Throughout the history of Major League Baseball (MLB), franchises have had various postseason and World Series droughts.
All 16 of the original major league franchises (i.e., those in place when the first World Series was played in 1903) have won the World Series, with the longest wait for a franchise's first championship being for the Phillies ( seasons, ending in 1980). Since expansion began in 1961, five of the 14 expansion teams have never won the World Series. Furthermore, one franchise, the Cleveland Guardians, currently has a championship drought that predates the expansion era. The three longest championship droughts in history were ended recently by the Red Sox ( seasons, ending in 2004), the White Sox ( seasons, ending in 2005), and the Cubs ( seasons, ending in 2016).
Only one expansion franchise (the Seattle Mariners) has never won a pennant (i.e., the league championship, the two winners of which meet in the World Series). The three longest pennant droughts in history were recently ended by the Rangers ( years, starting with the team's foundation and ending in 2010), the Cubs ( years, ending in 2016), and the Nationals ( years, starting with the team's foundation and ending in 2019, and including the franchise's entire years as the Montreal Expos). As the Nationals are the third franchise to be based in the city of Washington, their 2019 pennant also ended a drought of seasons played in Washington since their last pennant, which was in 1933 (discounting the 33 seasons during which there was no team in Washington).
As of the 2025 season, every active MLB franchise has qualified for the playoffs, especially since expansion of the playoffs in 1994 made that feat easier. The Angels have the longest active postseason drought at 11 years, while the Cincinnati Reds have the longest active postseason series-win drought at 30 years. Long postseason droughts were ended recently by the Nationals ( years, ending in 2012), the Pirates ( years, ending in 2013), the Royals ( years, ending in 2014), the Blue Jays ( years, ending in 2015), and the Mariners ( years, ending in 2022).
This list includes only the modern World Series between the American League (AL) and the National League (NL), not the various 19th-century championship series. Those teams which have never achieved a particular accomplishment in their franchise history are listed by the date they entered the leagues.
Postseason droughts
Longest current postseason droughts Seasons Team Last appearance Los Angeles Angels 2014 ALDS Pittsburgh Pirates 2015 NL Wild Card Colorado Rockies 2018 NLDS Washington Nationals 2019 World Series Oakland Athletics/Athletics 2020 ALDS San Francisco Giants 2021 NLDS St. Louis Cardinals 2022 NL Wild Card Miami Marlins 2023 NL Wild Card Minnesota Twins 2023 ALDS Texas Rangers 2023 World Series Arizona Diamondbacks 2023 World Series Baltimore Orioles 2024 AL Wild Card Kansas City Royals 2024 ALDS New York Mets 2024 NLCS Cincinnati Reds 2025 NL Wild Card Detroit Tigers 2025 ALDS Seattle Mariners 2025 ALCS Toronto Blue Jays 2025 World Series Boston Red Sox 2026 AL Wild Card Houston Astros 2026 AL Wild Card Chicago Cubs 2026 NL Wild Card Philadelphia Phillies 2026 NL Wild Card Chicago White Sox 2026 ALDS Cleveland Guardians 2026 ALDS New York Yankees 2026 ALDS Tampa Bay Rays 2026 ALDS Atlanta Braves 2026 NLDS Los Angeles Dodgers 2026 NLDS Milwaukee Brewers 2026 NLDS San Diego Padres 2026 NLDS
Longest postseason droughts in the expanded-postseason era After the postseason was expanded in 1995 to include eight teams (further expanded in 2012 to ten teams and again expanded in 2022 to 12 teams, including a 16-team postseason in 2020), 18 of the 30 teams qualified within the first five years, and few teams went for long droughts without at least participating in the first round of the postseason. This list only shows droughts of 15 or more seasons that occurred primarily in the expanded-postseason era. Active droughts are listed in bold type.
Seasons Team Previous appearance Next appearance Montreal Expos/Washington Nationals 1981 2012 Kansas City Royals 1985 2014 Milwaukee Brewers 1982 2008 Toronto Blue Jays 1993 2015 Pittsburgh Pirates 1992 2013 Seattle Mariners 2001 2022 Detroit Tigers 1987 2006 Florida/Miami Marlins 2003 2020 California/Anaheim Angels 1986 2002
Longest active postseason series win droughts Seasons Team Last series won Cincinnati Reds 1995 NLDS Los Angeles Angels 2009 ALDS Pittsburgh Pirates 2013 NL Wild Card Baltimore Orioles 2014 ALDS San Francisco Giants 2016 NL Wild Card Colorado Rockies 2018 NL Wild Card St. Louis Cardinals 2019 NLDS Washington Nationals 2019 World Series Oakland Athletics/Athletics 2020 AL Wild Card Miami Marlins 2020 NL Wild Card Tampa Bay Rays 2020 ALCS Boston Red Sox 2021 ALDS Minnesota Twins 2023 AL Wild Card Houston Astros 2023 ALDS Philadelphia Phillies 2023 NLDS Arizona Diamondbacks 2023 NLCS Texas Rangers 2023 World Series Kansas City Royals 2024 AL Wild Card Cleveland Guardians 2024 ALDS New York Mets 2024 NLDS Detroit Tigers 2025 AL Wild Card Chicago Cubs 2025 NL Wild Card Milwaukee Brewers 2025 NLDS Seattle Mariners 2025 ALDS Toronto Blue Jays 2025 ALCS Los Angeles Dodgers 2025 World Series Atlanta Braves 2026 NL Wild Card Chicago White Sox 2026 AL Wild Card New York Yankees 2026 AL Wild Card San Diego Padres 2026 NL Wild Card
Longest postseason game win droughts Games Seasons Team Previous game won Next game won 18 Minnesota Twins 2004 ALDS Game 1 2023 AL Wild Card Series Game 1 13 Boston Red Sox 1986 World Series Game 6 1998 ALDS Game 1 11 Philadelphia Phillies 1915 World Series Game 1 1977 NLCS Game 1 10 Baltimore Orioles 2014 ALDS Game 3 Active 10 Milwaukee/Atlanta Braves 1958 World Series Game 4 1991 NLCS Game 2 10 Kansas City Royals 1980 World Series Game 4 1985 ALCS Game 3
Longest current postseason game win droughts Games Seasons Team Last game won 9 Baltimore Orioles 2014 ALDS Game 3 8 Cincinnati Reds 2012 NLDS Game 2 7 Tampa Bay Rays 2021 ALDS Game 1 6 Houston Astros 2023 ALCS Game 5 5 Miami Marlins 2020 NL Wild Card Series Game 2 5 St. Louis Cardinals 2020 NL Wild Card Series Game 1
League division champion droughts Longest current division champion droughts No league division championships were won in 1994 due to the players' strike that year.
Seasons Team Division Last division champion Colorado Rockies NL West Never (franchise began in ) Miami Marlins* NL East Never (franchise began in ) Pittsburgh Pirates NL Central (never since moving from NL East in ) San Diego Padres NL West Arizona Diamondbacks NL West Cincinnati Reds NL Central Detroit Tigers AL Central Los Angeles Angels AL West Kansas City Royals AL Central New York Mets NL East Texas Rangers AL West Washington Nationals NL East Boston Red Sox AL East Chicago Cubs NL Central Oakland Athletics/Athletics AL West San Francisco Giants NL West Chicago White Sox AL Central St. Louis Cardinals NL Central Baltimore Orioles AL East Minnesota Twins AL Central New York Yankees AL East Philadelphia Phillies NL East Toronto Blue Jays AL East Seattle Mariners AL West Tampa Bay Rays AL East Cleveland Guardians AL Central Houston Astros AL West Atlanta Braves NL East Milwaukee Brewers NL Central Los Angeles Dodgers NL West * Because of the wild card postseason berth, the franchise has won two World Series championships ( and ) without winning their division.
Longest division championship droughts through history List begins with 1969, the time divisional play started in Major League Baseball. This list only shows droughts of 10 or more seasons. Active droughts are listed in bold type. Seasons Team Previous Division Title Drought Streak Next Division Title Colorado Rockies — 1993–2026 — Florida/Miami Marlins — 1993–2026 — Pittsburgh Pirates 1992 1993–2026 — Montreal Expos/Washington Nationals 1981 1982–2011 2012 Kansas City Royals 1985 1986–2014 2015 Milwaukee Brewers 1982 1983–2010 2011 Washington Senators/Texas Rangers—1969–1995 1996 Cleveland Indians —1969–1994 1995 Detroit Tigers 1987 1988–2010 2011 Seattle Mariners 2001 2002–2024 2025 Toronto Blue Jays 1993 1993–2014 2015 San Diego Padres 2006 2007–2026 — Seattle Mariners —1977–1994 1995 California/Anaheim Angels 1986 1987–2003 2004 New York Mets 1988 1989–2005 2006 Minnesota Twins 1970 1971–1986 1987 Baltimore Orioles 19971998–20132014 Chicago Cubs —1969–19831984 San Diego Padres —1969–19831984 San Francisco Giants 19711972–19861987 Houston Astros 20012002–20162017 Arizona Diamondbacks 2011 2012–2026 — Chicago White Sox —1969–19821983 New York Yankees 19811982–19951996 Cincinnati Reds 19951996–20092010 Cincinnati Reds 20122013–2026— St. Louis Cardinals —1969–19811982 Baltimore Orioles 19831984–19961997 Chicago Cubs 19891990–20022003 Philadelphia Phillies 19931994–20062007 Montreal Expos —1969–19801981 Seattle Pilots/Milwaukee Brewers —1969–19801981 New York Mets 19731974–19851986 Chicago White Sox 20082009–20202021 Atlanta Braves 19691970–19811982 Philadelphia Phillies 20112012–20232024 Detroit Tigers 20142015–2026— Los Angeles Angels 20142015–2026— Houston Astros —1969–19791980 Detroit Tigers 19721973–19831984 San Diego Padres 19841985–19951996 Boston Red Sox 19951996–20062007 Kansas City Royals 20152016–2026— New York Mets 20152016–2026— California Angels —1969–19781979 Boston Red Sox 19751976–19851986 Cincinnati Reds 19791980–19891990 Pittsburgh Pirates 19791980–19891990 Houston Astros 19861987–19961997 Minnesota Twins 19911992–20012002 Tampa Bay Devil Rays/Rays —1998–20072008 Texas Rangers 19992000–20092010 Texas Rangers 20162017–2026–
League division series appearance droughts Longest current league division series appearance droughts Seasons Team Last appearance Cincinnati Reds Pittsburgh Pirates Los Angeles Angels Colorado Rockies St. Louis Cardinals Washington Nationals Oakland Athletics/Athletics Miami Marlins San Francisco Giants Boston Red Sox Houston Astros Arizona Diamondbacks Baltimore Orioles Texas Rangers Minnesota Twins New York Mets Kansas City Royals Toronto Blue Jays Chicago Cubs Seattle Mariners Philadelphia Phillies Detroit Tigers Atlanta Braves Milwaukee Brewers Los Angeles Dodgers Cleveland Guardians San Diego Padres Tampa Bay Rays Chicago White Sox New York Yankees
League championship appearance droughts Longest current league championship appearance droughts No league championships were played in 1994 due to the players' strike that year. Seasons Team Last appearance Pittsburgh Pirates Cincinnati Reds Minnesota Twins Miami Marlins Chicago White Sox Oakland Athletics/Athletics Colorado Rockies Los Angeles Angels Detroit Tigers San Francisco Giants Baltimore Orioles Kansas City Royals Chicago Cubs St. Louis Cardinals Washington Nationals Tampa Bay Rays Atlanta Braves Boston Red Sox San Diego Padres Houston Astros Texas Rangers Arizona Diamondbacks Philadelphia Phillies Cleveland Guardians New York Yankees New York Mets Los Angeles Dodgers Milwaukee Brewers Seattle Mariners Toronto Blue Jays
World Series appearance droughts Longest current World Series appearance droughts No World Series was played in 1994 due to the players' strike that year. Seasons Team Last World Series appearance Seattle Mariners Never (franchise started in 1977) Pittsburgh Pirates Milwaukee Brewers (never since joining NL in 1998) Baltimore Orioles Cincinnati Reds Athletics Minnesota Twins San Diego Padres Los Angeles Angels Miami Marlins Chicago White Sox Colorado Rockies Detroit Tigers St. Louis Cardinals San Francisco Giants Kansas City Royals New York Mets Chicago Cubs Cleveland Guardians Boston Red Sox Washington Nationals Tampa Bay Rays Atlanta Braves Houston Astros Philadelphia Phillies Arizona Diamondbacks Texas Rangers New York Yankees Los Angeles Dodgers Toronto Blue Jays
Longest major league pennant droughts through history