List of Major League Baseball franchise postseason streaks

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This is a list of Major League Baseball (MLB) franchise postseason and World Series streaks. The list includes only the modern World Series between the American League (AL) and the National League (NL), not the various 19th-century championship series.

The most successful postseason team in MLB history is the New York Yankees, who have achieved three of the four instances of a franchise winning more than two World Series championships in a row (one streak each of durations 3, 4, and 5 seasons) and five of the six instances of a franchise winning the league pennant (i.e., an appearance in the World Series) more than three times in a row (three streaks of 4 seasons and two streaks of 5 seasons). The only other franchises to achieve these milestones are the Oakland Athletics, who won three consecutive championships from 1972 to 1974, and the New York Giants, who won four consecutive pennants from 1921 to 1924. The Yankees also achieved a remarkable run of appearing in 15 of the 18 World Series from 1947 to 1964.

Beginning in 1969, MLB split into four divisions, and the winners of each competed in the League Championship Series, with the winners advancing to the World Series. When a multi-tier playoff system was implemented in 1995, the LCS remained the series that determined the pennant-winner. The longest streak of consecutive LCS appearances belongs to the Atlanta Braves with 8 in a row from 1991 to 1999 (not counting 1994, when there were no playoffs), while the second-longest belongs to the Oakland Athletics with 5 in a row from 1971 to 1975 and the Houston Astros who have the longest active streak with 5 in a row from 2017 to 2021.

Further expansion of the postseason began in 1995, with eight teams entering the playoffs each year (further expanded to ten teams in 2012). In this era, the Braves entered the postseason 14 consecutive years from 1991 to 2005 (again not counting 1994), while the Yankees had a streak of 13 appearances from 1995 to 2007. However, all other postseason appearance streaks of 6 years or more predate the expanded-postseason era and are mentioned above, except for an ongoing 9-year run by the Los Angeles Dodgers (2013–2021).

World Series championship streaks[]

The Yankees have achieved one streak each of 3, 4, and 5 championships in a row, and the Athletics have achieved a streak of 3 in a row. Back-to-back championships have been achieved an additional ten times.

Length Team Seasons
5 New York Yankees 1949–1953
4 New York Yankees 1936–1939
3 Oakland Athletics 1972–1974
3 New York Yankees 1998–2000
2 Chicago Cubs 1907–1908
2 Philadelphia Athletics 1910–1911
2 Boston Red Sox 1915–1916
2 New York Giants 1921–1922
2 New York Yankees 1927–1928
2 Philadelphia Athletics 1929–1930
2 New York Yankees 1961–1962
2 Cincinnati Reds 1975–1976
2 New York Yankees 1977–1978
2 Toronto Blue Jays 1992–1993

Near streaks: Runs during which a franchise won World Series championships at least 70% of the time, with gaps of no more than one year:

Length Team Seasons
6 of 7 New York Yankees 1947, 1949–1953
6 of 8 New York Yankees 1936–1939, 1941, 1943
4 of 5 New York Yankees 1996, 1998–2000
3 of 4 Philadelphia Athletics 1910–1911, 1913
3 of 4 Boston Red Sox 1915–1916, 1918

World Series appearance (pennant) streaks[]

The Yankees have achieved five separate streaks of 4 or 5 pennants in a row, and the Giants achieved one streak of 4 in a row. Three pennants in a row have been achieved an additional twelve times, and back-to-back pennants an additional twenty-one times.

The Yankees also achieved a remarkable run in which they appeared in 15 of the 18 World Series from 1947 to 1964.

Bold indicates a current streak.

Length Team Seasons
5 New York Yankees 1949–1953
5 New York Yankees 1960–1964
4 New York Giants 1921–1924
4 New York Yankees 1936–1939
4 New York Yankees 1955–1958
4 New York Yankees 1998–2001
3 Chicago Cubs 1906–1908
3 Detroit Tigers 1907–1909
3 New York Giants 1911–1913
3 New York Yankees 1921–1923
3 New York Yankees 1926–1928
3 Philadelphia Athletics 1929–1931
3 New York Yankees 1941–1943
3 St. Louis Cardinals 1942–1944
3 Baltimore Orioles 1969–1971
3 Oakland Athletics 1972–1974
3 New York Yankees 1976–1978
3 Oakland Athletics 1988–1990
2 Philadelphia Athletics 1910–1911
2 Philadelphia Athletics 1913–1914
2 Boston Red Sox 1915–1916
2 Washington Senators 1924–1925
2 St. Louis Cardinals 1930–1931
2 Detroit Tigers 1934–1935
2 New York Giants 1936–1937
2 Cincinnati Reds 1939–1940
2 Brooklyn Dodgers 1952–1953
2 Brooklyn Dodgers 1955–1956
2 Milwaukee Braves 1957–1958
2 Los Angeles Dodgers 1965–1966
2 St. Louis Cardinals 1967–1968
2 Cincinnati Reds 1975–1976
2 Los Angeles Dodgers 1977–1978
2 Atlanta Braves 1991–1992
2 Toronto Blue Jays 1992–1993
2 Atlanta Braves 1995–1996
2 Philadelphia Phillies 2008–2009
2 Texas Rangers 2010–2011
2 Kansas City Royals 2014–2015
2 Los Angeles Dodgers 2017–2018

Near streaks: Runs during which a franchise won its league pennant at least 70% of the time, with gaps of no more than one year:

Length Team Seasons
15 of 18 New York Yankees 1947, 1949–1953, 1955–1958, 1960–1964
7 of 8 New York Yankees 1936–1939, 1941–1943
6 of 8 New York Yankees 1996, 1998–2001, 2003
4 of 5 Chicago Cubs 1906–1908, 1910
4 of 5 Philadelphia Athletics 1910–1911, 1913–1914
4 of 5 St. Louis Cardinals 1942–1944, 1946
4 of 5 Brooklyn Dodgers 1952–1953, 1955–1956
4 of 5 Atlanta Braves 1991–1992*, 1995–1996
3 of 4 Boston Red Sox 1915–1916, 1918
3 of 4 St. Louis Cardinals 1928, 1930–1931
3 of 4 Los Angeles Dodgers 1963, 1965–1966
3 of 4 Los Angeles Dodgers 2017–2018, 2020

* Because the 1994 playoffs were cancelled, the year 1994 is not counted as either a part or an interruption of any streak.

League Championship Series appearance streaks[]

The Braves appeared in every LCS held from 1991 to 1999, which is 8 in a row, winning five league pennants and one World Series championship during that time. The Athletics and Astros both achieved an LCS appearance streak of five in a row, with the Athletics streak centered on their three championships in a row. The Yankees and Cardinals have each achieved an LCS appearance streak of four in a row. Three LCS appearances in a row have been achieved an additional thirteen times, and back-to-back LCS appearances an additional twenty-two times.

Three teams (the Orioles, Pirates, and Yankees) achieved multiple LCS appearance streaks in and around the 1970s, each adding up to five appearances in six years.

The LCS began in 1969. Before that, the two regular season champions were awarded the pennants and went directly to the World Series.

Bold indicates a current streak.

Length Team Seasons
8 Atlanta Braves 1991–1993*, 1995–1999
5 Oakland Athletics 1971–1975
5 Houston Astros 2017–2021
4 New York Yankees 1998–2001
4 St. Louis Cardinals 2011–2014
3 Baltimore Orioles 1969–1971
3 Pittsburgh Pirates 1970–1972
3 Kansas City Royals 1976–1978
3 New York Yankees 1976–1978
3 Philadelphia Phillies 1976–1978
3 Oakland Athletics 1988–1990
3 Pittsburgh Pirates 1990–1992
3 Toronto Blue Jays 1991–1993
3 St. Louis Cardinals 2004–2006
3 Philadelphia Phillies 2008–2010
3 Detroit Tigers 2011–2013
3 Chicago Cubs 2015–2017
3 Los Angeles Dodgers 2016–2018
2 Minnesota Twins 1969–1970
2 Cincinnati Reds 1972–1973
2 Baltimore Orioles 1973–1974
2 Pittsburgh Pirates 1974–1975
2 Cincinnati Reds 1975–1976
2 Los Angeles Dodgers 1977–1978
2 New York Yankees 1980–1981
2 Kansas City Royals 1984–1985
2 Baltimore Orioles 1996–1997
2 Cleveland Indians 1997–1998
2 New York Mets 1999–2000
2 Seattle Mariners 2000–2001
2 Boston Red Sox 2003–2004
2 New York Yankees 2003–2004
2 Houston Astros 2004–2005
2 Boston Red Sox 2007–2008
2 Los Angeles Dodgers 2008–2009
2 New York Yankees 2009–2010
2 Texas Rangers 2010–2011
2 Kansas City Royals 2014–2015
2 Toronto Blue Jays 2015–2016
2 Atlanta Braves 2020–2021
2 Los Angeles Dodgers 2020–2021

Near streaks: Runs during which a franchise appeared in its league championship series at least 70% of the time, with gaps of no more than one year:

Length Team Seasons
9 of 10 Atlanta Braves 1991–1993*, 1995–1999, 2001
7 of 9 New York Yankees 1996, 1998–2001, 2003–2004
5 of 6 Baltimore Orioles 1969–1971, 1973–1974
5 of 6 Pittsburgh Pirates 1970–1972, 1974–1975
5 of 6 New York Yankees 1976–1978, 1980–1981
5 of 6 Los Angeles Dodgers 2016–2018, 2020–2021
5 of 7 Cincinnati Reds 1970, 1972–1973, 1975–1976
5 of 7 St. Louis Cardinals 2000, 2002, 2004–2006
4 of 5 Kansas City Royals 1976–1978, 1980
4 of 5 Philadelphia Phillies 1976–1978, 1980
4 of 5 Oakland Athletics 1988–1990, 1992
4 of 5 Toronto Blue Jays 1989, 1991–1993
3 of 4 Cleveland Indians 1995, 1997–1998
3 of 4 New York Yankees 2009–2010, 2012

* Because the 1994 playoffs were cancelled, the year 1994 is not counted as either a part or an interruption of any streak.

Postseason appearance streaks[]

The Braves and the Yankees have achieved respective streaks of 14 and 13 consecutive appearances in the postseason, centered on the 1990s and 2000s. The Dodgers have an ongoing streak of 9 consecutive appearances. Five postseason appearances in a row have been achieved an additional six times, four in a row an additional seven times, three in a row an additional twenty-eight times, and back-to-back postseason appearances an additional fifty times.

The Yankees appeared in 17 of the 18 postseasons from 1995 to 2012, and 15 of the 18 postseasons from 1947 to 1964 (see pennant near-streaks above). Five teams (the Indians, Cardinals twice, Red Sox, and Angels) achieved multiple postseason appearance streaks in and around the 1990s and 2000s, each adding up to 6 appearances in 7 or 8 years. The Phillies appeared in 6 of the 8 postseasons from 1976 to 1983.

Postseason appearance streaks have become more common in recent years, as the postseason has been progressively restructured to include more teams (originally two, four since 1969, eight since 1995, ten since 2012).

Bold indicates a current streak.

Length Team Seasons
14 Atlanta Braves 1991–1993*, 1995–2005
13 New York Yankees 1995–2007
9 Los Angeles Dodgers 2013–2021
5 New York Yankees 1949–1953
5 New York Yankees 1960–1964
5 Oakland Athletics 1971–1975
5 Cleveland Indians 1995–1999
5 Philadelphia Phillies 2007–2011
5 St. Louis Cardinals 2011–2015
5 Houston Astros 2017–2021
5 New York Yankees 2017–2021
4 New York Giants 1921–1924
4 New York Yankees 1936–1939
4 New York Yankees 1955–1958
4 Oakland Athletics 2000–2003
4 New York Yankees 2009–2012
4 Detroit Tigers 2011–2014
4 Chicago Cubs 2015–2018
4 Atlanta Braves 2018–2021
4 Milwaukee Brewers 2018–2021
3 Chicago Cubs 1906–1908
3 Detroit Tigers 1907–1909
3 New York Giants 1911–1913
3 New York Yankees 1921–1923
3 New York Yankees 1926–1928
3 Philadelphia Athletics 1929–1931
3 New York Yankees 1941–1943
3 St. Louis Cardinals 1942–1944
3 Baltimore Orioles 1969–1971
3 Pittsburgh Pirates 1970–1972
3 Kansas City Royals 1976–1978
3 New York Yankees 1976–1978
3 Philadelphia Phillies 1976–1978
3 Oakland Athletics 1988–1990
3 Pittsburgh Pirates 1990–1992
3 Toronto Blue Jays 1991–1993
3 Houston Astros 1997–1999
3 St. Louis Cardinals 2000–2002
3 Minnesota Twins 2002–2004
3 Boston Red Sox 2003–2005
3 St. Louis Cardinals 2004–2006
3 Boston Red Sox 2007–2009
3 Los Angeles Angels 2007–2009
3 Texas Rangers 2010–2012
3 Oakland Athletics 2012–2014
3 Pittsburgh Pirates 2013–2015
3 Boston Red Sox 2016–2018
3 Cleveland Indians 2016–2018
3 Oakland Athletics 2018–2020
3 St. Louis Cardinals 2019–2021
3 Tampa Bay Rays 2019–2021
2 Philadelphia Athletics 1910–1911
2 Philadelphia Athletics 1913–1914
2 Boston Red Sox 1915–1916
2 Washington Senators 1924–1925
2 St. Louis Cardinals 1930–1931
2 Detroit Tigers 1934–1935
2 New York Giants 1936–1937
2 Cincinnati Reds 1939–1940
2 Brooklyn Dodgers 1952–1953
2 Brooklyn Dodgers 1955–1956
2 Milwaukee Braves 1957–1958
2 Los Angeles Dodgers 1965–1966
2 St. Louis Cardinals 1967–1968
2 Minnesota Twins 1969–1970
2 Cincinnati Reds 1972–1973
2 Baltimore Orioles 1973–1974
2 Pittsburgh Pirates 1974–1975
2 Cincinnati Reds 1975–1976
2 Los Angeles Dodgers 1977–1978
2 Houston Astros 1980–1981
2 Kansas City Royals 1980–1981
2 Philadelphia Phillies 1980–1981
2 New York Yankees 1980–1981
2 Milwaukee Brewers 1981–1982
2 Kansas City Royals 1984–1985
2 Los Angeles Dodgers 1995–1996
2 Baltimore Orioles 1996–1997
2 Boston Red Sox 1998–1999
2 Texas Rangers 1998–1999
2 New York Mets 1999–2000
2 Seattle Mariners 2000–2001
2 Arizona Diamondbacks 2001–2002
2 San Francisco Giants 2002–2003
2 Anaheim/Los Angeles Angels 2004–2005
2 Houston Astros 2004–2005
2 San Diego Padres 2005–2006
2 Chicago Cubs 2007–2008
2 Los Angeles Dodgers 2008–2009
2 Minnesota Twins 2009–2010
2 Tampa Bay Rays 2010–2011
2 Atlanta Braves 2012–2013
2 Cincinnati Reds 2012–2013
2 Kansas City Royals 2014–2015
2 New York Mets 2015–2016
2 Texas Rangers 2015–2016
2 Toronto Blue Jays 2015–2016
2 Washington Nationals 2016–2017
2 Colorado Rockies 2017–2018
2 Minnesota Twins 2019–2020
2 Chicago White Sox 2020–2021

Near streaks: Runs during which a franchise appeared in the postseason at least 70% of the time, with gaps of no more than one year:

Length Team Seasons
17 of 18 New York Yankees 1995–2007, 2009–2012
15 of 18 New York Yankees 1947, 1949–1953, 1955–1958, 1960–1964
7 of 8 New York Yankees 1936–1939, 1941–1943
6 of 7 Cleveland Indians 1995–1999, 2001
6 of 7 St. Louis Cardinals 2000–2002, 2004–2006
6 of 7 Boston Red Sox 2003–2005, 2007–2009
6 of 7 St. Louis Cardinals 2009, 2011–2015
6 of 7 Houston Astros 2015, 2017–2021
6 of 7 New York Yankees 2015, 2017–2021
6 of 8 Philadelphia Phillies 1976–1978, 1980–1981, 1983
6 of 8 Anaheim/Los Angeles Angels 2002, 2004–2005, 2007–2009
5 of 6 Baltimore Orioles 1969–1971, 1973–1974
5 of 6 Pittsburgh Pirates 1970–1972, 1974–1975
5 of 6 Kansas City Royals 1976–1978, 1980–1981
5 of 6 New York Yankees 1976–1978, 1980–1981
5 of 7 Cincinnati Reds 1970, 1972–1973, 1975–1976
4 of 5 Chicago Cubs 1906–1908, 1910
4 of 5 Philadelphia Athletics 1910–1911, 1913–1914
4 of 5 St. Louis Cardinals 1942–1944, 1946
4 of 5 Brooklyn Dodgers 1952–1953, 1955–1956
4 of 5 Oakland Athletics 1988–1990, 1992
4 of 5 Toronto Blue Jays 1989, 1991–1993
4 of 5 Houston Astros 1997–1999, 2001
4 of 5 Minnesota Twins 2002–2004, 2006
5 of 6 Chicago Cubs 2015–2018, 2020
3 of 4 Boston Red Sox 1915–1916, 1918
3 of 4 St. Louis Cardinals 1928, 1930–1931
3 of 4 Los Angeles Dodgers 1963, 1965–1966
3 of 4 Texas Rangers 1996, 1998–1999
3 of 4 Arizona Diamondbacks 1999, 2001–2002
3 of 4 San Francisco Giants 2000, 2002–2003
3 of 4 Los Angeles Dodgers 2006, 2008–2009
3 of 4 Tampa Bay Rays 2008, 2010–2011
3 of 4 Tampa Bay Rays 2010–2011, 2013
3 of 4 Washington Nationals 2014, 2016–2017
3 of 4 Washington Nationals 2016–2017, 2019
3 of 4 Cleveland Indians 2016–2018, 2020
3 of 4 Minnesota Twins 2017, 2019–2020

* Because the 1994 playoffs were cancelled, the year 1994 is not counted as either a part or an interruption of any streak.

References[]

See also[]

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