When the 2 Best Teams Make the World Series

I’m very excited about the World Series this year. First, the Dodgers will not be in it! Indeed, we’ve got 2 small-market teams. Two very well-run small market teams, I might add.

We’ve also got the best (i.e., winningest) teams from either league. That’s definitely not a given these days, with all the playoffs they’ve got going on.

Hey, what is this – March Madness?

It didn’t used to be that way. Indeed, as there were no playoffs from 1903 to 1968, the 2 best teams in either league were guaranteed to meet in the WS. Since 1969, though, MLB has been introducing more and more playoff series:

• 1969-93 – 2
• 1994-2011 – 6
• 2012-19 – 8 
• 2020-26 – 10

Which got me thinking …  How many times have the best two teams actually met in the WS since 1969? Of course, the fewer teams involved, the more likely that is to happen. So, I’ll start with the smallest number of playoff series and then continue to the current day.

2 Playoff Series (1969-93)

• 1969 – Orioles vs. Mets
• 1970 – Orioles vs. Reds
• 1971 – Orioles vs. Pirates

• 1976 – Yankees vs. Reds
• 1978 – Yankees vs. Dodgers
• 1979 – Baltimore vs. Pittsburgh
• 1982 – Brewers vs. Cards
• 1986 – Red Sox vs. Mets

• 1992 – Blue Jays vs. Braves

Percentage:  9/25 = 36%

6 Playoff Series (1994-2011)

• 1995 – Indians vs. Braves
• 1999 – Yankees vs. Braves

Percentage:  2/18 = 11%

8 Playoff Series (2012-19)

• 2013 – Red Sox vs. Cards
• 2020 – Rays vs. Dodgers

Percentage:  2/8 = 25%

10 Playoff Series (2020-26)

• 2024 – Yankees vs. Dodgers
• 2026 – Rays vs. Brewers

Percentage:  2/7 = 28%

Conclusion

It definitely seems that the more playoffs you add, the less likely it is for the best 2 teams to meet. 

That said, the lower percentage from 1994 to 2011, when there were 6 playoff series, still needs to be explained. And that may simply be a matter of small sample size. The 8- and 10-game playoff series that followed have both lasted less than 8 years, while the 6-game series lasted twice that, at 18. 

So, let’s let the current format go a little longer before we make any final decisions. If MLB can hold off on adding even more playoff series, that is!