Humans have sailed the oceans for centuries. But, as a spectator sport, sailing has barely made a dent in the public consciousness, outside of the Olympics at least. There’s no denying that it can often be difficult to make sense of what’s going on way out there on the water, for a start.

But the SailGP Championship has set out to prove watching sailboat racing can be thrilling, entertaining and even get you jumping off the sofa and yelling at your TV.

Every aspect of this global competition — the boats, the track, the sudden-death format — has been designed to grab attention. The aim has been to turn heads, generate excitement and engage people who have previously never shown any interest in sailing.

And now you’ll be able to follow the action with The Athletic too, as we bring our fan-first approach to global sports coverage to SailGP, taking you inside the championship and telling you everything you need to know about a competition that has been likened to Formula 1 on water.

SailGP in a nutshell

SailGP is a high-speed, close-to-shore international sailing championship consisting of 12 national teams who race identical F50 catamarans head-to-head at 13 venues around the world over a 12-month season.

For 2024-25, which runs from November to November, the competition takes the six-person teams to five continents. Three Grands Prix are held in the United States (Los Angeles, San Francisco and New York), while England, Germany, Spain, Brazil, Switzerland, France and Italy also host race weekends. The season-ending round will be in Abu Dhabi.

So far, the competition has been open, with multiple winners across the opening three Grands Prix in Dubai, New Zealand and Australia. Each race weekend, the 12 teams compete in five races, three on the Saturday and two on Sunday. The top three teams from those five then progress to a winner-takes-all final race.

The boat: Meet the F50

Most boats float on the surface of the water. The F50, on the other hand, is a lightweight carbon-fiber catamaran that uses intricately designed and engineered hydrofoils to launch the body of the boat above the water, massively reducing the hydrodynamic drag and attaining a level of efficiency that was once unthinkable.

The unique aspect of SailGP is that all its F50s are identical, which helps keep costs down and competition tight. The difference between winning and losing comes down to the skill and strategy of the athletes controlling them.

With the F50 ‘foiling’ above the surface of the ocean, it is capable of speeds over 60mph (100 kilometers an hour) — a pace so rapid that even the petrol-powered chase boats can’t keep up.

Once these high-tech catamarans are flying along above the water, they can travel at over three times the speed of the wind, with athletes on board experiencing G-forces of up to three times their body weight during the tight maneuvers around the congested race track. A sailor who weighs, for example, 80kg (176 pounds; 12st 8lb) will feel the weight of 240kg on their body.

Propelling F50s at breakneck speeds is potentially dangerous, which is why the sailors wear body armor and crash helmets. They are permanently tethered to a retaining line on the boat to prevent them from falling overboard.

Even with all these safety measures in place, injuries do happen from time to time.

At the SailGP Auckland event at the end of January, for example, Canada’s Billy Gooderham was injured when he was hit by a wall of water, shattering his crash helmet and causing him to be rushed to hospital. Thankfully, X-rays later revealed that nothing had been broken.

Denmark, helmed by Nicolai Sehested, nearly capsized during practice ahead of the second race day in New Zealand on January 19 (Felix Diemer for SailGP)

Who is behind SailGP?

American billionaire Larry Ellison made his fortune helping build Oracle Corporation into one of the world’s most successful software businesses. Over the decades, Ellison — fourth on Forbes’ ‘Real Time Billionaires List’ — has spent a good part of his wealth on various forms of sailboat racing.

From a near-death experience in the 600-mile Sydney Hobart Race in Australia to twice winning the America’s Cup, the world’s oldest international sporting competition, Ellison’s passion for sailing has been one of enduring enthusiasm.

New Zealand’s Russell Coutts, one of the most successful competitive sailors of all time, masterminded those two America’s Cup victories for Ellison (in Valencia, Spain, in 2010 and San Francisco three years later).

Having lost the America’s Cup in 2017, however, Coutts and Ellison turned their minds to an idea they had been kicking around for years: would it be possible to create a sailboat racing circuit that was truly commercially viable and capable of being self-sustaining without large cash injections from privately wealthy individuals?

Just over a year later, in late 2018, Coutts unveiled his grand plan — SailGP was born.

How similar (and different) is SailGP to F1?

SailGP shares some similarities with Formula 1, the pinnacle of professional motor racing.

Coutts makes no secret of his desire to emulate the commercial success of F1, to the point where he has even thrown out the traditional language of sailing. Crew members are called ‘athletes’ not sailors, the skippers are ‘drivers’ and boat speeds are measured not in nautical knots or even in miles per hour but in kilometres per hour (partly because you sometimes see them exceed that nice round number of 100km/h).

The fleet leaves the start during SailGP Auckland on January 19 (Phil Walter/Getty Images)

Whereas in F1 there are constructors’ and drivers’ championships, in SailGP there is only one title at stake. In SailGP, winning the start is important, but there is no pole position as in F1. All 12 teams are jostling for the best position on the start line until the gun fires, with the aim being to be flying above the water at full speed as the front of your F50 crosses the start line right on the ‘B’ of that bang.

Judging time and distance at high speed is no easy job — hit the start line too soon and the umpires will message to slow down until the rest of the fleet have gone past you. Some teams prefer to get in position early, although this means they have limited space and opportunity to get up to full speed before the gun fires. Others like to sit off and make a timed run towards the line from a long way back.

In F1, data is king and is guarded from rival teams. In SailGP, all the race data is shared centrally, the aim being to keep the gap between the front and the back of the fleet as short as possible. Immediately after a race weekend, you can bet other crews will be poring over all that data for the smallest clues of how to improve performance.

Both F1 and SailGP place strong limits on practice time.

For SailGP, a big reason for this is because the teams’ equipment spends so much time traversing the globe in a stack of 40ft shipping containers. But it’s also to keep a limit on costs, though the lack of practice time does make it challenging for the less-experienced crews to close the performance gap on the veteran teams from Australia, Great Britain and New Zealand.

The vagaries of the wind

The race course is never the same twice in a wind-powered sport such as SailGP. There could be a mild breeze, a storm, or sometimes no wind at all.

To adapt to various weather conditions, much like having different tires for different race conditions in F1, the F50 catamarans are equipped with three different wing sizes — 18m (59ft), 24m, and 29m — as well as interchangeable sizes of hydrofoils and rudders (the latter are used for steering).

Team Great Britain and Team New Zealand compete during SailGP Sydney on February 9 (Matt King/Getty Images)

The smallest wing is used in strong winds to maintain control, the largest gets deployed in light winds to maximize power, and the middle-sized one serves as an all-purpose option. Similarly, the size of the hydrofoils and rudders varies according to changes in the wind strength.

The size of wing teams must use in a race is decided by the race organizers and all teams must use the same ones. In lighter winds, the F50 relies on the biggest set of foils to generate the lift to break clear of the water’s surface and get up and foiling. In stronger winds, getting on the foils is much easier and the smaller set of hydrofoils creates less drag in the sea, resulting in the highest speeds.

The crew: Who does what on board?

Success in the F50s requires not only physical strength but split-second decision-making and constant communication too. Each individual’s role is vital to a team’s success.

Helmed by Martine Grael on race day 1, Brazil competes in Australia on February 8 (Felix Diemer for SailGP)

The best crews are a tight-knit bunch who implicitly understand the needs of their teammates with only minimal communication. It’s vital that everyone is in tune with the boat’s pre-agreed set moves.

There are usually six athletes on board each F50 — a strategist, a driver, a wing trimmer, a flight controller and two grinders.

• Grinders: The engine room. Their job is to generate power for the wing trimmer to adjust the wing in and out as the wind varies.
• Wing trimmer: Constantly adjusts the wing sail for maximum speed.
• Flight controller: Manages the ride height of the boat above the water, aiming to avoid any costly nosedives or crashes.
• Strategist: Reads the ever-changing wind, making tactical decisions either to attack or defend.
• Driver: The figurehead and a team’s highest earner, steering and making the final decisions about positioning.

In light winds, race organizers might instruct teams to drop to as few as four people to make the F50s lighter. When this happens, the teams are in charge of deciding who they keep on board.

As with other forms of professional sport, the salaries can vary enormously from team to team. For many of the athletes, the prize money — across this season there is a $12.8million (£10m) prize pool up for grabs — often outweighs their basic salary, which tends to be around $50,000 per season.

How does the championship format work?

Success depends on consistency. The aim is to score well enough from the five fleet races across a weekend to earn a place in the top three who progress to the winner-takes-all final race.

Switzerland, helmed by Sebastien Schneiter, in Auckland on January 19 (Ricardo Pinto for SailGP)

Going from the more conservative points-accumulation parts of the weekend to that 10-minute sudden-death final race demands a complete switch of mindset. Some sailors are more naturally suited to a cautious, patient approach, whereas others throw caution to the wind. Neither approach is right or wrong, it’s a matter of applying the mindset that best matches the moment.

At the season finale, the three top-performing teams from across the season face off in a single, winner-takes-all showdown for the title and a $2million prize. A team can be dominant all season yet lose in the grand final — which is exactly what we saw last season in San Francisco, with Australia toppled from the top of the leaderboard as Spain swooped in to take the championship in a masterfully executed smash-and-grab.

How do you win a race?

Each race lasts a maximum of 16 minutes. The fleet launch out of a timed start and accelerate to speeds close to 100kmh as they converge on Mark 1.

Getting around Mark 1 first brings a huge advantage, so there’s enormous emphasis on winning the launch out of the start. Then, the fleet turn downwind towards the bottom of the course for a fast and furious two laps before a high-speed finish, usually positioned to give spectators on shore a grandstand view as the F50s blast across the finish line.

There are three key strategies to winning a race: finding more wind to sail your boat faster through the water, using superior techniques to travel quicker in conditions that are the same for everybody, and identifying wind shifts and angles to navigate a shorter distance around the course.

Sailing is totally powered by nature. You have to zig-zag your way around the course, searching for the best breeze and steering at the optimal angle to the wind.

Wind: the invisible power source

How do sailors see wind? It creates ripples on the surface of the water, giving clues as to where the strongest gusts are likely to be. Spotting wind shifts is even trickier — you have to look at how gusts move along the course. The shape and movement of these gusts become second nature to experienced sailors.

There’s a lot to take in at once — reading the subtleties of the wind, as well as the current on the water in tidal venues such as San Francisco — which is why SailGP attracts the best sailors in the world, many of them Olympic gold medallists and world champions from other branches of professional sailing.

Who are the teams to watch?

Australia, skippered by Tom Slingsby, are an ever-present threat. The Flying Roos won the first three seasons of SailGP before being beaten to the punch last year by Spain in the final race. Past seasons have seen New Zealand showing strong form, but the Kiwis — headed up by three-time America’s Cup winner Pete Burling — are struggling in mid-pack so far this year.

Leading the standings after the first three events are the Brits, with new driver Dylan Fletcher on an impressive learning curve in his first season at the helm of Emirates GBR. On the other hand, the United States are struggling in 11th. Taylor Canfield’s crew will be looking to turn their season around at the forthcoming events on home waters, in Los Angeles this weekend, then San Francisco on March 22-23.

Britain celebrate victory on race day 2 in Sydney in February (Andy Cheung/Getty Images)

What does the remaining 2025 calendar look like?

Los Angeles, U.S.: March 15-16

San Francisco, U.S.: March 22-23

Rio de Janeiro, Brazil: May 3-4

New York, U.S.: June 7-8

Portsmouth, UK: July 19-20

Sassnitz, Germany: August 16-17

Saint-Tropez, France: September 12-13

Geneva, Switzerland: September 20-21

Andalucia-Cadiz, Spain: October 4-5

Abu Dhabi: November 29-30

I’m convinced. How do I watch?

You can watch SailGP live or catch highlights on broadcast partners around the world, as well as through the official SailGP app and social media channels. In the United States, racing is live on CBS Sports, and in the UK, you’ll find it on TNT Sports.

(Top photo: SailGP; design: Demetrius Robinson)

Welcome to Lit Trivia, the Book Review’s regular quiz about books, authors and literary culture. This week’s installment tests your knowledge of long-running squabbles between writers (all of whom happen to be dead, so no one can jump in with the last word). In the five multiple-choice questions below, tap or click on the answer you think is correct. After the last question, you’ll find links to popular works by those authors if you’d like to do some further reading.

It’s time for another round of the tested, trusted, completely objective, never-been-questioned, all-math, no-bias MLB franchise rankings.

First, a change: Rather than span the Wild-Card Era (1995 to present) as we have done previously, the franchise rankings will henceforth cover the past 25 years, a floating time frame that feels right to start this year — 25 for ’25. The scoring system we borrowed years ago from football writer Bob Sturm and tweaked to fit baseball postseason structure has not changed since last year’s edition.

Winning the World Series (WS): 9 points
Losing in the World Series (WSL): 6 points
Losing in the Championship Series (CS): 3 points
Losing in Division Series (DS): 2 points
Losing in Wild-Card Round (WC): 1 point

The scoring system also incentivizes division titles (+1 point) and penalizes prolonged losing cycles, docking teams (-1 point) each time they lose at least 90 games in consecutive seasons. Add up the point totals from 2000 to 2024 and you have the franchise rankings. It’s just simple math.

In the past, some readers have asked to inject a recency bias into the scoring system — to calculate, say, the 2024 World Series as more valuable than the 2014 or 2004 titles. But no! This exercise aims to measure sustained success (and ineptitude) over a 25-year period. Below, we have included each team’s point total and ranking from the past decade.

Tiebreaker order: World Series wins, World Series losses, Championship Series appearances, Division Series appearances, division titles

League American National

Division Central East West

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New time frame or not, the Pirates are still in the negative. Pittsburgh has been to the playoffs just three times since 1992, and advanced to the Division Series only once. It remains a tough time to be a Bucco fan. We don’t need to belabor that point. With Paul Skenes, Jared Jones, Mitch Keller and prospect Bubba Chandler, the Pirates’ rotation could keep them competitive in 2025. But a playoff run would require a series of breakouts and bouncebacks in a lineup that underwhelms on paper. This offseason, the Pirates brought back Andrew McCutchen and Adam Frazier, signed Tommy Pham and traded for now-injured Spencer Horwitz. Fans had hoped for far more than that.

Total playoff years: 13DS, 14WC, 15WC

Consecutive 90-loss seasons

8

Last decade: 0 points (MLB rank: t-26th)

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Average: -.16 points per season

The Orioles have gained ground with postseason appearances in the last two years, but they’re still at the back of the pack over this 25-year span. Our scoring system is not kind to teams that rebuild — or accidentally stink for a long time? — and only one team (Kansas City) has had more consecutive 90-loss seasons since 2000 than the Orioles. But the Orioles are in a competitive mode now, with young talent up and down their lineup, from Gunnar Henderson to Adley Rutschman, Jackson Holliday, Jordan Westburg and 2024 AL Rookie of the Year runner-up Colton Cowser. The rotation is without an ace like Corbin Burnes, but there’s real talent there, and the bullpen should be exceptional.

Total playoff years: 12DS, 14CS, 16WC, 23DS, 24WC

Consecutive 90-loss seasons

8

Last decade: 4 points (MLB rank: t-20th)

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Average: .12 points per season

Step aside, Buccos. Cincinnati is the only team with a negative point total (-2) over the past 10 years. But because the scope of this ranking is wider than a decade, the Reds will mostly escape ridicule here. If a genie granted Reds president of baseball operations Nick Krall one wish, he would probably inquire whether it was too much to ask for a full season of perfect health for this Reds roster. (It is.) Otherworldly numbers from Elly De La Cruz will only take a team so far if Matt McLain, Hunter Greene, TJ Friedl, Nick Lodolo and Jeimer Candelario are all hurt. For now, though, it’s a (mostly) healthy and intriguing roster.

Total playoff years: 10DS, 12DS, 13WC, 20WC

Consecutive 90-loss seasons

3

Last decade: -2 points (MLB rank: 30th)

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Shifting our time frame to cover just the past 25 years eliminated two mid-1990s Mariners postseason trips included in previous rankings. Two more playoff appearances (ALCS runs in 2000 and 2001) will fall outside the 25-year window soon. So, Seattle could backslide further in this list in the next couple years. The primary reason for hope this season is that this rotation is still together. The team has made moves designed to marginally improve the lineup — adding Randy Arozarena, Victor Robles, Donovan Solano and re-signing Jorge Polanco — but after a no-splash offseason, the Mariners seem to be banking mostly upon positive regression from in-house options.

Total playoff years: 00CS, 01CS, 22DS

Consecutive 90-loss seasons

2

Last decade: 2 points (MLB rank: t-22nd)

The Rockies’ miracle run to the 2007 World Series decides our first tiebreaker decision, placing them over the Mariners (still waiting on that first World Series appearance). But Colorado is moving backward lately. Having lost 94, 103 and 101 games the past three seasons, the deductions are racking up. The Rockies are not expected to be much better in 2025, though Ezequiel Tovar, Brenton Doyle and Ryan McMahon offer quality at the top of the lineup. If nothing else, it’ll be worth tracking the progress of top-100 prospects Charlie Condon (the No. 3 pick in the 2024 draft) and Chase Dollander (the No. 9 pick in the 2023 draft) this season.

Total playoff years: 07WSL, 09DS, 17WC, 18DS

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Consecutive 90-loss seasons

4

Last decade: 0 points (MLB rank: t-26th)

The lowest-ranked franchise on this list to have won a World Series in the past 25 years, the Marlins are a marvel. Since that 2003 title, Miami has turned in losing seasons in 15 of 21 years and made the playoffs just twice — once because of the 2020 expanded playoff field. Coming off a 100-loss season, the Marlins roster has worsened this offseason, having traded Jesús Luzardo and Jake Burger and added virtually no one. The lineup will likely be dreadful. But Cy Young Award winner Sandy Alcantara is healthy again, Eury Pérez is progressing in his Tommy John recovery, and the Marlins have two top-100 pitching prospects in Thomas White and Noble Meyer. The Fish have arms, at least.

Total playoff years: 03WS, 20DS, 23WC

Consecutive 90-loss seasons

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4

Last decade: 1 point (MLB rank: 25th)

The Padres’ past quarter-decade has featured only one NLCS, but, boy, they sure had the smell of a World Series team in the 2024 postseason. Unfortunately for the Friars and their fans, the Dodgers exist, escaped the 2024 NLDS and are now stronger than ever. San Diego has had a relatively quiet offseason on the transaction front (not so much at the ownership level). But the top half of the lineup should be potent, the rotation has real arms and the bullpen, even after losing Tanner Scott in free agency, should be strong again. Even so, that little problem lingers: The Padres somehow still have to get past the Dodgers.

Total playoff years: 05DS, 06DS, 20DS, 22CS, 24DS

Consecutive 90-loss seasons

4

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Last decade: 4 points (MLB rank: t-20th)

Kansas City ranked 29th on last year’s list, but bumping the starting point from 1995 to 2000 didn’t hurt the Royals the way it did the teams now below them. The Royals hold the distinction of most consecutive 90-loss seasons in the past 25 years, with nine. They’ve made good use of their three playoff trips, reaching two World Series and winning one. The Royals project to make further progress in the years ahead. Bobby Witt Jr. is one of the best players in baseball. The rotation has Cole Ragan’s top-tier stuff and the experience of Seth Lugo, Michael Wacha and Michael Lorenzen. The bullpen has added Hunter Harvey, Lucas Erceg and Carlos Estévez since July. The arrow is pointing up.

Total playoff years: 14WSL, 15WS, 24DS

Consecutive 90-loss seasons

9

Last decade: 10 points (MLB rank: t-14th)

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The good news is the Blue Jays are one of just six franchises that have not recorded any consecutive 90-loss seasons since 2000. The bad news? The other five teams — Dodgers, Yankees, Red Sox, Cardinals and Angels (yes, Angels) — are all ranked in the top 10. The Blue Jays are in the bottom 10 primarily due to their postseason drought that stretched from 1994 to 2015. Toronto has squeezed five playoff appearances into the past decade; the last three have been wild-card sweeps. Given the state of the AL East, the Blue Jays face another uphill climb this season, which could be Vladimir Guerrero Jr.’s last hurrah in Toronto. The Blue Jays made interesting additions this offseason, from Anthony Santander and Andrés Giménez to Jeff Hoffman and Max Scherzer, but none were the big swing for which fans had clamored.

Total playoff years: 15CS, 16CS, 20WC, 22WC, 23WC

Consecutive 90-loss seasons

0

Last decade: 10 points (MLB rank: t-14th)

Twenty-five years ago, the Nationals were still the Montreal Expos. If you erase the Expos years from our timeline, the Nats would have 16 total points and win a tiebreaker against the Brewers. Go ahead and tell your friends about that little loophole to get the Nationals in the top 20. Washington has been rotten since winning the 2019 World Series, which ended an eight-year run of competitiveness. The Nats are longshots to contend in the NL East in 2025. For now, the franchise is treading water. But with several young potential stars — James Wood, CJ Abrams, Dylan Crews — on the rise, the future appears bright.

Total playoff years: 12DS, 14DS, 16DS, 17DS, 19WS

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Consecutive 90-loss seasons

7

Last decade: 12 points (MLB rank: t-11th)

This feels low, right? The Brewers have reached the playoffs in six of the past seven years (and were 86-76 the year they missed out). They’ve lost 90 games only once since 2004. But this is where the Brewers land because of early postseason exits — four of their past five playoff runs have ended in the Wild Card — and because they were pretty awful in the early 2000s. The team should be right back in the thick of the NL Central race this season. Their lineup, led by Jackson Chourio and William Contreras, has power and a penchant for running wild; their rotation is solid; and their bullpen, even without new Yankees closer Devin Williams, will continue to baffle batters.

Total playoff years: 08DS, 11CS, 18CS, 19WC, 20WC, 21DS, 23WC, 24WC

Consecutive 90-loss seasons

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3

Last decade: 13 points (MLB rank: 13th)

The White Sox won’t finish last in everything this year, folks. Chicago set Major League Baseball’s modern loss record last season, losing 121 games to “beat” the expansion 1962 New York Mets. There’s really no reason to expect the White Sox will be better this season. They probably will be, though, given how hard it is to lose 121 times in 162 tries. The White Sox traded ace Garrett Crochet. They have not traded Luis Robert Jr. — not yet, anyway. But they’re still sitting in a decent spot in the franchise rankings. Because the 2005 White Sox were a wagon in October. And because flags fly forever.

Total playoff years: 00DS, 05WS, 08DS, 20WC, 21DS

Consecutive 90-loss seasons

2

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Last decade: 2 points (MLB rank: t-22nd)

Fresh off spending their first October at home since 2018, Tampa has stocked up since last July in the most Raysian ways. They accepted reality and sold at the trade deadline, swapping veterans Jason Adam, Zach Eflin, Randy Arozarena and Isaac Paredes for 12 players, including several prospects now in the organization’s top 20. This offseason, the Rays signed quality catcher Danny Jansen, landed a short-term deal with injured shortstop Ha-Seong Kim and took a flier on Eloy Jiménez. With the rotation much healthier now, the Rays are again positioned for a playoff run — and potentially to push higher up these rankings.

Total playoff years: 08WSL, 10DS, 11DS, 13DS, 19DS, 20WSL, 21DS, 22WC, 23WC

Consecutive 90-loss seasons

8

Last decade: 14 points (MLB rank: t-8th)

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The Tigers ended a decade-long postseason drought in style last year with a surprise second-half surge. Detroit was nine games under .500 in early July, sold at the trade deadline and was still .500 as late as Sept. 7. But the Tigers streaked into the playoffs and swept the Astros in the Wild Card Series before nearly closing out the Guardians in the Division Series. They added moderately this offseason, signing Gleyber Torres, Jack Flaherty and Tommy Kahnle and Alex Cobb. The roster still does not scream championship contender, but with reigning Cy Young winner Tarik Skubal and with more top-100 prospects (seven) than any other team, the Tigers certainly are capable of making noise again this season.

Total playoff years: 06WSL, 11CS, 12WSL, 13CS, 14DS, 24DS

Consecutive 90-loss seasons

6

Last decade: 0 points (MLB rank: t-26th)

Here come the big, bad Metropolitans. This franchise was something of a Cinderella story last season (though this Cinderella had the highest payroll in the land), clinching a playoff spot in a bonus-day doubleheader and then charging into the NLCS. It was their first time advancing in the postseason since 2015. And now the Mets have Juan Soto. Along with bringing back Pete Alonso, Sean Manaea, Ryne Stanek and Jesse Winker, New York traded for Jose Siri and signed Clay Holmes, Frankie Montas and A.J. Minter, among others, in free agency. There was a lot of work to be done this winter. It got done.

Total playoff years: 00WSL, 06CS, 15WSL, 16WC, 22WC, 24CS

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Consecutive 90-loss seasons

1

Last decade: 12 points (MLB rank: t-11th)

These are tough times for Athletics fans, as the rebuilding franchise leaves Oakland for a short-term stay in Sacramento. Over the past 25 years, though, there was a fair share of success, as the A’s reached the playoffs 11 times. They only reached the ALCS once (they were swept by the Tigers in 2006), however, and they haven’t won a game that deep into the playoffs since 1992. The A’s don’t project to be playoff-bound this season, though with the offseason additions of Luis Severino, Jeffrey Springs and Jose Leclerc they certainly are capable of breaking their streak of three consecutive 90-loss seasons.

Total playoff years: 00DS, 01DS, 02DS, 03DS, 06CS, 12DS, 13DS, 14WC, 18WC, 19WC, 20DS

Consecutive 90-loss seasons

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3

Last decade: 2 points (MLB rank: t-22nd)

It took the fifth tiebreaker (division titles) to distinguish between the Twins and A’s. Neither reached a World Series since 2000; each had one Championship Series loss, seven Division Series losses and two Wild-Card losses. That’s a lot of bites at the apple, as the saying goes, and a lot of disappointing exits. The Twins have been to the playoffs 10 times in the past 25 years, but the last nine times, they have not advanced beyond the ALDS. The Twins are still a talented bunch, but they have not substantively added to the roster in the past two offseasons. The plan is, for the most part, to run it back in 2025.

Total playoff years: 02CS, 03DS, 04DS, 06DS, 09DS, 10DS, 17WC, 19DS, 20WC, 23DS

Consecutive 90-loss seasons

4

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Last decade: 9 points (MLB rank: 17th)

The Cubs haven’t won a postseason game since 2017, but a World Series ring and a couple NLCS appearances in the past 25 years are good enough for a top-half finish here. This is a crucial year for the Cubbies. If this is their only year with Kyle Tucker, they’d better make it count. They added a handful of free agents this offseason — notably Matthew Boyd, Caleb Thielbar, Justin Turner, Jon Berti, Carson Kelly and Colin Rea — but did most of their work in the trade market, acquiring Tucker, Ryan Pressly and Ryan Brazier. The Cubs still project as a fringe Wild-Card team this season, but it’s not hard to fathom them making a run at Milwaukee atop the NL Central.

Total playoff years: 03CS, 07DS, 08DS, 15CS, 16WS, 17CS, 18WC, 20WC

Consecutive 90-loss seasons

3

Last decade: 20 points (MLB rank: 6th)

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The Diamondbacks have a tiebreaker over the Cubs, having appeared in two World Series since 2000. Arizona had the top run-scoring offense in the majors last season, but the pitching staff badly underperformed and the Diamondbacks were eliminated from playoff contention on the last day of the regular season. They upgraded their rotation with authority this winter, adding ace Corbin Burnes on a six-year contract. The D-Backs replaced departed free agent Christian Walker with Josh Naylor. They exercised Eugenio Suárez’s option and re-signed Randal Grichuk. There may be a dip in offensive production in 2025, but a markedly improved pitching staff could make up for that.

Total playoff years: 01WS, 02DS, 07CS, 11DS, 17DS, 23WSL

Consecutive 90-loss seasons

1

Last decade: 8 points (MLB rank: 18th)

Whittling our time frame to the past 25 years knocks out Cleveland’s great late-1990s run — two World Series appearances, an ALCS exit and two in the ALDS — but the Guardians are still knocking on the door of our top 10. In the past decade, the Guardians have the fifth-most points from our scoring system, behind only the Dodgers, Astros, Braves and Yankees. Cleveland operates with a much more small-market mindset than those four but has managed to sustain success. It is, however, the highest-ranked team in our list without a World Series title in this 25-year window. This winter, the Guardians re-signed the rehabbing Shane Bieber and brought back Carlos Santana to replace Josh Naylor at first base.

Total playoff years: 01DS, 07CS, 13WC, 16WSL, 17DS, 18DS, 20WC, 22DS, 24CS

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Consecutive 90-loss seasons

1

Last decade: 21 points (MLB rank: 5th)

The Rangers disappointed last season coming off their 2023 championship, but three World Series appearances in the past 15 seasons squeak them into the top 10 via a tiebreaker advantage over the Guardians. No other top-10 franchise has had as few playoff seasons since 2000 as Texas (six); the Rangers have made those chances count. The 2025 Rangers’ results will hinge upon health and a return to career norms for a number of regulars. Joc Pederson and Jake Burger bring more thunder to the lineup. Nathan Eovaldi is back, and the bullpen has been rebuilt. “Healthy Jacob deGrom” is one of the most enticing (and fleeting) thoughts one can conjure. The Rangers have stars and young studs, but with so much injury risk baked into this roster, just hold your breath.

Total playoff years: 10WSL, 11WSL, 12WC, 15DS, 16DS, 23WS

Consecutive 90-loss seasons

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2

Last decade: 14 points (MLB rank: t-8th)

That’s right! The Angels! The 2000s are doing almost all the lifting for this franchise, which is remarkable when you consider that the 2010s and 2020s were when they employed Albert Pujols, Mike Trout and Shohei Ohtani. Despite their current standing as the butt of many baseball jokes, the Angels have not had a single instance of back-to-back 90-loss seasons in the past 25 years. Yet. After avoiding that distinction as narrowly as possible in recent years, losing 89 games in 2022 and 2023, they lost 99 last season. Can the 2025 Angels avoid losing 90? Adding veterans such as Yusei Kikuchi, Kenley Jansen, Yoán Moncada, Travis d’Arnaud and Jorge Soler should help, but without Anthony Rendon and with Trout’s health always in question, the Angels still look like a team stuck in the murky middle.

Total playoff years: 02WS, 04DS, 05CS, 07DS, 08DS, 09CS, 14DS

Consecutive 90-loss seasons

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Last decade: 0 points (MLB rank: t-26th)

The 2024 Phillies snatched the franchise’s first division title since 2011 — the tail end of their five-year reign that included two World Series appearances — but exited the postseason in the NLDS, a year after exiting in the NLCS, a year after reaching the World Series. So, yeah, getting stomped by the Mets was a downer. The Phillies did not set out to make a splash this offseason, but smart adds of Jesús Luzardo, Jordan Romano and Max Kepler could pay dividends. Navigating an NL East with three teams jockeying for playoff positioning will be hard enough. For Philadelphia, the real test awaits in October.

Total playoff years: 07DS, 08WS, 09WSL, 10CS, 11DS, 22WSL, 23CS, 24DS

Consecutive 90-loss seasons

2

Last decade: 10 points (MLB rank: t-14th)

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The Giants haven’t advanced past the NLCS since 2014, but winning three World Series rings in the past 25 years is a sure way to rack up points. This Giants roster, now under the command of franchise legend Buster Posey, should be better this season with Willy Adames at shortstop, Jung Hoo Lee healthy and Justin Verlander rounding out the rotation. But in the grand scheme of the NL West, it’s still hard to feel great about the Giants compared to the Dodgers, Diamondbacks and Padres. San Francisco has averaged 80 wins the past three seasons. Given the division context, the team still feels rather 80-win-ish these days.

Total playoff years: 00DS, 02WSL, 03DS, 10WS, 12WS, 14WS, 16DS, 21DS

Consecutive 90-loss seasons

1

Last decade: 5 points (MLB rank: 19th)

The Braves may have been the biggest loser in our timeframe switch this season, dropping four spots when we cut out their 1995-99 playoff runs. Still, making the playoffs in 16 of the past 25 years is pretty impressive. The Braves have reached the postseason for seven consecutive Octobers, though they’ve advanced beyond the NLDS just twice (2020 and 2021). Atlanta lost a lot of talented ballplayers this offseason — Max Fried, Charlie Morton, Travis d’Arnaud, a couple relievers. They addressed left field by signing Jurickson Profar. If Ronald Acuña Jr., Spencer Strider and Chris Sale are healthy for most of the 2025 season, this team’s ceiling remains remarkably high.

Total playoff years: 00DS, 01CS, 02DS, 03DS, 04DS, 05DS, 10DS, 12WC, 13DS, 18DS, 19DS, 20CS, 21WS, 22DS, 23DS, 24WC

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Consecutive 90-loss seasons

2

Last decade: 25 points (MLB rank: 3rd)

The Astros didn’t just lose a third baseman to the Red Sox this winter. They also lost a franchise-ranking tiebreaker! Talk about a double whammy. Houston has accrued the second-most points of any team in the past decade, just four points behind the Dodgers. But the 2025 Astros are missing many familiar faces. Alex Bregman is a Red Sox. Kyle Tucker and Ryan Pressly are Cubs. Justin Verlander is a Giant. Yusei Kikuchi is an Angel. The Astros brought in Christian Walker, Isaac Paredes and Hayden Wesneski. They still might win a wide-open AL West. But it’s going to be strange seeing Jose Altuve play left field as many of his fellow World Series-winning former teammates are now scattered across the league.

Total playoff years: 01DS, 04CS, 05WSL, 15DS, 17WS, 18CS, 19WSL, 20CS, 21WSL, 22WS, 23CS, 24WC

Consecutive 90-loss seasons

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3

Last decade: 49 points (MLB rank: 2nd)

Not sure if any of you had heard of this franchise until Netflix rolled out a couple recent documentaries, but the reason these Red Sox are perched up so high in our rankings is the rings. ’04. ’07. ’13. ’18. Boston hasn’t won the AL East since 2018, and they’re not favorites to do so in 2025, but their moves this winter warranted attention. The Red Sox added a few starters (Garrett Crochet, Walker Buehler and Patrick Sandoval) and two lefty relievers (Aroldis Chapman and Justin Wilson), then took a big swing in mid-February, signing third baseman Alex Bregman away from the Astros on a short-term deal.

Total playoff years: 03CS, 04WS, 05DS, 07WS, 08CS, 09DS, 13WS, 16DS, 17DS, 18WS, 21CS

Consecutive 90-loss seasons

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Last decade: 19 points (MLB rank: 7th)

The Cardinals have reached the playoffs in 16 of the past 25 years and advanced to at least the NLCS 10 times. But it’s been a bummer lately. The Cards were a Wild Card loser in 2020, 2021 and 2022, and they missed the playoffs entirely the past two seasons. This season is unlikely to be fruitful. St. Louis did not orchestrate a sell-off, exactly, though it was in trade talks about Nolan Arenado and Ryan Helsley. The Cardinals’ timeline for a return to World Series contention is not entirely clear, as the front office begins its transition out of the John Mozeliak era. For now, we’ll see whether they improve running it back with mostly the same roster as last season.

Total playoff years: 00CS, 01DS, 02CS, 04WSL, 05CS, 06WS, 09DS, 11WS, 12CS, 13WSL, 14CS, 15DS, 19CS, 20WC, 21WC, 22WC

Consecutive 90-loss seasons

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Last decade: 11 points (MLB rank: 13th)

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The Dodgers are the best team of the past decade by our scoring system, as their 53 points in that time are double the total of any team not named the Astros (49 points). A World Series win over the Yankees pulled Los Angeles within striking distance of our No. 1. Did they stop there? They did not! In fact, evaluators consider them the league’s most-improved team this spring. The Dodgers continue to spend (and defer) enormous sums of money. Coming off a championship, they’ve re-signed Teoscar Hernández, Clayton Kershaw, Blake Treinen and Kiké Hernández and bolstered the roster by signing Blake Snell, Roki Sasaki, Tanner Scott, Kirby Yates, Michael Conforto and Hyeseong Kim. It’s overwhelming.

Total playoff years: 04DS, 06DS, 08CS, 09CS, 13CS, 14DS, 15DS, 16CS, 17WSL, 18WSL, 19DS, 20WS, 21CS, 22DS, 23DS, 24WS

Consecutive 90-loss seasons

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Last decade: 53 points (MLB rank: 1st)

New time frame, same champion. When these rankings still spanned the Wild-Card Era (1995 to present), the Yankees were miles ahead. Now that we’re only looking at the past 25 years, the Dodgers are closing fast. The Yankees’ 2000 World Series title will fall outside our window for next year’s ranking, so the franchise that collects more points this season will be our No. 1. Frustrated as fans have been by the Yankees over the past decade — last fall, they reached their first World Series since 2009 — the team has made the postseason in 20 of the 25 years in our exercise, four times more than any other franchise. This offseason, the Yankees lost a star, Juan Soto, and a number of contributors. They added a big-time starter (Max Fried), a closer (Devin Williams) and two former MVPs (Cody Bellinger and Paul Goldschmidt). The road is not easy in the AL East, but the Yankees, led by Aaron Judge and Gerrit Cole, remain formidable.

Total playoff years: 00WS, 01WSL, 02DS, 03WSL, 04CS, 05DS, 06DS, 07DS, 09WS, 10CS, 11DS, 12CS, 15WC, 17CS, 18DS, 19CS, 20DS, 21WC, 22CS, 24WSL

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Consecutive 90-loss seasons

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Last decade: 24 points (MLB rank: 4th)

(Top illustration: Will Tullos / The Athletic; Photos: Scott Taetsch, Ric Tapia, Lachlan Cunningham, Nick Cammett / Getty Images)