The Buffalo Bisons are a Minor League Baseball team based in Buffalo, New York. Established in 1979, they initially competed in the Double-A Eastern League (EL), staying in this league until 1984. The Bisons moved up to Triple-A in 1985 as members of the American Association (AA) before joining the International League (IL) in 1998. They were placed in the Triple-A East (AAAE) in 2021, but this became the International League in 2022.

Since their establishment in 1979, the Bisons have played 6,704 regular season games compiling a win–loss record of (). Their best season came in 2001, when they finished 91–51 (.641), while their lowest mark was 55–89 (.382) in the 1994 season.

The franchise has won three league titles, winning the final American Association championship in 1997, in addition to winning the International League championship in 1998 and 2004. The Bisons have also claimed ten division titles, including three consecutive division championships from 1996 to 1998, and one wild card berth in 2002.

Seasons Table key LeagueThe team's final position in the league standingsDivisionThe 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 postseasonClass champions (1988–present)League champions (1979–present)* Division champions (1979–2022)^Postseason berth (1979–present)

Season-by-season records SeasonLeagueRegular seasonPostseasonMLB affiliateRecordWin %LeagueDivisionRecordWin %Result 1979 EL 72–67 .518 4th 4th 11 — Pittsburgh Pirates 1980^ EL 67–70 .489 5th 2nd 10 0–2 .000Won First Half North Division title Lost in Semi-Finals vs. Holyoke Millers, 2–0 Pittsburgh Pirates 1981 EL 56–81 .409 7th 4th 28 — Pittsburgh Pirates 1982 EL 55–84 .396 8th 4th 27 — Pittsburgh Pirates 1983^ EL 74–65 .532 3rd 3rd 0–2 .000Lost in Semi-Finals vs. Lynn Sailors, 2–0 Cleveland Indians 1984 EL 72–67 .518 5th 5th — Cleveland Indians 1985 AA 66–76 .465 7th 3rd 8 — Chicago White Sox 1986 AA 71–71 .500 5th 2nd 9 — Chicago White Sox 1987 AA 66–74 .471 5th 5th 13 — Cleveland Indians 1988 AA 72–70 .507 6th 3rd 17 — Pittsburgh Pirates 1989 AA 80–62 .563 2nd 2nd 5 — Pittsburgh Pirates 1990 AA 85–62 .578 3rd 2nd 1 — — — Pittsburgh Pirates 1991* AA 81–62 .566 1st 1st — 2–3 .400Won East Division title Lost AA Championship vs. Denver Zephyrs, 3–2 Pittsburgh Pirates 1992* AA 87–57 .604 1st 1st — 0–4 .000Won East Division title Lost AA Championship vs. Oklahoma City 89ers, 4–0 Pittsburgh Pirates 1993 AA 71–73 .493 4th 2nd — Pittsburgh Pirates 1994 AA 55–89 .382 8th 8th — Pittsburgh Pirates 1995^ AA 82–62 .569 2nd 2nd 6 6–3 .667Won semifinals vs. Omaha Royals, 3–1 Lost AA Championship vs. Louisville Redbirds, 3–2 Cleveland Indians 1996* AA 84–60 .583 1st 1st — 2–3 .400Won East Division titleLost semifinals vs. Indianapolis Indians, 3–2Cleveland Indians1997^ * AA87–57.604 1st 1st — 6–2 .750Won East Division titleWon semifinals vs. Indianapolis Indians, 3–2Won AA Championship vs. Iowa Cubs, 3–0 Cleveland Indians1998^ * IL81–62.566 1st 1st — 7–5 .583Won North Division titleWon semifinals vs. Syracuse SkyChiefs, 3–0Won Governors' Cup vs. Durham Bulls, 3–2 Lost Triple-A World Series vs. New Orleans Zephyrs, 3–1 Cleveland Indians1999IL72–72.500 9th 4th 6 —Cleveland Indians2000*IL 86–59.593 1st 1st — 2–3 .400Won North Division titleWon one-game playoff vs. Scranton/Wilkes-Barre Red Barons, 7–1Lost semifinals vs. Scranton/Wilkes-Barre Red Barons, 3–1Cleveland Indians2001*IL91–51.641 1st 1st — 2–3 .400Won North Division titleLost semifinals vs. Scranton/Wilkes-Barre Red Barons, 3–2Cleveland Indians 2002^IL87–57.604 2nd 2nd 4 3–3 .500Won semifinals vs. Scranton/Wilkes-Barre Red Barons, 3–0Lost Governors' Cup vs. Durham Bulls, 3–0Cleveland Indians2003IL 73–70.510 7th (tie) T-3rd — Cleveland Indians2004^ * IL83–61.576 1st 1st — 6–3 .667Won North Division titleWon semifinals vs. Durham Bulls, 3–2Won Governors' Cup vs. Richmond Braves, 3–1 Cleveland Indians2005*IL82–62.569 2nd 1st — 2–3 .400Won North Division titleLost semifinals vs. Indianapolis Indians, 3–2 Cleveland Indians2006IL 73–68.5187th3rd — Cleveland Indians2007IL 75–67.5286th3rd — Cleveland Indians2008IL 66–77.46210th5th — Cleveland Indians2009IL 56–87.39214th7th26 —New York Mets2010IL 76–68.5286th3rd —New York Mets2011IL 61–82.42712th5th —New York Mets2012IL 67–76.4699th6th —New York Mets2013IL 74–70.5146th3rd —Toronto Blue Jays2014IL 77–66.5385th3rd4 —Toronto Blue Jays2015IL 68–76.472T-6th3rd13 —Toronto Blue Jays2016IL 66–78.4589th5th —Toronto Blue Jays2017IL 65–76.46111th5th21 —Toronto Blue Jays2018IL 61–77.44214th6th22 —Toronto Blue Jays2019IL 71–69.5077th3rd —Toronto Blue Jays2020ILSeason cancelled (COVID-19 pandemic)Toronto Blue Jays2021AAAE79–47.6272nd1st — —Toronto Blue Jays2022IL 76–72.5147th (tie)4th (tie)9 —Toronto Blue Jays2023IL 76–72.5148th5th —Toronto Blue Jays2024IL 68–80.45918th10th —Toronto Blue Jays2025IL 61–85.41819th9th26 —Toronto Blue Jays2026IL68–79.46314th7th —Toronto Blue JaysTotals — 3,431–3,273 — — — 37–40 — — —

Note: The statistics are current as of the 2026 International League season.

Split-season records The Eastern League, in which the Bisons competed from 1979 to 1984, used a split-season format until 1982 wherein the division winners from each half qualified for the postseason championship playoffs. The International League, in which the Bisons have been competing in since 1998, have used a split-season format since 2023 in which the teams with the best league-wide records at the end of each half qualified for the playoffs.

+Split-season recordsSeasonLeagueHalfRegular-seasonPostseasonMLB affiliateRecordWin %LeagueDivisionRecordWin %Result1979 EL 1st 36–33 .522 4th — Pittsburgh Pirates 2nd 36–34 .514 4th — 1980^ EL 1st 39–29 .574 4th 1st — 0–2 .000Won First Half North Division title Lost in Semi-Finals vs. Holyoke Millers, 2–0 Pittsburgh Pirates 2nd 28–41 .406 6th 3rd 1981 EL 1st 23–46 .333 8th 4th Pittsburgh Pirates 2nd 33–35 .485 4th 2nd 1982 EL 1st 25–43 .368 8th 4th Pittsburgh Pirates 2nd 30–41 .423 6th 4th 182023 IL 1st 34–41 .453 14th 8th Toronto Blue Jays 2nd 42–31 .575 4th 3rd 5 2024 IL 1st 37–37 .500 9th 4th Toronto Blue Jays 2nd 31–43 .419 19th 10th 17 2025 IL 1st 30–43 .411 17th (tie) 8th (tie) 16 Toronto Blue Jays 2nd 31–42 .425 16th 9th 17 2026 IL 1st 35–40 .467 13th (tie) 7th (tie) 12 Toronto Blue Jays 2nd 33–39 .458 14th 7th

Franchise totals

+ Franchise totals by classificationClassificationRegular seasonPostseasonCompositeRecordWin %RecordWin %RecordWin % Double-A (1979–1984)396–434 .477 2 0–4 .000 396–438 .475 Triple-A (1985–2026) 3,035–2,839 11 37–36 3,072–2,875 All-time 3,431–3,273 13 37–40 3,468–3,313

+ Franchise totals by leagueLeagueRegular seasonPostseasonCompositeRecordWin %RecordWin %RecordWin % Eastern League (1979–1984)396–434 .477 2 0–4 .000 396–438 .475 American Association (1985–1997)987–875 .530 5 16–17 .470 1,001–892 .529 Triple-A East / International League (1998–present)2,039–1,966 6 21–19 2,060–1,985 .509 All-time 3,431–3,273 13 37–40 3,468–3,313

+ Franchise totals by affiliationAffiliationRegular seasonPostseasonCompositeRecordWin %RecordWin %RecordWin % Pittsburgh Pirates (1979–1982)250–302 .453 1 0–2 .000 250–304 .451 Cleveland Indians (1983–1984)146–132 .525 1 0–2 .000 146–134 .521 Chicago White Sox (1985–1986)137–147 .482 — — — 137–147 .482 Cleveland Indians (1987)66–74 .471 — — — 66–74 .471Pittsburgh Pirates (1988–1994)531–475 .527 2 2–7 .222 533–482 .525Cleveland Indians (1995–2008)1,123–882 .560 9 35–29 .547 1,158–911 .560New York Mets (2009–2012)260–313 .454 — — — 260–313 .454 Toronto Blue Jays (2013–present)910–945 — — — 910–945 All-time 3,431–3,273 13 37–40 3,468–3,313

Notes

References

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