Every Spring Training, baseball fans across the country embrace the hope that this year will be different. While every team aims for a winning record, a select few have managed to transcend standard success and launch into the stratosphere from Opening Day. When examining the best MLB starts to a season, the conversation inevitably leads to a rare group of teams that refused to lose for weeks on end.
The Modern Era Record: The 13-0 Club
In the modern era of Major League Baseball (post-1900), the benchmark for perfection at the start of a season is 13 consecutive wins. This feat has been accomplished only three times in history, with the most recent occurrence sending shockwaves through the league just a year ago.
The 2023 Tampa Bay Rays joined the history books by winning their first 13 games. Their dominance wasn't just about the wins; it was about the margin of victory. During that stretch, the Rays outscored their opponents by a staggering 71 runs, utilizing a potent combination of power hitting and elite pitching to sweep the Detroit Tigers, Washington Nationals, and Oakland Athletics before taking four straight from the Boston Red Sox. They eventually saw their streak snapped by the Toronto Blue Jays, but their place in history was secured.
Before the Rays, two other teams held the modern mantle:
- 1982 Atlanta Braves: Under first-year manager Joe Torre, the Braves won 13 straight to open the season, a run that propelled them to an NL West title.
- 1987 Milwaukee Brewers: Known as "Team Streak," the Brewers also started 13-0. Ironically, later that same season, they suffered a 12-game losing streak, proving just how volatile a baseball season can be.
The All-Time Record: The 1884 St. Louis Maroons
While the 13-0 mark is the gold standard for the modern game, the absolute record for the best MLB starts to a season belongs to a team from the 19th century. The 1884 St. Louis Maroons, playing in the Union Association (which is considered a major league by historians), started their campaign with an incredible 20 consecutive victories.
The Maroons finished that season with a 94-19 record. While the level of competition in the Union Association is often debated by baseball purists, the sheer statistical anomaly of winning 20 games before suffering a single loss remains the greatest opening act in professional baseball history.
Chasing Perfection: 11 and 12-Game Starts
Falling just short of the 13-game mark are several legendary squads that nearly reached immortality. The 1981 Oakland Athletics, managed by Billy Martin, started the season 11-0. This streak was particularly impressive as it featured a heavy reliance on complete games from their starting rotation, a strategy that is virtually nonexistent in today's analytical era.
In 1918, the New York Giants put together a 12-0 start. This run is often remembered for the unique circumstances of the era, as the season was eventually shortened due to World War I and the Spanish Flu pandemic. Despite the external chaos, the Giants' early dominance remains one of the most impressive stretches in the franchise's storied history.
Do Fast Starts Lead to World Series Titles?
One of the most fascinating aspects of the best MLB starts to a season is the lack of correlation with postseason hardware. Surprisingly, none of the three teams that started 13-0 (2023 Rays, 1982 Braves, 1987 Brewers) went on to win the World Series that year. In fact, the 1987 Brewers failed to even make the playoffs despite their historic start.
This serves as a perennial reminder that MLB is a marathon, not a sprint. While a double-digit winning streak in April provides a massive cushion and captures the national spotlight, the grind of 162 games and the unpredictability of the October postseason often tell a different story than the opening weeks of Spring.
Notable Early Season Winning Streaks
- 1981 Oakland Athletics: 11-0
- 1918 New York Giants: 12-0
- 1982 Atlanta Braves: 13-0
- 1987 Milwaukee Brewers: 13-0
- 2023 Tampa Bay Rays: 13-0
- 1884 St. Louis Maroons: 20-0
Sources & Original Reporting
