Now that the Philadelphia Phillies and Seattle Mariners have officially qualified for the 2022 MLB postseason, it’s time to look at which teams now own MLB’s longest postseason drought.
Which teams have the current longest MLB postseason drought?
With the Seattle Mariners back in the playoffs for the first time since 2001 and the Philadelphia Phillies in the NL bracket for the first time since 2011, there is now a tie atop for the longest drought in MLB postseason history.
The Detroit Tigers and Los Angeles Angels now hold the dubious title of teams with the longest MLB postseason drought, with each last making the playoffs in 2014. In that season, the Baltimore Orioles swept the Tigers in one ALDS matchup while the Kansas City Royals did the same thing to the Angels on the other side of the bracket.
For the Tigers, 2022 was supposed to be a step forward in the AL Central after an active offseason. However, things imploded in the Motor City and general manager Al Avila was let go in mid-August as the team tried to turn the page on a disappointing series of events.
Cleveland surprised the division in 2022 by winning it. Can the Tigers do the same thing next year in what could be a wide-open AL Central?
In Anaheim, that 2014 postseason appearance was the only one so far for future Hall of Famer Mike Trout, and he is itching to not only get back to the playoffs, but also erase that 1-for-12 performance he put together against Royals pitching.
Will a change in ownership lead the Angels back to the postseason in 2023? The AL West will be tough, but even a Wild Card berth would be a big step forward for the franchise.
By the way, the Royals join the Pittsburgh Pirates as the next teams on the list behind the Angels and Tigers, with those two teams last sniffing the postseason in 2015.