Every MLB Team's best single-season record ever

From 92-win seasons to 116-win seasons, every MLB team has a certain season where everything that could have gone well, went well, at least in the regular season. So here is every MLB team's best single-season record ever:

Mariners: 116 wins in 2001

In 2001, the Mariners were able to set an MLB record that no team has touched in 24 years, and probably never will touch. The Mariners had one of the best MLB seasons by a single player, as Ichiro Suzuki won league MVP, Rookie of the Year, Gold Glove, Silver Slugger, and led the league in hits, stolen bases, and batting average. However, Suzuki didn't even lead his team in WAR; that title went to Bret Boone, who recorded a .331/.372.578 batting line and a league-leading 141 runs batted in.

The pitching staff had a 3.54 ERA, which was elite during this offense-heavy era of the MLB. Thanks to the Pythagorean win-loss statistic, the Mariners should have only won 109 games that season, but luck turned out to be a major factor in winning an absurd number of games. And despite having a historic regular season, the Mariners fell flat on their faces in the ALCS series against the Yankees, losing the series 4-1 and not returning to the playoffs for twenty years.

Dodgers: 111-51 in 2022

The 2022 Dodgers are the most recent team to break their regular-season wins record, and they were the best MLB team since the 2001 Mariners. The Dodgers had a relatively average strength of schedule that season, thus, that was not much of a factor in their 111 wins. While this 2022 Dodgers squad had a top-five offense, they were mainly a pitching-heavy team, leading the league with a 2.80 team ERA. Their 6-man rotation featured three all-stars, and the entire team had seven all-stars. However, despite their regular-season success, the Dodgers failed to make it past round 1 of the playoffs in 2022, losing to the Padres in four games in the NLDS.

Cubs: 116 wins in 1906

From 1903 to 1913, the Cubs had a .647 winning percentage with four World Series appearances and a 116-win season in 1906. No MLB team today could even come close to that level of dominance. To further prove how surreal professional baseball was in the 1910s, the Cubs had eight different starting pitchers, and only one relief pitcher in 1906; none of those pitchers had an ERA above 3, and the Cubs' top hitter hit seven home runs. 

Yankees: 114 wins in 1998

The Yankees went 22-2 from early April to early May during the 1998 season, and their 65-20 record at the all-star break put them on pace for 124 wins. While the Yankees did not reach that feat, their 114 wins were enough to hold the single-season wins record for three years until the Mariners broke it. They eventually won the 1998 World Series against the Padres, only losing two postseason games.

Guardians: 111 wins in 1954

Pythagorean winning percentage estimates a team's winning percentage given their runs scored and allowed. This statistic can show how lucky or unlucky a team is based on whether their Pythagorean winning percentage is higher or lower than their actual winning percentage. Usually, a team's Pythagorean winning percentage is only a couple of wins or losses different than their actual record.

The 1954 Guardians were an outlier, with their Pythagorean winning percentage taking away seven wins from their original record, making them one of the luckiest teams on this list. The luck eventually ran out, though, getting swept by the Giants in the World Series that year.

Red Sox: 108 wins in 2018

In 2018, the Red Sox undoubtedly had the best offense in the league, leading the MLB in almost every offensive category. Having the American League MVP on your roster certainly helps, with Mookie Betts recording video game numbers that season:

.346 batting average

.640 slugging percentage

10.7 WAR

However, the Red Sox's offensive numbers and win total during the 2018 season are somewhat tainted due to their use of video technology to steal signs. The World Series win, however, was not tainted because the Red Sox beat the Yankees, Dodgers, and Astros, all teams that cheated in the same way. In fact, the Sox only lost three games in that entire postseason, proving superior to other teams using the same cheating methods.

Mets: 108 wins in 1986

The 1986 Mets had one of the most dominant pitching rosters of all time, with a team ERA of 3.11, none of their ten highest amount of innings pitchers had an ERA above four, and four of the team's five starters were Cy Young award candidates. This pitching staff helped the Mets start the 1986 season with a 20-4 record. They coasted off that exceptional start for the rest of the season, eventually winning the World Series.

Reds: 108 wins in 1975

The Reds' 1975 season featured 108 regular-season wins, a World Series win, and a 10-game win streak. The Reds' star-studded lineup featured four .300+ hitters, five all-stars, four Golden Glove awards, and the league MVP, Joe Morgan, who recorded an 11.0 WAR. In addition to Morgan, Cincinnati's roster featured plenty of other marketable stars, such as Pete Rose, Johnny Bench, and Ken Griffey. The Reds used their tremendous offensive talent to beat the Red Sox in a 1975 World Series that featured five games decided by one run.

Giants: 107 wins in 2021

The 2021 Giants had one of the weirdest seasons by an MLB team in recent memory. The Giants were a consistent 75-80-win team in the years prior to and after 2021. The Giants snagged the best record in baseball out of nowhere, and they didn't sign any big-name free agents or call up any rookie superstars; they had a very similar roster to their previous 29-31 season in 2020. In 2021, the Giants had the league's silver slugger, Buster Posey, gold glove winner Brandon Crawford, starters Kevin Gausman and Logan Webb having Cy-Young-worthy seasons, and a healthy dose of luck. However, the magic eventually ran out, losing to the Dodgers in 5 games in the NLDS.

Pirates: 110 wins in 1909

The 1909 Pirates were the first MLB team to surpass 110 wins, which is especially impressive considering the MLB season was only 153 games. The 1909 Pirates even hold the highest single-season winning percentage of all time, at an unprecedentedly high .724. The MLB was a starkly different league 116 years ago, as shown by the Pirates' four-man rotation, which had an average ERA of 2.11. It was also a vastly different time, considering that the Pirates were the best team in the league.

Orioles: 109 wins in 1969

The 1969 Orioles roster was absolutely stacked; five of their nine hitters in the starting lineup were all-stars, four won Gold Gloves, and the starting rotation featured Cy Young winner Mike Cuellar. However, that immense roster talent didn't quite translate to the playoffs, losing a lopsided World Series to the underdog Mets.

Athletics: 107 wins in 1931

The last time the A's broke their single-season wins record was 94 years ago, when they were the Philadelphia Athletics, and their logo looked like this:

The 1931 A's won 107 games, partially due to the league's MVP and one of the best MLB pitchers of all time, Lefty Grove, who led the league in WAR, ERA, and strikeouts. 1931 was in the midst of a hitter-dominant era in the MLB, as seen by the A's outfielder Al Simmons leading the league with a .390 batting average. The A's were poised to win their third World Series in a row after their 107-game season, and nearly did, but fell to the Cardinals in seven games.

Astros: 107 wins in 2019

In 2019, the Astros had the MLB's Cy Young winner, the Cy Young runner-up, the Silver Slugger, two Gold Gloves, and the Rookie of the Year. The Astros also had a team OPS of .848 and three .300+ hitters in 2019, a season that featured the most strikeouts in MLB history. And the Astros did all this without cheating, having given up their electronic sign-stealing in 2018. It's quite obvious why they had the best odds to win the World Series since 2007, although they blew a 2-0 7th-inning lead to lose the World Series to the Nationals.

Braves: 106 wins in 1998

The 1998 Braves season was one of the team's 13-straight division titles and five World Series appearances in the 90s. The Braves were piloted by a rotation featuring the league leader in ERA, Greg Maddux, and Cy Young winner Tom Glavine. Despite the Braves' high amount of wins and roster talent, their 98' squad didn't quite make it to the finish line, falling in the NLCS to the Padres.

Cardinals: 106 wins in 1942

The 1942 Cardinals are yet another example of a team breaking their single-season wins record thanks to having the league's MVP. In 1942, the National League MVP was Mort Cooper, who led the league in WAR, ERA, and WHIP, and pitched 22 complete games. The Cardinals eventually went on to win the 1942 World Series in 5 games against the Yankees.

Tigers: 104 wins in 1984

The Tigers had a scorching hot 35-5 start to the 1984 season, and coasted off it to their franchise wins record. The Tigers played like a wild card team after May 25th, but their lack of momentum heading into the playoffs wasn't a problem, recording a 7-1 postseason record and a World Series victory. The 1984 Tigers featured a rare Cy Young and league MVP winner who was a closing pitcher; Willie Hernandez had a sub-2 ERA and finished 68 games with 32 saves.

Phillies: 102 wins in 2011

2011 was the final season in the Phillies' 9-straight winning seasons, as they experienced a steep dropoff in 2012, winning 21 fewer games than the year prior. In 2011, the Phillies captured the MLB's best record mainly due to the league's most dominant pitching staff. The starting rotation combined for a 29.1 WAR and averaged a 2.84 ERA. It most notably included Cy Young winner Roy Halladay, who led the league with an 8.8 WAR that season. Halladay would throw 126 pitches in game five of the NLDS, but the one run he allowed went unanswered, resulting in a 1-0 loss to end the Phillies' season.

"D7K 4969 Roy Halladay" by SD Dirk on Flickr is licensed under CC BY 2.0.

Royals: 102 wins 1977:

The Royals fielded a winning record in eight of their first twelve seasons as a franchise, which is very impressive for a new expansion team. 1977 was the franchise's ninth season, and their only 100+ win season ever. After overcoming a 19-23 record at the end of May, the Royals sported a .691 winning percentage through the rest of the season, en route to an AL West division title. Kansas City was led by an elite, contact-heavy, small-ball offense, with a .277 team batting average and Freddie Patek, who led the league with 53 stolen bases. However, the team's inexperience rose to the surface in the playoffs, with an NLDS loss to the Yankees.

Twins: 102 wins in 1965

In 1965, the Twins secured the best record in the MLB seemingly out of nowhere, after having a losing record in the previous season. Shortstop Zolio Versalles was the Twins' MVP that season, as well as the league MVP, and the 1965 Twins roster also included six all-stars. The Twins ended up narrowly losing the World Series to the Dodgers, where they were shut down by Sandy Koufax in game seven.

Diamondbacks: 100 wins in 1999

The Diamondbacks unexpectedly won 100 games and set their franchise wins record in just their second season as an MLB team. The D-Backs would not have gotten remotely close to 100 wins that season had they not signed Randy Johnson in free agency, who won Cy Young in 1998, led the league in ERA and strikeouts, and pitched twelve complete games. In the offensive department, the Diamondbacks had the league's stolen base leader, Tony Womack, and the hits leader Luis Gonzalez. However, the playoffs put the Diamondbacks' inexperience on full display, losing to the Mets in the NLDS in four games.

"Randy Johnson 02" by Dirk DBQ is licensed under CC BY 2.0.

Angels: 100 wins in 2008

The Angels, or as they were called at the time, the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim, were one of the MLB's most dominant teams during the 2000s. They made the playoffs in six of eight seasons, with 2008 taking the cake for the Angels' best franchise record. The 2008 Angels, however, should not have even made the playoffs, as their immense luck made the 54' Guardians look misfortunate. The Angels' Pythagorean win-loss record was a whopping twelve games less than their original record, thus, they should have only won 88 games that season. The frauds were finally exposed come playoff time, as the Red Sox made easy work of the Angels in a 3-1 ALDS series.

Rays: 100 wins in 2021

When you look at the Rays' roster in 2021, nothing really jumps off the page. The team lacked a hitter with a .300+ batting average or a .900+ OPS, two of their starting pitchers had ERAs north of five, and second basemen Brandon Lowe led the team in WAR with just 4.6. The 2021 Rays were nevertheless an extremely well-disciplined and well-coached team, and had one of the league's most dominant bullpens. All of it amounted to a playoff loss to the division-rival Red Sox in four games in the ALDS.

White Sox: 100 wins in 1917

The last time the White Sox won 100 games was when the MLB still had ties, and the White Sox had two ties during that season. They also had only eight pitchers on the entire roster, with their ace, Eddie Cicotte, recording video game numbers: An 11.9 WAR, a 1.53 ERA, 29 complete games, on 346.2 innings pitched. In total, the pitching staff posted a 2.16 ERA for the season, and the team's .253 batting average wasn't too shabby either. The White Sox won their second of three franchise World Series in 1917, with this win coming in six games against the Giants.

Blue Jays: 99 wins in 1985

After missing the playoffs with 89 wins for two straight years, the Blue Jays finally reached the postseason for the first time in franchise history in 1985. They additionally edged out the 97-win Yankees for the AL East title. The Blue Jays even came within one game of the World Series, but blew a 3-1 ALCS series lead to the Royals to end their 99-win season. Right fielder Jesse Bartfield led the team's offensive front during the season, with a .289/.369/.536 batting line. Dave Steib led the pitching staff, with a league-leading 2.48 ERA and a 6.8 WAR.

Nationals: 98 wins in 2012

2012 marked the first franchise playoff season and the first winning season for the Nationals, partly thanks to their Rookie of the Year winner, the 19-year-old Bryce Harper. The Nats also had a championship-caliber pitching staff, with three starting pitchers who averaged a 2.96 ERA, and a bullpen that averaged a 2.86 ERA. After posting the league's best record in the regular season, the Nationals came within one strike away from beating the Cardinals and advancing to the NLCS. However, Drew Storen failed to record the final strike and allowed four earned runs in the ninth inning, losing 9-7.

"Stephen Strasburg on June 28, 2015" by Arturo Pardavila III on Flickr (Original version) UCinternational (Crop) is licensed under CC BY 2.0.

Padres: 98 wins in 1998

1998 marked the Padres' third franchise playoff berth in 29 seasons, which is as abysmal as it sounds. Managed by a young Bruce Bochy, the Padres were seen as the league's upstart underdog team that season, though they had a very old roster despite winning 98 games out of nowhere.

While the Padres were not quite an elite pitching team, they did have the league's best starter and best closer. Kevin Brown led the rotation with a 2.38 ERA and a league-leading 8.6 WAR. Trevor Hoffman led all closers that season in many statistics, including a 4.1 WAR, 53 saves, and a 1.48 ERA. The underdog narrative continued when the Padres faced the 114-win Yankees in the World Series, and it ended promptly when the Padres were swept in four games.

Brewers: 96 wins in 2018

Prior to 2018, the Brewers had only three playoff appearances in 38 seasons as a franchise, and they were coming off a six-season playoff drought. The Brewers' reaching 96 wins in 2018 was one of the most unexpected seasons in recent history, but it was refreshing to see a new team, especially a small-market team, go on a deep playoff run.

For a 96-win team, the Brewers' starting rotation was rather underwhelming, thus, they rarely let their starters face the lineup a second time in a row and spent the majority of the game using relievers. The strategy worked well in the NLDS, allowing just two runs in three games against the Rockies. The Brewers almost beat the Dodgers to go to the World Series, but losing a 13-inning game in game 4 decided the series.

"Junior Guerra (cropped)" by All-Pro Reels is licensed under CC BY-SA 2.0.

Rangers: 96 wins in 2011

On July 3rd, 2011, the Rangers sat at a 44-41 record, and hope for a playoff berth was dwindling. However, the Rangers proceeded to win twelve straight games, and the momentum propelled them to a 52-25 record during the rest of the season, and an AL West division title. The 2011 Rangers were one of the best offenses of the 2010s, recording a historic .283 team batting average and an .800 OPS. The offense continued to produce during the postseason, as the Rangers landed a trip to the World Series, but lost their second straight World Series.

Marlins: 92 wins in 1997

The Marlins won 92 games in their fifth season as an MLB team, and failed to top that win total for the next 27 years. 1997 was also one of the team's four playoff appearances in franchise history, but it was one of two World Series wins. So the Marlins may not make the playoffs very often, but they have a 50% chance of winning the World Series once they make it in. In 1997, Kevin Brown was the clear ace of the rotation with a WAR of 7.0, and he played a crucial role in beating the juggernaut Braves in the NLCS. Once the wild card Marlins overcame the Braves, they won a favorable matchup in the World Series against the 86-win Guardians, who would not have made the playoffs had they played in another division.

Rockies: 92 wins in 2009

In 22 seasons as an MLB team, the Rockies have never won their division or topped 92 wins in a single season. 2009 was nevertheless an impressive season for the Rockies, as they overcame a 20-32 record in June to land a playoff berth. Their .634 winning percentage after June 3rd would have put them higher on this list had they played at that level for an entire season. And despite their momentum heading into the playoffs, the Rockies got bounced in the first round to the Phillies in four games.