Yankee Stadium … 100-win seasons live here.
Photo by Steven Pisano 
Yesterday, (September 30, 2018), the Yankees picked up their 100th win of the season becoming the third American League team to reach 100 victories this year (Red Sox – 107 wins/Astros 102, with one game to go). It was both the Yankees’ 20th 100-win season (extending their own recrord)and the first time we have seen three 100-win teams in one league.
We have seen three 100-win teams in a single season in the past (just n in the same league).
- 1942: Cardinals (106-48); Dodgers (104-50 wins); Yankees (103-51)
- 1977: Royals (102-60); Yankees (100-62); Phillies (101-61)
- 1998: Braves (106-56). Astros-NL (102-60); Yankees (114-48)
- 2002: Yankees (103-58); A’s (103-59); Braves (101-59)
- 2003: Braves (101-61); Giants (101-61); Yankees (101-61)
- 2107: Indians (102-60); Astros-AL (101-61); Dodgers (104-58).
So, looking at the seven seasons (including 2018) in which there have been three 100-win teams, the Yankees have been involved six times; Braves three times; and Astros three times.
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100-WINS- NO REWARD
What really struck BBRT were those eight instances when an MLB team notched 100 wins – and still didn’t get a whiff of the post-season. As yon might expect, they all occurred before the 1994 establishment of the Wild Card system. Let’s look at those:
- 1909 Chicago Cubs – 104-49 … finished second, 6 ½ games behind the Pirates
- 1942 Brooklyn Dodgers – 104-50 … finished second, two games behind the Cardinals
- 1954 Yankees – 103-51 … finished second, eight games back of the Indians
- 1961 Tigers – 101-61… finished second, eight games behind the Yankees
- 1962 Dodgers – 102-63 … finished second, one game back of the Giants
- 1980 Orioles – 100-62 …finished second, three games behind the Yankees
- 1993 giants – 103-58 … finished second, one game behind the Braves
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In MLB history, 105 teams have put together seasons of at least 100 wins.
- No franchise has had more 100- win seasons than the Yankees with 20 (including 2018) … the only other franchise with at least ten 100-win campaigns is the Athletics (10).
- The National League leader is the Cardinals at nine.
- The Astros are the only franchise to deliver a 100-win season in both the American and National Leagues.
- Teams which have never had a 100-win season are the Rays; Blue Jays; Rangers; Brewers; Nationals; Marlins; Rockies; and Padres.
Three Straight 100-win Seasons
There have been just five runs of three-straight 100-win seasons in MLB history.
Philadelphia Athletics
- 1929 (104-46)
- 1930 (102-52)
- 1931 (102-52)
Saint Louis Cardinals
- 1942 (106-48)
- 1943 (105-49)
- 1944 (105-49)
Baltimore Orioles
- 1969 (109-53)
- 1970 (108-54)
- 1971 (101-57)
Atlanta Braves
- 1997 (101-61)
- 1998 (106-56_
- 1999 (103-59)
New York Yankees
- 2002 (103-58)
- 2003 (101-61)
- 2004 (101-61)
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