The Twins have been playing baseball in Minnesota for 62 seasons and have played 9,803 games, winning 4,867 games and losing 4,936 games for a winning percentage of .496 and have advanced to the playoffs 14 times or 22.6% of the time.
Maybe we should not be that surprised, the Washington Senators who moved from Washington D.C. after the 1960 season and became the Minnesota Twins had a .465 winning percentage. Year after year, the Senators were a laughingly bad team, prompting famed sportswriter Charley Dryden to joke: “Washington: First in war, first in peace, and last in the American League.” The Senators played in Washington for 60 seasons and won 3 pennants (1924, 1925, & 1933) and won one World Series title in 1924. In that regard the Twins it seems are not much better having played for 62 seasons and won 3 pennants (1965, 1987, & 1991) but they have won two World Series titles, in 1987 and again 1991.
In reality the Minnesota Twins have played better baseball over the years then their counterparts did in Washington. The Twins have finished at .500 or better in 30 of their 62 seasons as compared to Washington who finished .500 or better on just 19 occasions. A similar story when you look at how many time the teams won 90 or more games as the Senators ball club did it just 8 times and the Twins ball club has done it 15 times.
It is interesting too to look at the best winning percentages over the years and the Senators have the two best winning percentages at .651 (1933) and .643 (1925) followed by the Twins at .630 (1965). What stands out about those three teams? They all went on to play in a World Series and lost. The best team doesn’t always win, remember that.
The playoffs have evolved over the years and changes will continue in the future. The best team does not always win in the end and the playoffs are indeed a crapshoot. The playoffs are like a lottery, you can’t win unless you buy a ticket and in baseball, buying a ticket is by earning your way into the playoffs. Getting in the playoffs doesn’t mean you will win the World Series but if you don’t get in the playoffs, it does mean you will not win the World Series.
Since the Minnesota Twins have started play in 1961, let’s take a look at how American League teams have fared in getting into the playoffs since that year. Some teams joined after 1961 and Houston changed leagues in 2013 and went from the National to the American League so that complicates things a bit but we will do the best we can. I am ranking the teams here from best to worst in getting into the playoffs and having a shot at the big prize.
1. The New York Yankees have made the playoffs 33 times (53.2%) and gotten to the World Series 15 times (45.4%), winning it 9 times (60%). Last World Series win in 2009.
2. The Oakland Athletics have made the playoffs 21 times (33.9%) and gotten to the World Series 6 times (28.6%), winning it 4 times (66.7%). Last World Series win in 1989.
3. The Tampa Bay entered the league in 1998 and have made the playoffs 8 times (33.3%) and gotten to the World Series 2 times (25%). They have not won a World Series as yet.
4. The Boston Red Sox have made the playoffs 19 times (30.6%) and have gotten to the World Series 7 times (36.8%), winning it 4 times (57%). Last World Series win was in 2018 and the last 4 times they got to the World Series they won it.
5. The Houston Astros came into existence in 1962 and switched from the NL to the AL in 2013 but in there case we are going to merge their AL/NL data for their 61 seasons. They have gone to the playoffs 16 times (26.2%) and have gotten to the World Series 5 times and (31.3%) and have won it twice (40%). Their last win was in 2022.
6. The Minnesota Twins have made the playoffs 14 times (22.6%), and have gotten to the World Series 3 times (21.4%) and winning it twice (66.7%). They last WS win was in 1991.
7. The Baltimore Orioles have made the playoffs 13 times (21%) and have gotten to the World Series 6 times (46.2%) and have won the WS 3 times (50%). Their last WS win was in 1983.
7. The Cleveland Guardians have made the playoffs 13 times (21%) and have gotten to the World Series 3 times (23%) but have not won a World Series (0%). Their last WS win is way back in 1948.
9. The Toronto Blue Jays came into existence in 1977 and have made the playoffs 9 times (20%) and have gotten to the World Series 2 times (22.2%) and have won in both of the WS appearances (100%). Their last WS win is in 1993.
10. The Kansas City Royals came into existence in 1969 and have made the playoffs 9 times (17%) and have gotten to the World Series 4 times (44.4%) and have won the World Series 2 times (50%). Their last WS win was in 2015.
11. The Los Angeles Angels have made the playoffs 10 times (16.1%) and have gotten to the World Series 1 time (10%) and they won it in their lone appearance (100%). Their last WS win was in 2002.
12. The Detroit Tigers have made the playoffs 9 times (14.5%) and have gotten to the World Series 4 times (44.4%) and have won the WS 2 times (50%). Their last WS win was in 1984.
13. The Texas Rangers have made the playoffs 8 times (12.9%) and have gotten to the World Series 2 times (25%) and have no World Series wins.
14. The Seattle Mariners came into existence in 1977 and have made the playoffs 5 times (11.1%) and have zero World Series appearances and obviously zero World Series wins.
So there you are Minnesota Twins fans, maybe things are not as bleak as you may think. I understand that the Twins have lost 18 playoff games in a row but that losing streak won’t go on forever. Keep in mind that you have to first make the playoffs and that opens the first door and after that who knows what is in store. There are numerous teams on the list that wish they were as good as the Twins are. Get ready for another enjoyable baseball season.