After a long wait, the 2023 MLB season officially kicked off on Thursday with a full slate of Opening Day games. With the start of a new season comes renewed hope for all 30 teams, but for a select few, the 2023 campaign carries even more significance as they look to end long World Series droughts.
Among the teams with the longest championship, droughts are the Cleveland Guardians and the Texas Rangers, both of whom have not won a World Series title since their inception in 1901 and 1961, respectively. The Guardians have made it to the Fall Classic three times in their history, but have come up short on each occasion, while the Rangers have made two appearances in the World Series, but have yet to come away with a championship.
Another team with a long championship drought is the Seattle Mariners, who have never won a World Series since joining the league in 1977. The Mariners have had a few close calls, most notably in 1995 when they lost in the ALCS, but they have yet to advance to the World Series.
On the other end of the spectrum are the New York Yankees, who are perennial contenders and have won a total of 27 World Series championships in their storied history. However, the Yankees have not hoisted the trophy since 2009, and with a new-look roster and a renewed sense of purpose, they will be looking to end their relatively short (by their standards) championship drought this season.
Other teams with shorter championship droughts include the Los Angeles Dodgers, who won their last World Series title in 2020 but have not won back-to-back championships since 1977-78, and the Boston Red Sox, who won it all in 2018 but have not won consecutive championships since 1915-16.
As the 2023 season gets underway, all of these teams will be looking to make a statement and end their respective championship droughts. Whether it’s the Guardians, the Rangers, the Mariners, the Yankees, the Dodgers, the Red Sox, or any other team, the race to the World Series promises to be an exciting one, filled with plenty of drama and excitement along the way.
Regardless of which team ultimately emerges victorious, one thing is for sure: the 2023 MLB season is shaping up to be one of the most compelling and competitive in recent memory, and fans around the world will be tuning in to see how it all unfolds.