Top 10 Most Devastating World Series Losses
After two years of not making a list, I have finally come out with another one!
It can be tough to be a sports fan, especially when your team makes it to the entire league's championship and loses. Depending on how they lose, it can be especially painful. These are the top ten most devastating losses in the MLB's Fall Classic (the World Series).
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Boston Red Sox (1986)
This was a true gut punch for Boston, and it was one of MLB's most infamous moments. The Red Sox hadn't won a World Series in 68 years, as they were stuck with "The Curse of the Bambino."
In Game 6, they were down to their final strike in the bottom of the tenth with the bases empty, holding a 5-3 lead and a 96 percent chance of winning the World Series. But then they collapsed by giving up hits and tying the game on a wild pitch.
Then, a routine grounder went to first baseman Bill Buckner, only to have the ball roll through his legs, allowing the New York Mets to walk it off and win. Despite the game already being tied, Buckner took all the blame from Boston, and they would go on to lose Game 7. They wouldn't win the World Series for another 18 years, coming back from a 3-0 deficit in the ALCS against the New York Yankees.
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New York Yankees (2024)
This was the most recent World Series and the first one I watched as a baseball fan. Although I was pulling for the Dodgers to win, I couldn't help but feel bad for the Yankees.
The team was down 3-0 in the World Series but won Game 4 in an attempt to do the impossible comeback. They had a 5-0 lead in Game 5, only to have the most humiliating inning in World Series history in the top of the fifth, in front of their home fans. It started with Aaron Judge dropping a fly ball, then one of their basemen made a throwing error.
The next two batters struck out, but then came the most embarrassing error of all. A routine grounder was hit by Dodgers player Mookie Betts, and no one was covering first base. The baseman didn't charge the base, even though it would've ended the inning. This ultimately resulted in five unearned runs that inning, and they lost everything in that game with a final score of 7-6.
The fact that I took this so personally and it wasn't even my team shows how devastating this really was.
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Cleveland Guardians (2016)
The Cleveland Guardians, who were known as the Indians at the time, ironically hadn't won the World Series in 68 years, just like the Red Sox in 1986.
They were facing the Chicago Cubs, who hadn't won in a whopping 108 years. As exciting as it was for the Cubs, it was truly heartbreaking for the Guardians. They were up 3-1 in the World Series and had to win just one of their next three games, with the last two being at home.
In Game 7, Cleveland hit a two-run homer in the bottom of the eighth to tie the game at six, forcing extra innings. Yet, they would still lose the game and the series 8-7. It was only the sixth time in MLB history a team came back from a 3-1 deficit in the World Series, and this had to be the toughest one of all.
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Texas Rangers (2011)
The Rangers were one strike away from winning their first World Series in their 50th season in Game 6, and they blew it by allowing the game to be tied, forcing extra innings.
To make matters worse, they were one strike away from winning it all a second time in the bottom of the tenth, only to blow it again and force an eleventh. Failing to score in the top of the eleventh, St. Louis hit a walk-off home run, forcing a Game 7, which Texas would ultimately lose. Not to mention, it was their second consecutive World Series loss.
As frustrating as this was for their fanbase, they fortunately won it all in 2023 against the Arizona Diamondbacks.
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St. Louis Cardinals (1985)
This World Series loss was infamous for having one of the most notorious missed calls by an umpire. The Cardinals were trying to win their ninth World Series and were up 1-0 in the bottom of the ninth.
What should've been the first out was a groundout, where the umpire mistakenly called the runner safe. From that point forward, the Cardinals collapsed, and the Kansas City Royals walked it off, forcing a Game 7.
The Cardinals would ultimately get blown out and shut out in that game, allowing the Royals to win their first ever World Series. St. Louis gave the umpire who made that one missed call all the blame in the end. Just like Cleveland in 2016, this team also blew a 3-1 lead in the World Series.
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Toronto Blue Jays (2025)
I didn't have this on the list because it didn't happen yet, but the way it ended for the Blue Jays was absolutely brutal. I'd go as far as to say it's #2. The New York Yankees (2024) should actually be #5 on this list because I think I exaggerated by saying it was worse than the Rangers in 2011 and the Guardians in 2016.
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San Francisco Giants (2002)
The Giants, trying to win their first World Series in 48 years, had a 5-0 lead going into the seventh inning.
Unfortunately for them, the Los Angeles Angels (formerly known as the Anaheim Angels) put up 3 runs in both the seventh and eighth innings, while San Francisco failed to score again, ending the game after the top of the ninth.
Needless to say, they'd go on to lose Game 7, giving Anaheim their first and only World Series championship. What made this an even tougher pill to swallow is that it cost their famous player Barry Bonds a chance at winning a World Series.
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Los Angeles Dodgers (2017)
Not only did the Dodgers lose in Game 7 in front of their home crowd, but it was proven to be rigged against them. This was similar to what happened with the Cardinals in 1985, except this time it was their opposing team rather than an umpire.
The Houston Astros won their first ever World Series, but after some evidence, investigators found out they cheated in the World Series by banging on objects to let the batter know what sign the Dodgers' catcher was giving for the pitch.
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Kansas City Royals (2014)
One thing that can be annoying for MLB fans is when the runner on your team gets left on third base, and Kansas City did it at the worst time possible in the World Series.
In Game 7, in front of their home crowd, they lost everything to the San Francisco Giants when they left their tying runner on third base, giving the Giants their third World Series title in five years.
What made it even more upsetting was the fact that the Royals had blown out the Giants 10-0 in Game 6. Fortunately, the Royals ended up winning the World Series the very next season.
Man, that loss was painful. After such an incredible playoff run too, coming out of literally nowhere. I thought we'd never make it back to the World Series after that loss, but luckily that 2015 team was our redemption story. I honestly don't think we win it in 2015 if we won it all in 2014.
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Atlanta Braves (1996)
The Braves had the best record in the National League that year, with 96 wins, which matched the year itself. They seemed like strong contenders to become World Series champions.
They won the first two games in Yankee Stadium, only to lose three straight games in their own stadium. They would ultimately lose Game 6 back at Yankee Stadium for their fourth consecutive loss, allowing the Yankees to clinch the World Series.
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Baltimore Orioles (1979)
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New York Giants (1912)
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Philadelphia Phillies (1993)
For those who don't know, this is my home team. Although I wasn't born yet when this happened, my stepdad remembers it, and he told me he was shook when he saw it.
In Game 6, they were up by one run with two men on for the Toronto Blue Jays, with Joe Carter at the plate. The Phillies were hoping to win that game and force a Game 7, but Joe Carter walked it off by hitting a three-run home run to end the World Series.
It was only the second time a team won the World Series that way, and the first time it happened coming from behind. While the excitement must've been unimaginable for the team and the fans at the stadium, it was also a true shock for those in Philadelphia to witness.