An MLB tradition continues
The Atlanta Braves won the 2021 World Series, continuing a tradition that is now in its sixth year and counting. Dating back to 2016, the Dodgers have either been eliminated in the postseason by that year’s champion or won the World Series themselves.
This year’s NLCS saw the Dodgers fall to the Braves in six games, followed by Atlanta beating Houston in six games in the Fall Classic which ended Tuesday night at Minute Maid Park.
The Dodgers’ streak:
- 2016: lost NLCS to Cubs in six games
- 2017: lost World Series to Astros in seven games
- 2018: lost World Series to Red Sox in five games
- 2019: lost NLDS to Nationals in five games
- 2020: won World Series in six games
- 2021: lost NLCS to Braves in six games
It’s not quite the longest such streak in MLB history, with the Dodgers as of now one year shy of the Yankees, from 1998-2004:
- 1998: won World Series in four games
- 1999: won World Series in four games
- 2000: won World Series in five games
- 2001: lost World Series to D-backs in seven games
- 2002: lost ALDS to Angels in four games
- 2003: lost World Series to Marlins in six games
- 2004: lost ALCS to Red Sox in seven games
Dave Roberts had a say in that 2004 ALCS with the most famous stolen base in Red Sox history, and now every year of his managerial career has ended either by losing to the champs or winning it all.
Before 1969, the only actual postseason was the World Series, but that didn’t stop Brooklyn from getting eliminated by that year’s champion four times in an five-year stretch, with the Dodgers’ first title mixed in between:
- 1952: lost World Series to Yankees in seven games
- 1953: lost World Series to Yankees in six games
- 1954: eliminated by Giants in Game 149 of regular season, finished 2nd
- 1955: beat Yankees in World Series in seven games
- 1956: lost World Series to Yankees in seven games
I cheated a bit here since 1954 involved a regular season elimination, but Brooklyn was knocked out of the race on September 20 that year, just 12 days before the end of that year’s World Series. For comparison, in 2019 the Dodgers were eliminated in the NLDS by the Nationals on October 9, a full three weeks before the World Series ended.
Now, let’s see what 2022 brings.