FEBRUARY 26, 2021 | ARIZONA & FLORIDA – Baseball is stirring in spring training camps in Arizona and Florida. Fans are filled with nervous anticipation. Besides the routine questions, there’s one they’ve never had to ask in late February; Will they be able to see their team play in-person?
Probably not.
But they’ll be paying attention to spring training games regardless, agonizing over a loss – even in Cactus and Grapefruit League play – punching their fists in the air for a win, even if the venue is Fort Myers or Scottsdale.
The question is, do spring training won – loss records matter? If the ultimate goal is to win the World Series, let’s see how the last ten World Series champions did in the spring of that year, as compiled by baseball-reference:
Season World Series champ Spring record/Details
2020 Los Angeles Dodgers 13-7: Best record in Cactus
2019 Washington National 17-12: 3rd best in Cactus
2018 Boston Red Sox 22-9: Best in MLB
2017 Houston Astros 15-15: 17th best in MLB
2016 Chicago Cubs 11-19: Only Padres worse
2015 Kansas City Royals 20-10: Only A’s won more
2014 San Francisco Giants 8-15: 6th best in the Cactus
2013 Boston Red Sox 17-17: 6th best in Grapefruit
2012 San Francisco Giants 18-15 5th best in Cactus
2011 St Louis Cardinals 14-16: 19 teams did better
Most teams play around .500 ball in the spring. Then you have the Red Sox who out-did everyone in the spring of 2018, kept it going into the regular season culminating into a World Series championship. Don’t forget the 2016 Cubs who staggered out of Arizona with the second worst record in the Cactus League. That fall they won their first World Series in over 100 years.
Contributing sources:
MLB Spring Training won/loss records
