In Major League Baseball (MLB), every team’s journey tells a unique story, filled with victories and defeats, brilliant plays, and hard-fought games. But what about the youngest ones in the mix? Let’s dive into the five newest teams in MLB history and evaluate how they have performed in recent years. The ups and downs, the highs and lows – it’s all part of the captivating game.
We start the journey with two teams that sprang to life in 1998: the Tampa Bay Rays and Arizona Diamondbacks. The Rays, nestled in sunny St. Petersburg, sit in the brutal AL East with the Yankees and Red Sox. Their initial years were challenging, failing to produce a winning season for the first 10 seasons. Finally, in 2008, after the hire of Joe Maddon, the Rays finished above .500 for the first time. Incredibly, though, they didn’t stop there. They shocked everyone, defying the MLB odds and making it to the World Series, where they eventually lost to the Philadelphia Phillies.
Since 2008, the Rays have been a symbol of winning with a low payroll. They made another World Series appearance in 2020 but lost to the Los Angeles Dodgers. They have one of the best records in baseball in 2023 and are on track to make their fifth consecutive postseason.
On the other hand, their counterparts from the same year, the Arizona Diamondbacks, had a dazzling start in the NL West Division. With Phoenix as their home, they achieved what every team dreams of — a World Series title. Remarkably, they did so just three years after their debut, setting a record as the fastest expansion team to claim the highest honor in MLB, a feat they achieved against the legendary New York Yankees in an epic World Series following the tragic Sept. 11 attacks.
The Diamondbacks had a great start to 2023, leading their power-packed division for much of the first half, but have since slipped to third place, just a few games behind the Dodgers for the top spot. They still sport an impressive 57-50 record.
Travel back a bit further to 1993, and we encounter the Colorado Rockies, who represent Denver in the NL West. The Rockies’ MLB journey has been marked by milestones, with five postseason appearances and their sole National League (NL) pennant in 2007. Unfortunately, the formidable Red Sox dashed their World Series dreams that same year. At 42-64, the Rockies are on their way to missing the postseason for the fifth straight year.
Established the same year as the Rockies, the Miami Marlins, from the NL East Division, quickly made their presence known. They won the World Series twice in their first 10 years, in 1997 and 2003, demonstrating a knack for making it to the postseason. However, off-field, they’ve grappled with fan turnout, often recording low attendance rates. On the field, they’ve also struggled; the Marlins have just one postseason appearance over their last 20 years and no playoff wins. However, at 57-50, they are right in the hunt for the NL Wild Card.
Let’s wind back the clock to 1977 when two teams entered the MLB landscape: the Seattle Mariners and Toronto Blue Jays. Like the Rays, the Mariners had a lot of struggles early on, failing to produce a winning season until 1991. They finally made their first postseason in 1995. Despite never securing a World Series win, the team, affectionately known as the M’s, remains a beloved fixture in the MLB tapestry. They’ve produced great stars such as Ichiro Suzuki and Ken Griffey Jr.
Last but not least, the Toronto Blue Jays have been a force in the AL East Division for years. They won their first division title in 1985, two years after their first victorious season. The subsequent years saw a meteoric rise, with two World Series titles in 1992 and 1993. They have made four postseason appearances since 2015; at 59-48, they are in a great position to make the 2023 MLB Playoffs.
The newest teams in the MLB have experienced different degrees of success and faced diverse challenges. But whether they’re winning World Series titles or vying for division championships, they all contribute to the thrilling game of Major League Baseball. Their stories are a testament to the enduring spirit of this sport, one that promises captivating turns as these teams continue to write their history on the diamond.
