MLB History: Ten Biggest Pennant Race Collapses
In spirit of the San Francisco Giants fighting to avoid missing the playoffs after holding the best record in baseball at the All-Star Break, let’s take a look at the ten biggest collapses in MLB history.
It’s September. Your team has a huge division lead and they’re cruising towards the playoffs. All seems to be going well in your baseball world until, seemingly out of nowhere, it happens. They collapse. Whether it be injuries, a tough schedule, or maybe just some bad luck, something goes awry and your favorite MLB team finds themselves on the outside looking in at October baseball.
This season, it’s the Giants who are threatening to join the ranks of biggest collapses in MLB history. At 57-33, San Francisco held the best record in the league entering the All-Star Break and seemed poised to keep their even year magic alive. Since then, the Giants have limped through two months of disappointing baseball and now find themselves only a game up on the Mets for the top Wild Card spot.
If the Giants continue to let their season slip from their grasp and fall out of the playoff picture, their collapse would go into heavy consideration for one of the worst in the history of the sport. In fact, they have a chance to be the first team in MLB history to have the best winning percentage in the first half and the worst in the second.
Speaking of the biggest collapses in baseball history, who’s disappointing seasons would rival that of the Giants? The 1987 Blue Jays blew a three-and-a-half game lead over their final seven games and the 1993 Giants held a ten-game advantage in late-July but missed out on the postseason, do they make the cut? Here are the top ten biggest pennant race collapses in MLB history.
Next: No. 10
2009 Detroit Tigers
On September 6, the Tigers led the American League Central by seven games over the Twins. They were the only team in the division with a winning record, and while they weren’t a powerhouse by any means, it seemed to be a given that they were the only playoff-caliber club in the Central.
Unable to pull away, however, Minnesota came knocking at their door. After scuffling for the first week and a half in September, the Twins started putting everything together. From September 13th through the 26th, Minnesota won 11 of 12 and pulled to within two games of Detroit.
In their final series of the season, the Tigers welcomed the third place White Sox for a three-game set in which they had the opportunity to clinch the division after stretching their division lead to four games. Detroit, who held a four game lead with three games to play, was unable to capitalize on the series. They dropped each of the first two games, allowing the Twins, who rode a four game winning streak to close out the season, to tie them for first place in the AL Central.
The two clubs were forced to play a one-game playoff to determine the winner, which the Twins won in dramatic fashion on a walk-off in extra innings. Rick Porcello pitched well for the Tigers, but it wasn’t enough as Alexi Casilla ended the game and their season with an RBI single in the 12th.
Next: No. 9
1978 Red Sox
Division races aren’t typically declared over in mid-July, but in 1978 the Red Sox’ stranglehold over the AL East didn’t appear to be going away anytime soon. After beating the Brewers on July 19th, Boston led Milwaukee by nine games, while the fourth place Yankees sat 14 back. Don Zimmer’s club led all of baseball in runs scored and trailed only the A’s in runs allowed among American League teams.
Good thing MLB playoff seeds aren’t determined by July standings, however, because the Yankees put together a historic 52-21 run the rest of the season. Boston dug itself into a deep hole, posting a 37-36 record the rest of the way. They actually almost saved themselves with an eight game winning streak to close out the season, forcing a one-game playoff with New York to decide the division champ.
Red Sox starter Mike Torrez kept the Yankees scoreless through the first six innings. Boston entered the seventh with a 2-0 lead, but Yankees’ shortstop Bucky Dent, a .247 career hitter, crushed a three-run homer into the Fenway seats to propel New York to the win. The Curse of the Bambino would live on, leaving the Red Sox so beaten that they wouldn’t reach the playoffs until 1986.
Next: No. 8
2011 Atlanta Braves
Entering the final month of the season, the Braves’ chances of locking up the NL East were slim. Atlanta was sitting seven-and-a-half games back of the Phillies, owners of the best record in baseball. They did hold a sizable advantage in the Wild Card race, however, seven-and-a-half above St. Louis.
Boasting a strong starting rotation that featured the likes of Tim Hudson, Jair Jurrjens, Brandon Beachy, and Tommy Hanson, the Braves were cruising towards a second consecutive Wild Card berth. Once the calendar turned, the team began to stumble.
The Braves posted a putrid 9-18 record in September, allowing the Cardinals to climb all the way back. The two teams went into their final games with identical records, but St. Louis was able to crush Houston while Atlanta blew a 3-2 lead in the ninth inning to the Phillies.
Closer Craig Kimbrel was tied for the National League lead in saves that season, but he was not able to hold the one run advantage in the ninth. Chase Utley hit a sacrifice fly with the bases loaded to lock the score at 3-3. Neither team would be able to push any runs across until the Phillies’ Hunter Pence drove in catcher Brian Schneider in the 13th. Atlanta would not be able to get anything going in the bottom half of the frame, putting an end to the catastrophe that was their 2011 season.
Next: No. 7
1951 Brooklyn Dodgers
Of all the collapses on this list, the 1951 Dodgers’ may be the most famous. Brooklyn was coasting towards the pennant, sitting 13.5 games up on the New York Giants for the top spot in the National League on August 11th. Future Hall of Famers Jackie Robinson and Roy Campanella made up the backbone of the best offense in baseball, leaving little doubt as to who was the class of the NL.
New York would then go on one of the hottest streaks to close out a season in league history. The Giants soared to a 37-7 record over their final 44 games, completing a 16-game winning streak along the way. New York was able to force a three-game playoff to decide who would be representing the NL in the World Series (Major League Baseball shifted to a one-game playoff after divisions were established in 1969).
After splitting the first two games of the series, the Dodgers traveled to New York for the season finale. Brooklyn entered the ninth inning with a 4-1 lead, sending starter Ralph Branca to the hill to close out the game. Giants third baseman Bobby Thomson had other plans, smacking the Shot Heard Round the World. The three-run walk-off homer sent the Giants into the Series while Brooklyn was just left wondering what could’ve been.
Next: No. 6
2007 New York Mets
In what was perhaps the greatest season of David Wright’s career, the Mets entered play on September 13th with the best record in the National League and a seven game lead up on the Phillies in the NL East. Jose Reyes was on his way to stealing 78 bases and Carlos Beltran was in the midst of a 33 homer season. Their rotation featured future Hall of Famers Pedro Martinez and Tom Glavine and the team had just won 10 of its previous 12 games.
Their early success would prove meaningless, however, as the Mets went on to lose 12 of their final 17 games. The Phillies got the freefall started by sweeping New York at Shea Stadium. Things wouldn’t get much better from there, as the Mets dropped two series to the fourth place Nationals in nine days. They went 1-6 at home to close out the year, including three losses in games started by Martinez and Glavine.
New York went into Game 162 tied with the Phillies for first place in the division, but was unable to beat the lowly Marlins. They lost the division on the final day of the season, only the second time since May 15th that the Mets were not atop the NL East.
Next: No. 5
2011 Boston Red Sox
While the Braves were busy over the in the NL wreaking havoc with their epic September collapse, the Red Sox were busy blowing their own season. Boston held a 9 game lead over the Rays for the Wild Card entering September, but a 7-20 record in the final month derailed their entire season.
Josh Beckett, Jon Lester, and Clay Buchholz formed a formidable trio at the top of the rotation, while David Ortiz was doing David Ortiz things at the plate. In September, however, the pitching staff combined for an alarming 5.84 ERA and the team scuffled towards the finish line. The Red Sox couldn’t hold off Tampa Bay, who won six-of-seven against them that month. The Rays were able to record two five-game winning streaks over that stretch, including the final five days of the season.
The two division rivals, like the Braves and Cardinals in the Senior Circuit, entered the final day of the season with identical records. After going into the ninth up 3-2, as Atlanta did, the Red Sox watched in horror as closer Jonathan Papelbon was unable to keep the Orioles off the board. Outfielder Nolan Reimold tied the game with a two out ground-rule double, and was followed by Robert Andino’s walk-off single that sent Tampa Bay to the postseason.
Next: No. 4
1995 California Angels
The California Angels entered the 1995 season not having sniffed October baseball in eight years. Since losing in the ALCS in 1986, California had yet to finish within five games of the top AL West spot. With a lineup that featured power hitters Tim Salmon and Jim Edmonds, the team had high hopes for the season.
Four-and-a-half months into the campaign, it looked like the Angels were finally on to something. The team held a 10-and-a-half game lead over the Rangers in the division and Seattle sat two games behind them.
Then all of a sudden, the Mariners just started winning. Seattle had never made the playoffs in their 18 years of existence, but they were fixing to turn that trend around. The M’s went 30-19 in their final 49 games, clawing their way up the standings.
Meanwhile, the cracks in California’s roster were beginning to show. The Angels put together two nine-game losing streaks in the final six weeks of the season, going 18-31 to close out the season. California actually fell to three games back of the Mariners with five games to play, but was able to force a one-game playoff to decide the division winner.
The Angels just didn’t show up to play that day, however, falling to Seattle by a score of 9-1. California only mustered three hits the entire afternoon, keeping their Octoberless streak alive.
Next: No. 3
1962 Los Angeles Dodgers
Brooklyn’s collapse in 1951 may be more famous, but after the team relocated to Los Angeles in 1958, the West Coast fans got a taste of bitter September disappointment. Los Angeles, led by Sandy Koufax embarking on the first of his five consecutive ERA titles and Maury Willis stealing a then-league record 104 bases, actually put together a seven-game winning streak in the weeks leading up to their final eight games. They were red-hot and held a four game lead over those pesky Giants.
Over those last ten games, however, the Dodgers limped to a 2-6 record. They lost each of their final four, allowing Willie Mays and the Giants to force a three-game playoff once again. The teams split the first two games, setting up a winner-takes-all game at Dodger Stadium.
Los Angeles was in control for most of the game, heading into the ninth inning up 4-1. However, the Giants were able to put together a rally in the top half of the frame. 10 batters came to the plate that inning as the Giants were able to push four runs across, the last of which happened on an error. The Dodgers were unable to get anything going in the bottom of the ninth and were left dumbfounded in their own ballpark as to how they could have gotten so close yet only to watch their World Series disappear right before their eyes.
Next: No. 2
1964 Philadelphia Phillies
The Phillies had a young and talented ballclub in the 1964 season, but it was ultimately their youth and inexperience that cost them. 22-year old third baseman Dick Allen and 25-year old right fielder Johnny Callison each eclipsed 70 extra-base hits to pace the offense, while Gene Mauch, who at 38 was the youngest manager in the National League, steered the club fron the dugout. The team was giving a Philadelphia fanbase that had only ever seen two postseason campaigns some serious life.
On September 20th, the Phillies led the National League by six-and-a-half games and had only 12 left to play. Sports Illustrated had already held a photo-shoot with starting pitcher Jim Bunning in anticipation for their World Series preview issue. Then, like all teams do in a great collapse, they started losing. Philadelphia lost ten straight games, allowing both the Cardinals and the Reds to jump right back into the hunt.
Appropriately nicknamed the “Phold,” the Phillies relinquished control of the National League only a week later, never to regain it again. St. Louis went on to win the World Series, only making things worse for the Phillies’ faithful. Philadelphia fans were forced to walk away once again empty handed, and they would every season thereafter for the next 12 years.
Next: No. 1
1969 Chicago Cubs
For a team that hasn’t won a championship in 108 years, there have been a lot of low points over the years. Cubs fans have had good reasons not to get too excited until they actually make the playoffs, but in 1969, the club experienced disappointment like never before.
Five players on Chicago’s roster made the All-Star Game that season, and four went on to the Hall of Fame. It was the first year of divisional play, and the Cubs entered September with a four-and-a-half game lead over the Mets in the National League East. They wouldn’t just go on to blow that lead, however. They would completely fall apart.
Next: Can Anyone Beat the Cubs?
The Cubs went 9-18 in the final month of the season, dropping eight in a row at one point. Hall of Famers or not, the Cubs were unable to save themselves with their floundering play. By the time the season finally ended, Chicago found themselves scratching their heads as to how they wound up eight games behind the Miracle Mets in the NL East.
This season’s Cubs have already avoided such a catastrophic regular season collapse, but they still have a tough postseason schedule ahead of them. Is this the year that the Curse of the Billy Goat finally comes to an end?