In 1961, the MLB switched from a 154 game format to the current 162 schedule. Since then, there have been fifty-seven seasons that have passed in baseball; of those fifty-seven seasons, there have been forty-three instances where the team that finishes with the best record in the regular season fails to cement themselves as baseball’s best team by winning the World Series. Below is a look at each of those forty-three teams, as well as a look at their top three players for the season.
| Year | Team | Record | Player 1 | Player 2 | Player 3 |
| 2017 | Los Angeles Dodgers | 104-58 | Justin Turner, 5.7 WAR | Corey Seager, 5.6 WAR | Clayton Kershaw, 5.0 WAR |
| 2015 | St. Louis Cardinals | 100-62 | Dexter Fowler, 6.5 WAR | John Lackey, 5.6 WAR | Matt Carpenter, 3.9 WAR |
| 2014 | Los Angeles Angels | 98-64 | Mike Trout, 7.9 WAR | Howie Kendrick, 5.3 WAR | Garrett Richards, 4.3 WAR |
| 2012 | Washington Nationals | 98-64 | Jordan Zimmermann, 5.3 WAR | Bryce Harper, 5.1 WAR | Gio Gonzalez, 4.7 WAR |
| 2011 | Philadelphia Phillies | 102-60 | Cliff Lee, 9.2 WAR | Roy Halladay, 8.7 WAR | Cole Hamels, 6.5 WAR |
| 2010 | Philadelphia Phillies | 97-65 | Roy Halladay, 8.1 WAR | Chase Utley, 5.8 WAR | Cole Hamels, 5.4 WAR |
| 2008 | Los Angeles Angels | 98-64 | Ervin Santana, 5.0 WAR | Joe Saunders, 4.6 WAR | Mark Teixeira, 3.7 WAR |
| 2006 | New York Yankees | 97-65 | Chien-Ming Wang, 6.0 WAR | Derek Jeter, 5.5 WAR | Mike Mussina, 5.0 WAR |
| 2006 | New York Mets | 97-65 | Carlos Beltran, 8.2 WAR | Jose Reyes, 5.8 WAR | David Wright, 4.1 WAR |
| 2005 | St. Louis Cardinals | 100-62 | Albert Pujols, 8.4 WAR | Chris Carpenter, 5.4 WAR | Jim Edmonds, 4.4 WAR |
| 2004 | St. Louis Cardinals | 105-57 | Scott Rolen, 9.2 WAR | Albert Pujols, 8.5 WAR | Jim Edmonds, 7.2 WAR |
| 2003 | New York Yankees | 101-61 | Mike Mussina, 6.6 WAR | Jorge Posada, 5.9 WAR | Alfonso Soriano, 5.4 WAR |
| 2003 | Atlanta Braves | 101-61 | Marcus Giles, 7.8 WAR | Gary Sheffield, 6.8 WAR | Javy Lopez, 6.8 WAR |
| 2002 | New York Yankees | 103-59 | Jason Giambi, 7.1 WAR | Alfonso Soriano, 4.8 WAR | Mike Mussina, 4.6 WAR |
| 2002 | Oakland Athletics | 103-59 | Barry Zito, 7.1 WAR | Tim Hudson, 7.0 WAR | Miguel Tejada, 5.6 WAR |
| 2001 | Seattle Mariners | 116-46 | Bret Boone, 8.8 WAR | Ichiro Suzuki, 7.7 WAR | Mike Cameron, 5.9 WAR |
| 2000 | San Francisco Giants | 97-65 | Barry Bonds, 7.7 WAR | Jeff Kent, 7.2 WAR | Ellis Burks, 5.0 WAR |
| 1999 | Atlanta Braves | 103-59 | Andruw Jones, 7.1 WAR | Chipper Jones, 6.9 WAR | Kevin Millwood, 6.0 WAR |
| 1997 | Atlanta Braves | 101-61 | Greg Maddux, 7.7 WAR | Tom Glavine, 6.5 WAR | John Smoltz, 5.5 WAR |
| 1996 | Cleveland Indians | 99-63 | Jim Thome, 7.5 WAR | Charles Nagy, 6.7WAR | Albert Belle, 5.6 WAR |
| 1995 | Cleveland Indians | 100-44 | Albert Belle, 6.9 WAR | Jim Thome, 5.9 WAR | Dennis Martinez, 5.7 WAR |
| 1993 | Atlanta Braves | 104-58 | Ron Gant, 6.5 WAR | Greg Maddux, 5.8 WAR | Jeff Blauser, 5.7 WAR |
| 1992 | Atlanta Braves | 98-64 | Terry Pendleton, 5.0 WAR | David Justice, 4.9 WAR | Tom Glavine, 4.5 WAR |
| 1991 | Pittsburgh Pirates | 98-64 | Barry Bonds, 7.9 WAR | Bobby Bonilla, 3.9 WAR | Jay Bell, 3.8 WAR |
| 1990 | Oakland Athletics | 103-59 | Rickey Henderson, 9.9 WAR | Mark McGwire, 5.7 WAR | Jose Canseco, 5.4 WAR |
| 1988 | Oakland Athletics | 104-58 | Jose Canseco, 7.2 WAR | Dave Henderson, 6.2 WAR | Dave Stewart, 4.5 WAR |
| 1987 | Detroit Tigers | 98-64 | Alan Trammell, 8.2 WAR | Jack Morris, 5.1 WAR | Darrell Evans, 4.9 WAR |
| 1985 | St. Louis Cardinals | 101-61 | John Tudor, 8.3 WAR | Willie McGee, 8.1 WAR | Ozzie Smith, 6.4 WAR |
| 1983 | Chicago White Sox | 99-53 | Richard Dotson, 5.1 WAR | Carlton Fisk, 4.3 WAR | Floyd Bannister, 4.0 WAR |
| 1982 | Milwaukee Brewers | 95-67 | Robin Yount, 10.5 WAR | Paul Molitor, 6.2 WAR | Cecil Cooper, 5.6 WAR |
| 1981 | Cincinnati Reds | 66-42 | Tom Seaver, 4.4 WAR | Dave Concepcion, 3.7 WAR | George Foster, 3.6 WAR |
| 1980 | New York Yankees | 103-59 | Willie Randolph, 6.5 WAR | Rudy May, 4.9 WAR | Reggie Jackson, 4.7 WAR |
| 1979 | Baltimore Orioles | 102-60 | Ken Singleton, 5.2 WAR | Eddie Murray, 4.9 WAR | Mike Flanagan, 3.9 WAR |
| 1977 | Kansas City Royals | 102-60 | George Brett, 7.6 WAR | Dennis Leonard, 5.6 WAR | Al Cowens, 5.3 WAR |
| 1974 | Los Angeles Dodgers | 102-60 | Jim Wynn, 7.7 WAR | Andy Messersmith, 6.6 WAR | Ron Cey, 4.8 WAR |
| 1973 | Cincinnati Reds | 99-63 | Joe Morgan, 9.2 WAR | Pete Rose, 8.2 WAR | Tony Perez, 5.3 WAR |
| 1972 | Pittsburgh Pirates | 96-66 | Richie Hebner, 5.3 WAR | Roberto Clemente, 4.8 WAR | Steve Blass, 4.3 WAR |
| 1971 | Oakland Athletics | 101-61 | Vida Blue, 8.6 WAR | Reggie Jackson, 6.5 WAR | Sal Bando, 6.4 WAR |
| 1969 | Baltimore Orioles | 109-53 | Frank Robinson, 7.5 WAR | Paul Blair, 7.1 WAR | Boog Powell, 5.9 WAR |
| 1965 | Minnesota Twins | 102-60 | Tony Oliva, 6.4 WAR | Harmon Killebrew, 5.9 WAR | Jim Kaat, 5.0 WAR |
| 1964 | New York Yankees | 99-63 | Whitey Ford, 6.8 WAR | Elston Howard, 5.5 WAR | Mickey Mantle, 4.8 WAR |
| 1963 | New York Yankees | 104-58 | Elston Howard, 5.2 WAR | Whitey Ford, 4.4 WAR | Tom Tresh, 4.1 WAR |
| 1962 | San Francisco Giants | 103-62 | Willie Mays, 10.5 WAR | Felipe Alou, 5.3 WAR | Jim Davenport, 4.8 WAR |
Despite managing to win 27 World Series, the most in baseball history, the Yankees have also led all teams by failing to win the World Series with baseball’s best record six times since the schedule was switched to 162 games. In the National League, the Braves are one behind the Yankees with five such seasons, all of which came during their record run of 14 straight NL East championships. A handful of the teams above, such as the 2017 Dodgers, 2004 Cardinals, 2003 Yankees, 1999 Braves, and 1995 Indians were close to winning the World Series, representing their respecting leagues before ultimately falling short in the Fall Classic. What the list above shows is why postseason is so great, as it truly is the start of a new season where previous success guarantees nothing.
