Los Angeles Dodgers will have the chance to defend their World Series title last year. It was won in a shorter season due to the coronavirus pandemic. To advance to the division series, the Dodgers must beat the St. Louis Cardinals at the National League wild card game.
Both the New York Yankees (and Boston Red Sox) are also in contention for a World Series. They will be playing each other in an American League wild-card match.
Here's the last time that each of these playoff teams won a World Series.
Los Angeles Dodgers 1 year: Los Angeles ended the 2021 season with an overall record of 106–56. They have to win the wild-card round first to be eligible to defend their World Series title. Last season, the Dodgers won their seventh World Series title.
Boston Red Sox – 3 years: It has been just three years since the Red Sox won its last title. Alex Cora, the team's manager at the time, returned to the team following a year of being away due to the cheating scandal that the team had and the reverberations of Cora's time with the Houston Astros. Boston must also get out of the wildcard to have any chance.
Houston Astros - 4 years: After winning the AL West division, the Astros make their fifth consecutive postseason appearance. The team almost reached the World Series last season, but was defeated by the Tampa Bay Rays in seven games during the American League Championship Series. In 2017, the team won the title for the first time.
San Francisco Giants - 7 years: The San Francisco Giants team this year is very different from its dynasty of the early 2010s. The team won the NL West in 2021 and had the best record in baseball. Buster Posey is looking to win another ring, the first for the team since 2014.
St. Louis Cardinals – 10 Years: After two disappointing exits, the Cardinals are back in postseason. St. Louis won 17 games to reach the wild-card spot. It has been a decade since their last World Series win. They have 11 championships under their belt.
New York Yankees – 12 Years: It was a decade since the Yankees won a World Series. They were expected to win the World Series in 2021, but they ended up with a wild-card spot. To get to the division series, New York must beat the Red Sox.
Chicago White Sox – 16 years: The White Sox are their best team for many years. Chicago won the AL Central division in the first time since 2008. After a long drought, the team won in 2005 the World Series. The Astros will be facing the team in a rematch from the 2005 World Series.
Tampa Bay Rays – 23 years: The Rays have been the best American League team for many years and also won another division title. Since 1998, when the team was an expansion team to MLB, they have been in two World Series.
Atlanta Braves – 26 Years: Before running into the New York Yankees for a few seasons in the World Series, the Braves were one of the most successful teams in the 1990s. Despite winning consecutive years of the NL East, the Braves did not win it all until 1995. Atlanta is back in playoffs, and will face the Milwaukee Brewers in a division series matchup.
Milwaukee Brewers – 52 Years: The Brewers have the longest World Series title drought among all current postseason teams. Since entering MLB in 1969, they were the Seattle Pilots. That was 1982. Milwaukee won the NL Central but a World Series appearance will be a difficult task.
