LOS ANGELES, CA — The Los Angeles Dodgers have been to the World Series 26 times and have won nine championships (1955, 1959, 1963, 1965, 1981, 1988, 2020, 2024, 2025)—eight in Los Angeles and one in Brooklyn, and this is the first time they have won back-to-back titles (2024-2025). What are the chances of them winning three in a row?
Well, consider this: The most consecutive World Series wins in baseball history are held by the Yankees, who won 5 WS titles in a row from 1949 to 1953, before the advent of the MLB playoffs in 1969. The Yankees have won three in a row two times, 1936-1939, and 1998-2000, as well as the five in a row, making them the only team to achieve this feat more than once.
Derek Jeter, a five-time World Series champion with the New York Yankees, introduced during 2024 Old Timers’ Day at Yankee Stadium – Image Credit: Bill Menzel/Latino Sports
The only other team to do it was the Oakland A’s from 1972 to 1974. You would have to think logically that today, five in a row is a record that may never be broken, but three in a row is possible.
When the Yankees won three and then five in a row, there were only 16 teams in Major League Baseball. Each league consisted of two eight-team divisions: the American League and the National League, playing a 154-game schedule, and the two teams that came out on top of that 154-game season only had to win four games to win the World Series over a possible seven-game series. 161 games total at best, less than what they now play in a season.
The Dodgers became the first MLB team to win back-to-back World Series titles (2024-2025) since the 1998-2000 Yankees, who achieved the historic feat of successfully completing a three-peat (1998-2000) – Image Credit: Bill Menzel/Latino Sports
Today, after 162 games, a team would have to win between 11 and 13 games to win the World Series. If they have to play as a Wild Card team, like the Dodgers did last year, a team could see another 22 games to win it all. Those great Yankee teams, prior to the 1969 playoffs, only had a possibility of seven games to play.
Playing conditions also came into play as all WS games were day games until 1971 when the first night game in World Series history was played in Pittsburgh in Game 4 between the Orioles and Roberto Clemente’s Pirates. Playing baseball under lights was more challenging than during the day back then, and it led to lower performance. However, in modern, well-lit stadiums, especially with LED lighting, it’s less difficult, with players performing just as well, or better. So that is a plus for teams today.
Analytics has changed the game in major ways with opposing teams knowing every move and statistic before first pitch – Image Credit: Bill Menzel/Latino Sports
Yes, conditions are better, and players are in better shape, but they are also facing so many different pitchers in a game. Sometimes as many as five, six, or more when starters leave after five innings.
“Analytics in Baseball” has also made the game more predictable throughout a season, including the postseason, so everyone knows everything about their opponents.
There are so many things that have changed in this game over the years that the possibility of a club winning three World Series in a row has become very rare, yet possible.
During his run with the Dodgers, Dave Roberts has led LA to nine NL West division titles, five World Series appearances and three WS championships (2020, 2024 and 2025) – Image Credit: George Napolitano/Latino Sports
But five World Series in a row? That seems next to impossible. Can the Dodgers even win three in a row?
The elephant in the room though, will always come down to: can they stay healthy, and will they still have the fire in their hearts, and do what it takes to take it to the end, and be the last team standing?
The long grinding journey begins soon.
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