A couple of days ago, I listened to a podcast show. In the show, the host and an analyst both mentioned the Toronto Blue Jays, which won the AL pennant last year. During the offseason, they did several moves to enhance the team. The goal is simple, to win the World Series title.
Nonetheless, so far this season, they now have a winning percentage below .500. It doesn’t look good because it seems that they might not even clinch a spot in the postseason. After listening to the podcast show, I was just thinking about one thing. We might remember which teams won the World Series title. Nevertheless, how about the runners-up? Did they play well in the next season after losing the World Series?
Well, let’s start from 2016. The Cleveland Indians (Guardians) lost Game 7 of the 2016 World Series.
In 2017, they won 102 games and again played in the playoffs. But they lost to the Yankees in the 2017 ALDS. In the 2017 World Series, we all know the story. Well, the Dodgers lost the game 7. In 2018, the Dodgers played in the World Series again. Nonetheless, unfortunately, the Red Sox defeated the Dodgers in the Fall Classic. In 2019, the Dodgers won 106 games, but they lost to the Nationals in the NLDS. The Nationals later defeated the Astros in the 2019 World Series.
In the 2020 season, the Astros clinched a spot in the postseason and tried to win the AL pennant again. However, in the ALCS, the Astros lost to the Rays. The Rays won the 2020 AL pennant, but they lost to the Dodgers in the World Series. The Rays won 100 games in 2021. Nonetheless, they lost to the Red Sox in the ALDS.
In the 2021 World Series, the Braves beat the Astros and won the title. The next season, the Astros won 106 games and came back to the postseason. They did play well and won the 2022 WS title. In the Fall Classic, they beat the Phillies. In 2023, the Phillies would like to make it back to the WS again. Nonetheless, this time, they lost to the D-backs in the NLCS. The D-backs won the 2023 NL pennant, but they lost to the Rangers in the Fall Classic.
The D-backs didn’t clinch a spot in the postseason in 2024. In the 2024 World Series, the Dodgers met the Yankees. The Dodgers won the title. Last year, the Blue Jays beat the Yankees in the ALDS and defeated the Mariners in the ALCS. In the Fall Classic, they lost to the Dodgers in game 7.
As we can see, over the last 10 seasons, among the runners-up in the World Series, only the Dodgers and the Astros were able to come back to the Fall Classic again. And only the Astros won the title after losing in the previous World Series. Moreover, looking at the D-backs’ case, they didn’t even make it into the playoffs in 2024. As for the Blue Jays, things are not going well so far this season. And we have to keep watching if they can clinch a spot in the postseason this year.
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