The Milwaukee Brewers defeated the Tampa Bay Rays in 5 games to win the 2026 World Series. The championship was the Brewers' first in franchise history and left the Rays as one of four active franchises yet to hoist the Commissioner's Trophy. The others? The Colorado Rockies, San Diego Padres and Seattle Mariners.
Let's examine each team and how close they've come to winning a title.
Colorado Rockies
Founded in 1993, the Rockies have made just one World Series appearance. In 2007, Colorado was swept by the Boston Red Sox. The Rockies have never won their division, and they've made just five wild-card berths in their franchise history.
San Diego Padres
Founded in 1969, the Padres have played in the World Series twice. In 1984, they lost to the Detroit Tigers in five games. In 1998, San Diego was swept by the New York Yankees. The Padres are MLB's oldest team without a World Series title.
Seattle Mariners
Founded in 1977, the Mariners have never advanced to the World Series. They have six playoff appearances in their franchise's history. In 2025, Seattle punched their fourth ticket to the ALCS versus the Toronto Blue Jays, but failed to clinch a World Series berth in a pivotal Game 7. They previously lost the ALCS in 1995, 2000, and 2001.
Tampa Bay Rays
Founded in 1998, the Rays have advanced to the World Series three times. In 2008, Tampa Bay lost to the Philadelphia Phillies in five games. In 2020, the Rays were defeated by the Dodgers in six games. They made it for the third time in 2026, only to lose in 5 games to the Brewers. They're one of three teams (joining the Dodgers and Tigers) to lose each of their first three trips to the Fall Classic.