Washington Nationals: Would a 100-Win Season Guarantee a World Series Trip?

The Washington Nationals top the majors with 77 wins (through games of August 22). They are 30 games over .500 and need to go just 23-15 to finish with 100 wins this season. They are currently on pace to win 101 games.

In looking at the history of major league baseball, how “magical” has the 100-win season been for teams? Better stated, does winning 100 games in the regular season equate to success in the postseason? Let’s take a look back to 1903 when MLB had its first World Series.

* Since 1903, 93 teams have won at least 100 games in a season. The last 100-win team was the 2011 Philadelphia Phillies, who went 102-60.

* Of those 93 teams, 62 went on to the World Series that year, and 34 won it.

* In 1969, MLB went to two divisions in each league. From 1903-68, 47 teams had at least 100 wins in a season. Of those 47, 24 won the World Series that year. From 1969 to 2011, 46 teams passed the century mark, but only 10 won the World Series in the same year.

* Since 1980, 31 teams have won at least 100 games. Four won the World Series, seven lost in the World Series, eight lost in the league championship series, nine lost in the league divisional series and two teams (San Francisco in 1993 and Baltimore in 1980) did not even make the playoffs in their 100-win seasons.

* Since 2000, 14 teams have won at least 100 games. Only one team won the World Series. Two lost in the World Series, three lost in the league championship series and eight lost in the league divisional series.

Franchises with 100-win seasons:

New York Yankees: 19

Oakland/Philadelphia A’s: 10

St. Louis Cardinals: 8

San Francisco/NY Giants: 7

Atlanta/Milwaukee/Boston Braves: 6

Franchises without a 100-win season:

Colorado Rockies, Florida/Miami Marlins, Milwaukee Brewers, San Diego Padres, Tampa Bay Rays, Texas Rangers, Toronto Blue Jays and Washington Nationals.

Last teams to win 100 games and win the World Series:

The New York Yankees won 103 games in 2009 and won the World Series that season. Prior to that, the 1998 New York Yankees won 114 games and the title. The last National League team to win 100 or more games in a season and the World Series was the 1986 Mets who won 108 games.

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