But it took them a little while to get to that first one. Covering the impact of coronavirus on the sports world. Roundtable: Yankees team to beat in AL East? Senators/Rangers: 49 seasons (1961-2009)First WS appearance: 2010 (lost to Giants)First WS title: TBDIt took the Rangers a long time to finally make it to the World Series -- only to lose back-to-back Fall Classics once they got there. The Astros got swept in that World Series by the White Sox, but they finally got to celebrate a championship in 2017 after an instant-classic seven-game victory over the Dodgers. Senators/Twins: 21 seasons (1903-23)First WS appearance/title: 1924 (beat Giants)This drought didn't really affect the Minnesota portion of franchise history -- the Twins made the World Series in their fifth year there (1965, although they didn't win one in Minnesota until 1987). 12. Who's in best position to sign veteran relievers? Royals trade for Benintendi with Mets, Red Sox, MLB updates harassment policies in code of conduct, MLB sets 2021 protocols: 7-inning doubleheaders, more, Cardinals agree to re-sign veteran Yadier Molina. Padres: 15 seasons (1969-83)First WS appearance: 1984 (lost to Tigers)First WS title: TBDThe Padres haven't won a World Series yet, but they've won a pair of National League pennants. Washington has plenty of postseason demons -- the four gut-wrenching first-round exits in six years from 2012-17 -- and this was the team's best chance ever to bury them. Lots of people waited a very long time to see the Cubs win a … (For example, the Braves following their move to Atlanta. Few teams have fared more poorly in the 21st century than the Royals. The M's last made the playoffs in 2001, meaning they take an 18-year postseason drought into the 2020 season, in addition to their ongoing 43-year World Series appearance drought. The Los Angeles Dodgers exorcized some championship demons by winning the World Series on Tuesday night. The Rangers still haven't won a World Series. 2. 9. The Cardinals are the longest-running blank spot for five different franchises, and the Nationals for four, although one of those droughts stretches all the way back to the franchise's past as the Expos. Share 1 of 12. (For example, the Expos/Nats and Senators/Rangers combined). 6-keys: media/spln/mlb/reg/free/stories, at Reds: 16 seasons (1903-18)First WS appearance/title: 1919 (beat White Sox)The Reds' first World Series appearance, and title, is one of the most infamous in baseball history -- because of the other team. Longest droughts before first WS appearance. The 1985 season marked not only the Royals’ only championship but their last … The first one came in 1984 -- Tony Gwynn's breakout season. The Nationals went through the 107-win Astros, too, and won the World Series. Their second, the next year, was a heartbreaker. Cleveland Indians: 67 Years. No franchise had gone longer before appearing in its first World Series. Their first appearance was a loss to the even-year-magic Giants in 2010. David Adler is a reporter for MLB.com based in New York. Milwaukee Brewers – 47 years. Mariners: 43 seasons (1977-present)First WS appearance: TBDThe Mariners are the only current MLB franchise to never make a World Series. The Milwaukee Braves won the World Series five years after moving to Wisconsin. 13. The Indians' World Series drought lives on. Can you name the Longest Championship Droughts Test your knowledge on this sports quiz to see how you do and compare your score to others. They never got close in their 11 seasons as the Washington Senators, and they lost three times in the ALDS after they moved to Texas before making the World Series in 2010 and '11. The Nationals have done what no team in franchise history had done before: After 50 years -- 36 in Montreal as the Expos and 14 more in Washington -- the Nationals reached the World Series. Of course, the Expos moved to Washington prior to the 2005 season, so if you only count their history in D.C., it’s a 14-year drought. 8. But the franchise got its start in Washington, and it took the Senators a while to get to the World Series. The Yankees' ascent signaled a changing of the guard, as the Ruthian Bronx Bombers finally outslugged the dead-ball style Giants in their second World Series meeting and dragged baseball into the new live-ball era. It is not widely known that of the current MLB teams - and their regions, the region with the longest drought for a World Series title is Washington DC - mainly because there was no team playing in Washington throughout the 1970s, 80s, 90s and early 2000s. Prior to that it had been 15 years, from '62-77. The longest droughts for franchises overall, even if they moved cities. With a 7-4 win against the Cardinals in Game 4 of the National League Championship Series, the Nats ended that unfortunate streak. The Rangers were a strike away from a championship in the ninth and 10th innings of Game 6, only for the Cardinals to rally and win in seven games. 2016: Cubs2015: Royals2014: Giants2013: Red Sox2011: Cardinals2009: Yankees2008: Phillies2005: White Sox2003: Marlins2002: Angels2001: Diamondbacks1998: Rays (entered league as expansion team)1995: Braves1993: Blue Jays, Rockies (entered league as expansion team)1991: Twins1990: Reds1989: Athletics1988: Dodgers1986: Mets1984: Tigers1983: Orioles1979: Pirates1977: Mariners (entered league as an expansion team)1969: Brewers, Padres, Nationals (all entered league as expansion teams)1962: Astros (entered league as expansion team)1961: Rangers (entered league as expansion team)1948: Indians. That drought lasted from 1979-95, before Joe Torre’s Yanks finished the Yankee Century in baseball in style. Gwynn hit .316 in the postseason, too. This, then, is … The Cubs had not only the longest championship drought in baseball, but in all of professional sports. Longest MLB Postseason Series Win Droughts The longest all time World Series … Browns/Orioles: 41 seasons (1903-43)First WS appearance: 1944 (as Browns, lost to Cardinals)First WS title: 1966 (as Orioles, beat Dodgers)The Orioles franchise, an American League original, didn't play in a World Series for over 40 years. In doing so, the Cavaliers delivered Cleveland's first professional title in more than 50 years, and also broke the franchise's 46-season drought. Here's the rest of the list behind them -- the franchises with the longest droughts before reaching the World Series for the first time. 14 (tie). Stats corner: Longest current World Series droughts by players and teams The Astros’ Zach Greinke has made more starts (447) without reaching a … Major-league baseball has had three teams end long championship droughts in the last 15 years — the Boston Red Sox (85 years), the Chicago White Sox (87 years) and the Chicago Cubs … Some lasted longer than a lifetime. To cap that off, they won it all. The win ended their 29-year postseason drought, which was the longest active playoff drought in professional sports. St. Louis Blues (48 years) It's bad enough to lose in the finals in each of your first three years in … But when the team went to Atlanta? They haven't played in a World Series since the 1979 "We Are Family" team. The M's last made the playoffs in 2001, meaning they take an 18-year postseason drought into the 2020 season, in addition to their ongoing 43-year World Series appearance drought. The Hall of Famer, 24 at the time, hit .351 to win his first batting title and led the Majors with 213 hits. All Rights Reserved. The longest the Yankees have gone without winning a World Series -- since they really became the Yankees just over 100 years ago when Babe Ruth showed up in the Bronx -- was 17 seasons. Cleveland trades Francisco Lindor, biggest star from another core that couldn't quite end team's title drought Jose Ramirez remains from the 2016-17 Cleveland championship … The longest current playoff drought in Major League Baseball belongs to the Montreal Expos/Washington Nationals, who last made the playoffs in 1981. … 11:24 am ET. Three of the NFL's longest playoff droughts came to an end over the weekend. They made the appearance count, beating the Giants in seven games to get the legendary Walter Johnson his only career ring. Last postseason appearance: 2016. Who has the longest all time MLB Postseason drought? Baltimore Orioles: 37 years. The glory days of the ’70s and ’80s must look like a speck in the rearview mirror of KC faithful, who last enjoyed a World Series crown over the rival St. Louis Cardinals in 1985 behind the hitting of George Brett and the pitching of Bret Saberhagen and Dan Quisenberry. In beating the Tampa Bay Rays, the Dodgers broke a 32-year World Series drought.. On Saturday the Bills hosted their first playoff game since 1996 and, by way of a … CLEVELAND -- For the first time in 108 years, the Chicago Cubs are World Series champions. So, with the Cubs finally on top, the longest championship drought in baseball now belongs to the team they beat - the Indians. Blue Jays: 15 seasons (1977-91)First WS appearance/title: 1992 (beat Braves)The Blue Jays' first World Series appearance was worth the wait. The longest all time MLB … The Indians have come extremely close to a few times in the past 68 years. Also, the Pirates have baseball's longest drought between pennants. That second appearance produced the O's first World Series title, as they swept the Dodgers with a team led by Frank Robinson, Brooks Robinson and Jim Palmer. The Orioles have three titles, but … The 2016 World Series was highly anticipated due to the historical ramifications; The two teams entered their matchup as the two franchises with the longest … Rangers (Texas only): 38 seasons (1972-2009)First WS appearance: 2010 (lost to Giants)First WS title: TBDEven ignoring their time as the Senators and starting from their move to Texas, the Rangers went nearly four decades before making the World Series. Major League Baseball is home to a trio of teams with playoff droughts spanning a decade or more. Angels: 41 seasons (1961-2001)First WS appearance/title: 2002 (beat Giants)The Angels have made 10 postseason appearances but only one World Series -- in 2002, when they rallied late in Game 6 and then triumphed over the Giants in Game 7. — Detroit Lions (NFL) The Drought: 61 seasons (1958-Present) I think this guy’s shirt sums up … No team on this list has come closer on more occasions than the Cleveland Indians have in their 66-year drought. After the team's 5-1 … Cardinals: 23 seasons (1903-25)First WS appearance/title: 1926 (beat Yankees)The Cardinals have won a lot of World Series -- 11, the most of any National League team and second only to the Yankees in MLB.