The Athletics, formerly known as the Philadelphia, Kansas City, and Oakland Athletics are a professional baseball team based in West Sacramento, California. The Athletics have played in the American League (AL) ever since the league formed in 1901.
The Athletics have won nine World Series titles, tied for third most in all of Major League Baseball. They are the only team apart from the New York Yankees to complete a World Series “three-peat”, which they did between 1972 and 1974. As the Philadelphia Athletics, the team had a golden period between 1909 and 1914, when they won three World Series, and had three consecutive 100-win seasons between 1929 and 1931 with two further titles. In the period from 1988 to 1990 the Athletics - now based in Oakland - played in three further World Series and won one, while from 1999 to 2006 they had winning records every season but never played in another World Series.
The Athletics have had some bad periods of failure to counterbalance these golden eras. During and after World War I, the Athletics had nine consecutive losing seasons including the lowest win percentage in post-1900 major league baseball of .235 in 1916 and only 36 wins in 1919. Between 1934 and 1967 in Philadelphia and later Kansas City the team had sequences of thirteen and fifteen consecutive losing seasons and overall won 2,119 games and lost 3,147 for a winning percentage of .402.
The Athletics have qualified for the postseason 29 times (fourth most among all thirty teams), while having an 18–20 postseason series record. They have reached the World Series fourteen times while having won it nine times.
Table key MLB seasonEach year is linked to an article about that particular MLB season.Team seasonEach year is linked to an article about that particular Brewers season.FinishThe team's final position in the divisional standingsGBGames behind the team that finished in first place in the division that seasonApps.Postseason appearances: number of seasons the team qualified for the postseasonWorld Series champions (1969–present)*League champions (1969–present)^Division champions (1969–present)¤Wild card berth (1994–present)
Season-by-season records World Series champions †AL champions *Division champions (1969–present) ^Wild card berth (1995–present) ¤
SeasonLevelLeagueDivisionFinishWinsLossesWin%GBPostseasonAwardsPhiladelphia Athletics1901MLBAL—4th7462.54491902MLBAL *—1st8353.610—1903MLBAL—2nd7560.55614½1904MLBAL—5th8170.53612½1905MLBAL *—1st9256.622—Lost World Series (Giants) 4–1 *1906MLBAL—4th7867.538121907MLBAL—2nd8857.6071½1908MLBAL—6th6885.444221909MLBAL—2nd9558.6213½1910MLB †AL *—1st10248.680—Won World Series (Cubs) 4–1 †1911MLB †AL *—1st10150.669—Won World Series (Giants) 4–2 †1912MLBAL—3rd9062.592151913MLB †AL *—1st9657.627—Won World Series (Giants) 4–1 †1914MLBAL *—1st9953.651—Lost World Series (Braves) 4–0 *Eddie Collins (MVP)1915MLBAL—8th43109.28358½1916MLBAL—8th36117.23554½1917MLBAL—8th5598.35944½1918MLBAL—8th5276.406241919MLBAL—8th36104.257521920MLBAL—8th48106.312501921MLBAL—8th53100.346451922MLBAL—7th6589.422291923MLBAL—6th6983.454291924MLBAL—5th7181.467201925MLBAL—2nd8864.5798½1926MLBAL—3rd8367.55361927MLBAL—2nd9163.591191928MLBAL—2nd9855.6412½Mickey Cochrane (MVP)1929MLB †AL *—1st10446.693—Won World Series (Cubs) 4–1 †1930MLB †AL *—1st10252.662—Won World Series (Cardinals) 4–2 †1931MLBAL *—1st10745.704—Lost World Series (Cardinals) 4–3 *Lefty Grove (MVP)1932MLBAL—2nd9460.61013Jimmie Foxx (MVP)1933MLBAL—3rd7972.52319½Jimmie Foxx (MVP)1934MLBAL—5th6882.453311935MLBAL—8th5891.389341936MLBAL—8th53100.346491937MLBAL—7th5497.35846½1938MLBAL—8th5399.349461939MLBAL—7th5597.36251½1940MLBAL—8th54100.351361941MLBAL—8th6490.416371942MLBAL—8th5599.357481943MLBAL—8th49105.318491944MLBAL—5th7282.468171945MLBAL—8th5298.34734½1946MLBAL—8th49105.318551947MLBAL—5th7876.506191948MLBAL—4th8470.54512½1949MLBAL—5th8173.526161950MLBAL—8th52102.338461951MLBAL—6th7084.455281952MLBAL—4th7975.51316Harry Byrd (ROY)Bobby Shantz (MVP)1953MLBAL—7th5995.38341½1954MLBAL—8th51103.33160Kansas City Athletics1955MLBAL—6th6391.409331956MLBAL—8th52102.338451957MLBAL—7th5994.38638½1958MLBAL—7th7381.474191959MLBAL—7th6688.429281960MLBAL—8th5896.377391961MLBAL—9th61100.37947½1962MLBAL—9th7290.444241963MLBAL—8th7389.45131½1964MLBAL—10th57105.352421965MLBAL—10th59103.364431966MLBAL—7th7486.463231967MLBAL—10th6299.38529½Oakland Athletics1968MLBAL—6th8280.506211969MLBALWest2nd8874.54391970MLBALWest2nd8973.54991971MLBALWest ^1st10160.627—Lost ALCS (Orioles) 3–0Vida Blue (MVP, CYA)1972MLB †AL *West ^1st9362.600—Won ALCS (Tigers) 3–2Won World Series (Reds) 4–3 †Gene Tenace (WS MVP)1973MLB †AL *West ^1st9468.580—Won ALCS (Orioles) 3–2Won World Series (Mets) 4–3 †Reggie Jackson (MVP, WS MVP)1974MLB †AL *West ^1st9072.556—Won ALCS (Orioles) 3–1Won World Series (Dodgers) 4–1 †Jim "Catfish" Hunter (CYA)Rollie Fingers (WS MVP)1975MLBALWest ^1st9864.605—Lost ALCS (Red Sox) 3–01976MLBALWest2nd8774.5402½1977MLBALWest7th6398.39138½1978MLBALWest6th6993.426231979MLBALWest7th54108.333341980MLBALWest2nd8379.512141981MLBALWest ^1st3723.617—Won ALDS (Royals) 3–0Lost ALCS (Yankees) 3–02nd2722.55111982MLBALWest5th6894.420251983MLBALWest4th7488.457251984MLBALWest4th7785.47571985MLBALWest4th7785.475141986MLBALWest4th7686.46916Jose Canseco (ROY)1987MLBALWest3rd8181.5004Mark McGwire (ROY)1988MLBAL *West ^1st10458.642—Won ALCS (Red Sox) 4–0Lost World Series (Dodgers) 4–1 *Walt Weiss (ROY)Jose Canseco (MVP)Tony La Russa (MOY)1989MLB †AL *West ^1st9963.611—Won ALCS (Blue Jays) 4–1Won World Series (Giants) 4–0 †Dave Stewart (WS MVP)1990MLBAL *West ^1st10359.636—Won ALCS (Red Sox) 4–0Lost World Series (Reds) 4–0 *Rickey Henderson (MVP)Bob Welch (CYA) 1991MLBALWest4th8478.519111992MLBALWest ^1st9666.593—Lost ALCS (Blue Jays) 4–2Dennis Eckersley (MVP, CYA)Tony La Russa (MOY)1993MLBALWest7th6894.420261994MLBALWest2nd5163.44711995MLBALWest4th6777.46511½1996MLBALWest3rd7884.481121997MLBALWest4th6597.401251998MLBALWest4th7488.45714Ben Grieve (ROY)1999MLBALWest2nd8775.53782000MLBALWest ^1st9170.565—Lost ALDS (Yankees) 3–2Jason Giambi (MVP)2001MLBALWest2nd ¤10260.63014Lost ALDS (Yankees) 3–22002MLBALWest ^1st10359.636—Lost ALDS (Twins) 3–2Miguel Tejada (MVP)Barry Zito (CYA)2003MLBALWest ^1st9666.593—Lost ALDS (Red Sox) 3–22004MLBALWest2nd9171.5621Bobby Crosby (ROY)2005MLBALWest2nd8874.5437Huston Street (ROY)2006MLBALWest ^1st9369.574—Won ALDS (Twins) 3–0Lost ALCS (Tigers) 4–02007MLBALWest3rd7686.469182008MLBALWest3rd7586.46624½2009MLBALWest4th7587.46322Andrew Bailey (ROY)2010MLBALWest2nd8181.50092011MLBALWest3rd7488.457222012MLBALWest ^1st9468.580—Lost ALDS (Tigers) 3–2Bob Melvin (MOY)2013MLBALWest ^1st9666.593—Lost ALDS (Tigers) 3–22014MLBALWest2nd ¤8874.54310Lost ALWC (Royals)2015MLBALWest5th6894.420202016MLBALWest5th6993.426262017MLBALWest5th7587.463262018MLBALWest2nd ¤9765.5996Lost ALWC (Yankees)Bob Melvin (MOY)2019MLBALWest2nd ¤9765.59910Lost ALWC (Rays)2020MLBALWest ^1st3624.600—Won ALWC (White Sox) 2–1Lost ALDS (Astros) 3–1Liam Hendriks (RPOY)2021MLBALWest3rd8676.53192022MLBALWest5th60102.370462023MLBALWest5th50112.309402024MLBALWest4th6993.42619½Athletics2025MLBALWest4th7686.46914Nick Kurtz (ROY) Regular season 9260 9766 .488 29 Postseason Appearances Playoff games 85 82 .509 17 Division Titles, 15 League Pennants Playoff series 18 17 .514 9 World Series Championships
Record by decade The following table describes the Athletics' MLB win–loss record by decade.
Decade Wins Losses Pct 1900s 734 568 .564 1910s 710 774 .478 1920s 770 754 .505 1930s 723 795 .476 1940s 638 898 .415 1950s 624 915 .405 1960s 686 922 .427 1970s 838 772 .520 1980s 803 764 .512 1990s 773 781 .497 2000s 890 728 .550 2010s 839 781 .518 2020s 377 493 .433All-time 92959731
These statistics are from Baseball-Reference.com's Oakland Athletics History & Encyclopedia, and are current through 2021.
Postseason record by year
The Athletics have made the postseason twenty-nine times in their history, with the first being in 1905 and the most recent being in 2020. +YearFinishRoundOpponentResult American League Champions World Series New York Giants 1 4 World Series Champions World Series Chicago Cubs 4 1 World Series Champions World Series New York Giants 4 2 World Series Champions World Series New York Giants 4 1 American League Champions World Series Boston Braves 0 4 World Series Champions World Series Chicago Cubs 4 1 World Series Champions World Series St Louis Cardinals 4 2 American League Champions World Series St Louis Cardinals 3 4 American League West Champions ALCS Baltimore Orioles 0 3 World Series Champions ALCS Detroit Tigers 3 2 World Series Cincinnati Reds 4 3 World Series Champions ALCS Baltimore Orioles 3 2 World Series New York Mets 4 3 World Series Champions ALCS Baltimore Orioles 3 1 World Series Los Angeles Dodgers 4 1 American League West Champions ALCS Boston Red Sox 0 3 American League West Champions ALDS Kansas City Royals 3 0 ALCS New York Yankees 0 3 American League Champions ALCS Boston Red Sox 4 0 World Series Los Angeles Dodgers 1 4 World Series Champions ALCS Toronto Blue Jays 4 1 World Series San Francisco Giants 4 0 American League Champions ALCS Boston Red Sox 4 0 World Series Cincinnati Reds 0 4 American League West Champions ALCS Toronto Blue Jays 2 4 American League West Champions ALDS New York Yankees 2 3 American League Wild Card ALDS New York Yankees 2 3 American League West Champions ALDS Minnesota Twins 2 3 American League West Champions ALDS Boston Red Sox 2 3 American League West Champions ALDS Minnesota Twins 3 0 ALCS Detroit Tigers 0 4 American League West Champions ALDS Detroit Tigers 2 3 American League West Champions ALDS Detroit Tigers 2 3 American League Wild Card ALWC Kansas City Royals 0 1 American League Wild Card ALWC New York Yankees 0 1 American League Wild Card ALWC Tampa Bay Rays 0 1 American League West Champions ALWC Chicago White Sox 2 1 ALDS Houston Astros 1 329 Totals 18-20 85 82
All-time records
Total GamesWinsLossesWin %Philadelphia Athletics regular season record (1901–1954)8,1343,8864,248.478Kansas City Athletics regular season record (1955–1967)2,0538291,224.404Oakland Athletics (1968–present)8,6774,4954,182.518All-time regular season record18,8649,1509,654.488All-time post-season record1678582.509All-time regular and post-season record19,0319,2359,736.485 These statistics are from Baseball-Reference.com's Oakland Athletics History & Encyclopedia, and are current as of October 5, 2022.
References
External links Athletics Year-By-Year Results at MLB.com Athletics Postseason Results at MLB.com