We May Finally Get a .500 Playoff Team in the MLB Postseason

In the NBA and NFL, we have seen teams make the postseason with records of .500 or worse before. Whether it was the 2020 Washington Football Team or the 2024-25 Miami Heat, going .500 or worse in these leagues has not necessarily been a death sentence when it comes to playoff hopes. Major League Baseball, however, has been different.

In a non-shortened season in Major League Baseball history, there has never been a team with a losing record that has made the postseason. That could change this year, however, with the Baltimore Orioles currently holding the third AL Wild Card spot at 61-63, two games under .500.

While it's hard to speculate what may happen between now and the end of the season, let’s take a look at some of the worst teams in Major League Baseball history to make the postseason.

2005 San Diego Padres — 82-80, Won NL West

The 2005 San Diego Padres may be the worst team in Major League Baseball history to ever make the playoffs. They lost 3-0 in the NLDS to the St. Louis Cardinals and didn’t hold a lead in any of the games. They had a run differential of -42 and a Pythagorean W-L record of 77-85, a stat created by famous statistician Bill James that determines a team’s expected wins and losses.

The team’s lineup was led by star right fielder Brian Giles, who posted a 147 OPS+ and a 4.9 bWAR season. He was joined by other solid bats such as first baseman Mark Sweeney, who had a 135 OPS+, and current Dodgers manager Dave Roberts, who posted a 113 OPS+.

Where the team really struggled was its pitching. The rotation had ace Jake Peavy, who posted a 2.88 ERA and a 1.044 WHIP, but aside from him, no other starter in the rotation had an ERA+ above 90.

The team did have a few elite bullpen arms in closer Trevor Hoffman, who recorded 43 saves with a 2.97 ERA, and Scott Linebrink, who posted a 1.83 ERA. However, the Padres were unable to utilize them effectively in the postseason, as they trailed throughout all three games of the series.

2025 Cincinnati Reds — 83-79, Third NL Wild Card

This team is a little different, as they would not have touched the playoffs if MLB still had its old playoff system in place. However, they make this list after sneaking into the playoffs on the last day of last season.

Unlike the Padres in 2005, this Reds team’s lineup did not have nearly the same level of firepower. The team had only one everyday player with an OPS+ above 110 in Elly De La Cruz, while the rest of the lineup was filled with either league-average or below-average hitters.

The Reds’ rotation, however, was very good. The team had two pitchers with an ERA+ above 150 in Andrew Abbott and Hunter Greene, along with a very capable third starter in Nick Lodolo, who posted a 3.33 ERA and a 1.079 WHIP.

The back end of the bullpen wasn’t bad either. Closer Emilio Pagán posted a 2.88 ERA with 32 saves, while high-leverage reliever Tony Santillan posted a 2.44 ERA and a 1.113 WHIP.

Ultimately, the team was bounced by the eventual champion Los Angeles Dodgers in the Wild Card Series, failing to win a game. However, unlike the 2005 San Diego Padres, they actually held a lead for a bit in Game 2, so that's something they can hang their hat on.

2023 Miami Marlins — 84-78, Second NL Wild Card

While the St. Louis Cardinals in 2006 had a worse record technically, I have left them off this list because they went on a playoff run that eventually resulted in a World Series championship. Instead, I have included the 2023 Miami Marlins.

Much like the 2005 Padres, this team had a losing Pythagorean W-L record of 75-87, as they finished with a -57 run differential. The team had only five players with an OPS+ above 100, two of whom were acquired at the trade deadline in early August and played only 53 games with the club. Offense was hard to come by, as the Marlins ranked 26th in baseball in runs scored.

Pitching-wise, the Marlins were a lot better. While none of their pitchers were truly ace-level, they had several starters capable of keeping them in games. With consistency across the starting rotation, the bullpen did not have to be relied upon as heavily, which was a good thing because it wasn’t particularly strong.

The Marlins had Tanner Scott, who posted a 2.31 ERA, and Andrew Nardi, who posted a 2.67 ERA, but none of their other bullpen pitchers had an ERA under 3.60. The team heavily relied on its starters to win close games, and by getting just enough hitting from the likes of Luis Arraez, Jake Burger, and Jorge Soler, the team was able to squeak into the playoffs.

In the playoffs, the team got manhandled by the Philadelphia Phillies, losing 2-0 in the Wild Card Series. With no elite players in their lineup, the Marlins went cold and only mustered two runs across the two games.

So why does this matter? Well, all these teams, despite having enormous flaws, still made the playoffs with winning records. With the Baltimore Orioles currently sitting below .500 and holding a playoff spot, we may finally see a team break one of baseball’s longest postseason records. If Baltimore can hold onto its spot, or if any other AL Team jumps them and makes it in at .500 or below, we could be witnessing history.