Are Texas Rangers Worst Defending World Series Champion In Past 20 Years?

Not quite. But to finish .500 in 2024, the defending World Series champion Texas Rangers need a strong finish in September.

Aug 16, 2024; Arlington, Texas, USA; Texas Rangers outfielder Wyatt Langford (36) remains in contact with the base as he advances to second on an RBI single during the sixth inning against the Minnesota Twins at Globe Life Field. Mandatory Credit: Raymond Carlin III-USA TODAY Sports / Raymond Carlin III-USA TODAY Sports

Defending World Series champions rarely repeat. In fact, it hasn't happened in nearly 25 years.

Title teams, however, don't often follow up with a sub-.500 season either. And that's what the Texas Rangers are flirting with five weeks from their Sept. 29 finale in Los Angeles.

The last defending World Series champion to follow up with a below .500 season (not counting the COVID-shortened 2020 season) are the 2014 Boston Red Sox, who finished with a 71-91 record in 2015. The Washington Nationals finished eight games under .500 during in 2020 when the pandemic shortened the season to 60 games.

The Kansas City Royals won it in 2015 and finished 81-81 in 2016.

To finish .500, the 2023 World Series champion Rangers (59-69) must go at least 22-12 over their remaining 34 games.

Including Friday's series opener against the Cleveland Guardians, the Rangers have 15 games against teams .500 or better and 19 games against teams below .500, including seven against the .500 Seattle Mariners and seven against the Los Angeles Angels (54-74) and six games against the Oakland Athletics (55-73).

The last team to repeat as World Series champions is the New York Yankees, who three-peated from 1998-2000.

Rangers manager Bruce Bochy, who won World Series titles with the San Francisco Giants in 2010, 2012, and 2014, missed the playoff in each of his follow-up seasons. His 2015 team finished 84-78. His 2013 Giants finished 10 games under .500.

Other World Series champions who struggled in their title defense season in the past 20 seasons include the St. Louis Cardinals in 2007, who went 78-84, and the 2003 Los Angeles Angels, who finished 77-85.

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