List of Major League Baseball longest winning streaks

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John McGraw, manager of the 1916 New York Giants, who won a record 26 consecutive games 1912 John McGraw by Conlon.jpeg
John McGraw, manager of the 1916 New York Giants, who won a record 26 consecutive games

This is a list of the longest team winning streaks in Major League Baseball history. Streaks started at the end of one season are carried over into the following season. The lists below include streaks that consist entirely of regular-season games, streaks from the predecessor National Association (1871–1875), streaks of playoff games, and streaks of World Series games.

Contents

The National League’s 1916 New York Giants hold the record of winning 26 consecutive games. The longest American League winning streak is 22, by the 2017 Cleveland Indians.

The longest winning streak consisting only of playoff games stands at 12 consecutive wins, by the 1927, 1928 and 1932 New York Yankees (who swept the World Series all three seasons) and tied by the 1998–99 Yankees.

According to Major League Baseball's policy on winning streaks, tie games do not end a team's winning streak. [1] The list below includes streaks with ties.

Key

^Denotes streaks that contain tie game(s) not included in the win totals
**Denotes streaks that spanned over two seasons
Denotes streaks that are in progress
*Denotes season in which team won the World Series

Game streaks

Regular season

This list contains the top 25 streaks (including ties) consisting entirely of regular-season games.

RankGamesTeamSeason(s)Season
record(s)		DateScoreOpponentDateScoreOpponent
Beginning (first victory)End (first defeat)
126^ New York Giants 1916 86–66September 7, 19164–1 Brooklyn Robins September 30, 19163–8 Boston Braves
222 Cleveland Indians 2017 102–60August 24, 201713–6 Boston Red Sox September 15, 20173–4 Kansas City Royals
21^ Chicago White Stockings 1880 67–17June 2, 18805–4 Boston Braves July 10, 18800–2 Cleveland Blues
21 Chicago Cubs 1935 100–54September 4, 19358–2 Philadelphia Phillies September 28, 19355–7 (11) St. Louis Cardinals
20 St. Louis Maroons 1884 94–19April 20, 18847–2 Chicago/Pittsburgh May 24, 18841–8 Boston Reds
20 Providence Grays 1884 84–28August 7, 18844–2 New York Giants September 9, 18840–2 Buffalo Bisons
20 Oakland Athletics 2002 103–59August 13, 20025–4 Toronto Blue Jays September 6, 20020–6 Minnesota Twins
19^ Chicago White Sox 1906*93–58August 2, 19063–0 Boston Americans August 25, 19064–5 Washington Senators
19 New York Yankees 1947*97–57June 29, 19473–1 Washington Senators July 18, 19470–8 Detroit Tigers
18 Chicago White Stockings 1885 87–25June 1, 18856–0 Detroit Wolverines June 25, 18850–2 Philadelphia Phillies
18^ Boston Beaneaters 1891 87–51September 16, 18917–2 Chicago Colts October 3, 18913–5 Philadelphia Phillies
18 Baltimore Orioles 1894 89–39August 24, 18945–2 St. Louis Browns September 16, 18943–4 Cincinnati Reds
18 New York Giants 1904 106–47June 16, 19044–3 St. Louis Cardinals July 4, 19045–6 Philadelphia Phillies
18 New York Yankees 1953*99–52May 27, 19533–1 Washington Senators June 16, 19531–3 St. Louis Browns
17 St. Louis Browns 1885 179–33May 5, 188512–4 Louisville Colonels June 2, 18851–7 Baltimore Orioles
17 Boston Beaneaters 1897 93–39May 31, 189725–5 St. Louis Cardinals June 22, 18974–7 Brooklyn Bridegrooms
17 New York Giants 1907 82–71April 25, 19076–3 Philadelphia Phillies May 20, 19074–6 St. Louis Cardinals
17 Washington Senators 1912 91–61May 30, 19125–0 Boston Red Sox June 19, 19121–2 Philadelphia Athletics
17 New York Giants 1916 86–66May 9, 191613–5 Pittsburgh Pirates May 30, 19161–5 Philadelphia Phillies
17 Philadelphia Athletics 1931 107–45May 5, 19314–1 Boston Red Sox May 26, 19312–6 New York Yankees
17 Pittsburgh Pirates** 1937
1938 		86–68
86–64		September 24, 19378–2 Cincinnati Reds April 26, 19383–5 (10) Chicago Cubs
17 St. Louis Cardinals 2021 90–72September 11, 20216–4 Cincinnati Reds September 29, 20210–4 Milwaukee Brewers
16 St. Louis Maroons 1884 94–19August 26, 18845–4 Chicago/Pittsburgh September 18, 18842–4 Washington Nationals
16^ Philadelphia Quakers 1887 75–48September 15, 18878–4 Indianapolis Hoosiers April 20, 18883–4 Boston Beaneaters
16 Philadelphia Phillies 1890 78–53July 8, 18909–4 Cincinnati Reds July 28, 18904–12 Chicago Colts
16 Philadelphia Phillies 1892 87–66June 10, 18927–1 Cleveland Spiders June 29, 18921–9 Boston Beaneaters
16 Pittsburgh Pirates 1909*110–42September 9, 19093–1 Cincinnati Reds September 27, 19097–8 New York Giants
16 New York Giants 1912 103–48June 19, 19126–5 Boston Braves July 4, 19124–10 Brooklyn Dodgers
16 New York Yankees 1926 91–63May 10, 192613–9 Detroit Tigers May 28, 19261–2 Philadelphia Athletics
16 New York Giants 1951 98–59August 12, 19513–2 Philadelphia Phillies August 28, 19510–2 Pittsburgh Pirates
16 Kansas City Royals 1977 102–60August 31, 19775–4 Texas Rangers September 16, 19771–4 Seattle Mariners
16 Milwaukee Brewers** 1986
1987 		77–84
91–71		October 3, 19864–1 Toronto Blue Jays April 21, 19871–7 Chicago White Sox

National Association

RankGamesTeamSeason(s)Season
record(s)		DateScoreOpponentDateScoreOpponent
Beginning (first victory)End (first defeat)
26^ Boston Red Stockings 1875 71–8April 19, 18756–0 New Haven Elm Citys June 5, 18754–5 St. Louis Brown Stockings
18 Boston Red Stockings 1872 39–8May 7, 187223–3 Brooklyn Atlantics July 20, 187210–17 Troy Trojans
15 Hartford Dark Blues** 1874
1875 		16–37
54–28		October 27, 187410–3 Philadelphia Whites May 18, 18755–10 Boston Red Stockings
15 Boston Red Stockings 1875 71–8September 6, 18759–4 Philadelphia Whites October 29, 18758–9 Hartford Dark Blues

1Denotes season in which team won a pennant in the American Association

Postseason

This list contains only the top 10 streaks (including ties) consisting entirely of postseason games.

Rank
GamesTeamSeason(s)Beginning (first victory)End (first defeat)
12 New York Yankees 1927 – 28, 1932 October 5, 19275–4 Pittsburgh Pirates September 30, 19361–6 New York Giants
12 New York Yankees 1998 – 99 October 10, 19984–0 Cleveland Indians October 16, 19991–13 Boston Red Sox
11 Kansas City Royals 1985, 2014 October 24, 19856–1 St. Louis Cardinals October 21, 20141–7 San Francisco Giants
10 New York Yankees 1937 – 39, 1941 October 10, 19374–2 New York Giants October 2, 19412–3 Brooklyn Dodgers
10 Oakland Athletics 1989 – 90 October 7, 19896–5 Toronto Blue Jays October 16, 19900–7 Cincinnati Reds
10 San Francisco Giants 2012, 2014 October 19, 20125–0 St. Louis Cardinals October 6, 20141–4 Washington Nationals
9 Boston Red Sox 2007 – 08 October 18, 20077–1 Cleveland Indians October 5, 20084–5 (12) Los Angeles Angels
8 Cincinnati Reds 1975 – 76 October 22, 19754–3 Boston Red Sox October 12, 19792–5 (11) Pittsburgh Pirates
8 Cincinnati Reds 1990, 1995 October 12, 19902–1 Pittsburgh Pirates October 10, 19951–2 (11) Atlanta Braves
8 Boston Red Sox 2004 October 17, 20046–4 (12) New York Yankees October 4, 20052–14 Chicago White Sox
8 Chicago White Sox 2005 October 12, 20052–1 Los Angeles Angels October 2, 20084–6 Tampa Bay Rays
8 Washington Nationals 2019 October 7, 20196–1 Los Angeles Dodgers October 25, 20191–4 Houston Astros

World Series

This list contains only the top 10 streaks consisting entirely of World Series games.

RankGamesTeamSeriesDateScoreOpponentDateScoreOpponent
Beginning (first victory)End (first defeat)
14 New York Yankees 1996, 1998 – 2000 October 22, 19965–2 Atlanta Braves October 24, 20002–4 New York Mets
12 New York Yankees 1927 – 28, 1932 October 5, 192713–6 Pittsburgh Pirates September 30, 19361–6 New York Giants
10 New York Yankees 1937 – 39, 1941 October 10, 19373–2 New York Giants October 2, 19412–3 Brooklyn Dodgers
4(tie)9 Cincinnati Reds 1975 – 76, 1990 October 22, 19754–3 Boston Red Sox
4(tie)9 Boston Red Sox 2004, 2007, 2013 October 23, 20048–1 St. Louis Cardinals October 24, 20132–4 St. Louis Cardinals
7 New York Yankees 1949 – 50 October 7, 19495–2 Brooklyn Dodgers October 4, 19511–5 New York Giants
7 San Francisco Giants 2010, 2012, 2014 October 31, 20104–0 Texas Rangers October 22, 20142–7 Kansas City Royals
6 Chicago Cubs 1907 – 08 October 9, 19076–1 Detroit Tigers October 12, 19083–8 Detroit Tigers
6 Los Angeles Dodgers 1981, 1988 October 23, 19815–4 New York Yankees October 18, 19881–2 Oakland Athletics
6 New York Yankees 1978, 1981 October 13, 19783–0 Los Angeles Dodgers October 23, 19814–5 Los Angeles Dodgers

Series streaks

Regular season – single opponent

The longest winning streak against a single opponent is 23 games by the Baltimore Orioles over the Kansas City Royals from May 10, 1969, to August 2, 1970.

Baltimore had won more than 90 games in three of the previous four seasons, with a World Series title in 1966. The Royals were an expansion team in their first season. Kansas City won the first meeting on May 9, 1969, but Baltimore took the final 11 that season and swept all 12 in 1970 before the Royals finally took a walk-off win in their first confrontation of 1971.[ citation needed ]

Postseason

This list contains only the top 10 streaks consisting entirely of postseason series. For the purpose of this list, one-game wild card matchups, such as the 2012 Cardinals' win, are counted.

Rank
SeriesTeamBeginning (first victory)End (first defeat)
11 New York Yankees 1998 – 2001 1998 ALDS 3–0 Texas Rangers 2001 WS 3–4 Arizona Diamondbacks
11 San Francisco Giants 2010, 2012, 2014, 2016 2010 NLDS 3–1 Atlanta Braves 2016 NLDS 1–3 Chicago Cubs
8 New York Yankees 1927 – 28, 1932, 1936 – 39, 1941 1927 WS 4–0 Pittsburgh Pirates 1942 WS 1–4 St. Louis Cardinals
4 (tie)7 New York Yankees 1943, 1947, 1949 – 53 1943 WS 4–1 St. Louis Cardinals 1955 WS 3–4 Brooklyn Dodgers
4 (tie)7 Miami Marlins 1997, 2003, 2020 1997 NLDS 3–0 San Francisco Giants 2020 NLDS 0–3 Atlanta Braves
6 Oakland Athletics 1972 – 74 1972 ALCS 3–2 Detroit Tigers 1975 ALCS 0–3 Boston Red Sox
5 Boston Red Sox 1903, 1912, 1915 – 16, 1918 1903 WS 5–3 Pittsburgh Pirates 1946 WS 3–4 St. Louis Cardinals
5 Atlanta Braves 1995 – 96 1995 NLDS 3–1 Colorado Rockies 1996 WS 2–4 New York Yankees
5 Minnesota Twins 1987, 1991, 2002 1987 ALCS 4–1 Detroit Tigers 2002 ALCS 1–4 Anaheim Angels
5 Philadelphia Phillies 2008 – 09 2008 NLDS 3–1 Milwaukee Brewers 2009 WS 2–4 New York Yankees
5 St. Louis Cardinals 2011 – 12 2011 NLDS 3–2 Philadelphia Phillies 2012 NLCS 3–4 San Francisco Giants
5 Kansas City Royals 1985, 2014 1985 ALCS 4-3 Toronto Blue Jays 2014 WS 3–4 San Francisco Giants

See also

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References

Inline citations

  1. ↑ Brisbee, Grant (September 14, 2017). "The Indians' winning streak needs to reach 26 to be a record". SBNation.com. Retrieved September 15, 2017.

General references

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