DS, 11DS, 13DS, 19DS, 20WSL, 21DS, 22WC, 23WC
Consecutive 90-loss seasons
7
Last decade: 14 points (MLB rank: 9th)
Back-to-back playoff appearances have pushed the Tigers into the top half of our rankings. With Tarik Skubal entering what could be his final season in Detroit, Tigers decision-makers seem to understand they must make this year count. The team’s additions come in the form of bringing back Gleyber Torres and (potentially) bringing up top prospect Kevin McGonigle; signing Kenley Jansen and re-signing Kyle Finnegan for the bullpen; and landing Framber Valdez and Justin Verlander to round out a rotation that had been hit hard by injuries.
Total playoff years: 06WSL, 11CS, 12WSL, 13CS, 14DS, 24DS, 25DS
Consecutive 90-loss seasons
6
Last decade: 2 points (MLB rank: t-22th)
When “running it back” went wrong, the Twins pivoted last season to a fire sale. They lost 92 games and parted ways with manager Rocco Baldelli and team president Derek Falvey. While they still have a number of established veterans — led by Byron Buxton and Royce Lewis in the lineup, and Joe Ryan and Bailey Ober in the rotation — the roster depth is perilously thin, especially after Pablo López’s injury. PECOTA projects 78 wins, which feels optimistic; if the veterans start strong, the Twins might resume their fire sale come July.
Total playoff years: 02CS, 03DS, 04DS, 06DS, 09DS, 10DS, 17WC, 19DS, 20WC, 23DS
Consecutive 90-loss seasons
3
Last decade: 9 points (MLB rank: 14th)
Enjoy this ranking while it lasts, Snakes fans: the 2001 World Series title will fall off the books after this season. Since their 2023 World Series run, Arizona has missed the playoffs the past two years. While injuries have hampered the pitching staff, the lineup remains robust. NL MVP candidate Ketel Marte is still around, despite persistent trade talks. Geraldo Perdomo and Corbin Carroll are young stars still on the rise. And we’re about to see what 35-year-old Nolan Arenado and 39-year-old Carlos Santana have left in the tank.
Total playoff years: 01WS, 02DS, 07CS, 11DS, 17DS, 23WSL
Consecutive 90-loss seasons
1
Last decade: 8 points (MLB rank: t-15th)
The Angels have not reached the postseason since 2014 and have only one appearance in the last 16 years. To make matters worse, they also just turned in their second consecutive 90-loss season (after narrowly avoiding that with 89-loss seasons in 2022 and 2023), earning their first-ever penalty point in our scoring system. The 2000s Angels are still doing the heavy lifting to keep this franchise at No. 12 on this list, but the floor is falling out quickly.
Total playoff years: 02WS, 04DS, 05CS, 07DS, 08DS, 09CS, 14DS
Consecutive 90-loss seasons
1
Last decade: -1 points (MLB rank: t-28th)
The Rangers, winning a tiebreaker over the Angels here, improved this offseason by adding Brandon Nimmo, Danny Jansen and Andrew McCutchen to a position player group led by Corey Seager and Wyatt Langford. They traded for MacKenzie Gore to bolster the rotation. Still, returning to true contention will require significant steps forward from their internal options. It’s possible. But this version of the Rangers doesn’t project to be more than a couple games better than last year’s .500 team.
Total playoff years: 10WSL, 11WSL, 12WC, 15DS, 16DS, 23WS
Consecutive 90-loss seasons
2
Last decade: 11 points (MLB rank: t-12th)
The Guardians enter the top 10 after a chaotic 2025: They lost closer Emmanuel Clase and starter Luis Ortiz due to their alleged involvement in a gambling scandal; rallied to steal a division title from the Tigers; then went quietly against the Tigers in the Wild Card round. The Cleveland lineup hasn’t gotten much better since then. Maybe Rhys Hoskins can provide some much-needed pop. The Guardians regularly run it back and often make that strategy work, but their offseason left something to be desired.
Total playoff years: 01DS, 07CS, 13WC, 16WSL, 17DS, 18DS, 20WC, 22DS, 24CS, 25WC
Consecutive 90-loss seasons
1
Last decade: 23 points (MLB rank: 5th)
Back in the postseason for the first time in five years, the Cubs made the biggest jump of any club in these rankings, climbing four spots after an NLDS appearance. (It helped that they shed the penalty point they had for their 90-loss seasons in 1999 and 2000.) After losing Kyle Tucker to free agency, the Cubs signed Alex Bregman and traded for Edward Cabrera. If the pitching staff can stay healthy, the Cubs could be a force in 2026.
Total playoff years: 03CS, 07DS, 08DS, 15CS, 16WS, 17CS, 18WC, 20WC, 25DS
Consecutive 90-loss seasons
2
Last decade: 19 points (MLB rank: 7th)
Here’s where we get to the top tier of teams, as there’s a sizable scoring gap between the Phillies and Cubs. Philadelphia has made four straight postseasons, but consecutive NLDS exits have frustrated a city desperate for its first title since 2008. The Phillies remain heavyweights; they lost Ranger Suarez but extended Jesús Luzardo, brought back J.T. Realmuto and Kyle Schwarber and took a flier on Adolis García. With Zack Wheeler nearing a return, the Phillies should again be in the hunt for the NL East crown.
Total playoff years: 07DS, 08WS, 09WSL, 10CS, 11DS, 22WSL, 23CS, 24DS, 25DS
Consecutive 90-loss seasons
2
Last decade: 13 points (MLB rank: t-10th)
The Giants have only one postseason appearance in the past nine years, yet they still sit at No. 7. That’s the power of four World Series appearances — and three titles —in a decade. After acquiring Rafael Devers last summer, San Francisco added Luis Arraez and Harrison Bader this winter. If prospect Bryce Eldridge is MLB-ready, the lineup could be formidable. The pitching staff has an ace, Logan Webb, but is light on highly proven arms, especially in the bullpen.
Total playoff years: 02WSL, 03DS, 10WS, 12WS, 14WS, 16DS, 21DS
Consecutive 90-loss seasons
1
Last decade: 5 points (MLB rank: t-18th)
After seven consecutive playoff runs, the Braves had a rough go last season, losing 87 games and losing players to injury left and right as the club fell to fourth in the NL East. PECOTA projects the Braves to win this division this season, with the Mets and Phillies close behind. Health may be the determining factor. Drake Baldwin proved himself a more than capable replacement for injured catcher Sean Murphy, but backfilling for shortstop Ha-Seong Kim and starters Spencer Schwellenbach and Hurston Waldrep will be more difficult.
Total playoff years: 01CS, 02DS, 03DS, 04DS, 05DS, 10DS, 12WC, 13DS, 18DS, 19DS, 20CS, 21WS, 22DS, 23DS, 24WC
Consecutive 90-loss seasons
2
Last decade: 25 points (MLB rank: t-3rd)
The Astros missed the 2025 postseason on a tiebreaker, snapping their stretch of eight consecutive playoff years. It was far from their best team in recent memory, but it was still a strong group. Now, they move forward without Framber Valdez and will have to deal with early-year injuries to Jeremy Peña and Josh Hader. A playoff season might vault the Astros ahead of the Red Sox on this list, but Houston’s momentum appears to be fading as its core has aged and dispersed.
Total playoff years: 01DS, 04CS, 05WSL, 15DS, 17WS, 18CS, 19WSL, 20CS, 21WSL, 22WS, 23CS, 24WC
Consecutive 90-loss seasons
3
Last decade: 47 points (MLB rank: 2nd)
Coming off a 2025 wild-card berth, the Red Sox lost Alex Bregman but gained Willson Contreras and three starters: Ranger Suarez, Sonny Gray and Johan Oviedo. Contreras brings a veteran anchor to a lineup teeming with young talent, from 21-year-old Roman Anthony, who is emerging as a star, to Ceddane Rafaela and Caleb Durbin. If Marcelo Mayer produces and Kristian Campbell rebuilds his swing, Boston could make some real noise this season.
Total playoff years: 03CS, 04WS, 05DS, 07WS, 08CS, 09DS, 13WS, 16DS, 17DS, 18WS, 21CS, 25WC
Consecutive 90-loss seasons
0
Last decade: 20 points (MLB rank: 6th)
A podium finish is a bright spot for the rebuilding Redbirds. They have missed the playoffs three years in a row, and before that came three consecutive wild-card exits. Still, the 25-year resume is impressive: 15 playoff appearances and no consecutive 90-loss seasons. Cardinals fans haven’t often had to weather lows that lasted long. For now, they’ll have to find joy in watching prospects attempt to solidify themselves in the majors.
Total playoff years: 01DS, 02CS, 04WSL, 05CS, 06WS, 09DS, 11WS, 12CS, 13WSL, 14CS, 15DS, 19CS, 20WC, 21WC, 22WC
Consecutive 90-loss seasons
0
Last decade: 8 points (MLB rank: t-15th)
The only change in our top eight teams was the Yankees getting leapfrogged. With their 2000 World Series falling outside our window of consideration, the No. 1 spot came down to which team went further in the 2025 playoffs. The Dodgers won it all; the Yankees crashed out in the ALDS. While re-signing Cody Bellinger and several others kept the Yankees’ World Series chances from cratering, they will need a vintage Gerrit Cole and more MVP-caliber performance from Aaron Judge to reclaim the throne.
Total playoff years: 01WSL, 02DS, 03WSL, 04CS, 05DS, 06DS, 07DS, 09WS, 10CS, 11DS, 12CS, 15WC, 17CS, 18DS, 19CS, 20DS, 21WC, 22CS, 24WSL, 25DS
Consecutive 90-loss seasons
0
Last decade: 25 points (MLB rank: t-3rd)
Back-to-back champs. Three World Series in six years. Five pennants in nine years. Thirteen consecutive postseason berths. The Dodgers have finally taken their rightful place at No. 1. The best team in baseball somehow got better this winter, signing the top free-agent hitter, Kyle Tucker, and the top closer on the market, Edwin Díaz. Their dominance shows no signs of slowing, with Tucker plugged into a lineup already featuring Shohei Ohtani, Mookie Betts and Freddie Freeman. According to our scoring system, the Dodgers aren’t just the runaway team of the decade; they are now the gold standard of the last quarter-century.
Total playoff years: 04DS, 06DS, 08CS, 09CS, 13CS, 14DS, 15DS, 16CS, 17WSL, 18WSL, 19DS, 20WS, 21CS, 22DS, 23DS, 24WS, 25WS
Consecutive 90-loss seasons
0
Last decade: 60 points (MLB rank: 1st)
Mar 12, 2026
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