How Many World Series Have the Yankees Lost?

The Yankees have only lost the World Series nine times out of their 40 appearances. Check out this blog post to see how they’ve fared against the competition.

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1903-1919: The Boston Red Sox Win the First Five World Series

From 1903 to 1919, the Boston Red Sox were the dominant team in baseball, winning five World Series titles. During that time, the New York Yankees were an also-ran, failing to make the playoffs in all but one season.

1903: The Boston Americans (now the Red Sox) win the first modern World Series

In 1903, the upstart Boston Americans faced the heavily favored Pittsburgh Pirates in the first modern World Series. The Americans had finished the regular season five games behind the Pirates, but they won the best-of-nine Fall Classic in eight games. Boston went on to win three more World Series titles in the next four years, solidifying their reputation as one of baseball’s most successful early franchises.

1912: The Boston Red Sox win their second World Series

The 1912 World Series featured the Boston Red Sox, who had defeated the New York Giants in the 1911 World Series, and the New York Yankees. The Red Sox were favored to win this series as they had one of the best pitchers of that era, Babe Ruth. The team’s manager was Jake Stahl and the Yankees’ manager was Frank Chance.

The first game was played at Fenway Park on October 8th. The game went into extra innings and ended with the Red Sox winning 3-2. The second game was also played at Fenway Park on October 9th and also ended with the Red Sox winning, this time by a score of 7-3. With two wins in Boston, theRed Sox headed to New York for games three and four confident they could win their second consecutive World Series title.

The third game was played at Polo Grounds on October 10th. This time, it was the Yankees who won, by a score of 4-2. Game four was also played at Polo Grounds on October 11th and resulted in another Yankees victory, 3-2. Now that the series was tied at two games apiece, it headed back to Boston for the final two games.

The fifth game took place on October 12th at Fenway Park and once again, it was the Red Sox who won, this time by a score of 3-2. With one more win needed to take home the title, both teams headed back to New York for what would be a decisive seventh game.

Game seven was played on October 13th at Polo Grounds in front of a record crowd of 40,000 people. The Yankees took an early lead but by the end of the sixth inning, the score was tied 5-5. In what would be one of most famous moments in baseball history, pitcher Babe Ruth – who had earlier given up a crucial home run – hit a solo home run in bottom of the ninth inning to give the Yankees a 6-5 victory and their first ever World Series title.

1920-1939: The Yankees Win Their First Three World Series

The New York Yankees first World Series appearance was in 1921, where they faced off against the New York Giants. The Yankees lost that series, but they came back stronger than ever and won the next three World Series. They would go on to win another five World Series in the following years.

1923: The New York Yankees win their first World Series

The New York Yankees win their first World Series in 1923, defeating the New York Giants in six games. Babe Ruth, who had been traded to the Yankees from the Boston Red Sox two years earlier, hits three home runs in Game 4, helping his new team to victory. The Yankees would go on to win two more championships in the next three years, becoming the first team to win three consecutive World Series titles.

1927: The Yankees win their second World Series

In 1927, the Yankees won their second World Series, defeating the Pittsburgh Pirates in four games. Theseries featured some of the greatest players of the era, including Babe Ruth, Lou Gehrig, and Tony Lazzeri. It was also the first World Series to be played entirely in daylight.

1940-1949: The Yankees Win Five More World Series

The Yankees won the World Series in 1940, 1941, 1943, 1947, and 1949. They lost the World Series in 1942, 1944, and 1946. In total, the Yankees have won 27 World Series and lost 13.

1941: The Yankees win their third World Series

The 1941 World Series featured the New York Yankees and the Brooklyn Dodgers, with the Yankees winning in five games for their third championship in four years, and their tenth overall. The name “Subway Series” arose for this World Series, as both teams were based in New York City and could be reached via subway.

The Yankees benefited from a dramatic home run by Ruth that helped them to win Game One, and from a great pitching effort by Red Ruffing in Game Two. After splitting the next two games in Brooklyn, the Yankees won Game Five thanks to another pitching performance, this time by Lefty Gomez.

1943: The Yankees win their fourth World Series

The Yankees won their fourth World Series in 1943. They defeated the St. Louis Cardinals in five games. It was the first time the Yankees had won the World Series since 1941.

1950-1959: The Yankees Win Three More World Series

After losing the World Series in 1947, the Yankees came back in a big way, winning three consecutive championships from 1949 to 1951. They would go on to lose the World Series in 1952, but they would win it again in 1953. The Yankees lost the World Series in 1954 and 1955, but they won it again in 1956.

1950: The Yankees win their fifth World Series

Led by newly-acquired All-Star outfielder Yogi Berra and ace pitcher Whitey Ford, the New York Yankees win their fifth consecutive World Series championship in 1950, defeating the Philadelphia Phillies 4 games to 0. It is the Yankees’ 16th overall World Series title.

1951: The Yankees win their sixth World Series

The Yankees success continued into the 1950s as they won the World Series in 1951, 1952, and 1953. They then won again in 1956 and 1957, making it eight World Series wins in a row. Finally, they won in 1958 to make it nine World Series wins in a row, a record that still stands today. After losing the World Series in 1959, the Yankees wouldn’t make it back to the Fall Classic until 1962.

1960-1969: The Yankees Win Two More World Series

The Yankees lost the World Series in 1960, but they won it again in 1961. They won it again in 1962, making them the first team to ever win three straight World Series. They lost in 1963, but won it again in 1964. They lost in 1965, but won it again in 1966.

1962: The Yankees win their seventh World Series

beating the San Francisco Giants in seven games. Roger Maris hits a then-record 61 home runs, while Whitey Ford wins both the Cy Young Award and World Series MVP.

1963: The Yankees win their eighth World Series

The Yankees faced the Dodgers in the 1963 World Series. The Yankees won the first two games at Yankee Stadium, but the Dodgers won the next three games at Dodger Stadium to take a 3-2 lead. The Yankees won the next two games at Yankee Stadium to win the Series. The key moment in Game 7 came in the bottom of the ninth inning, when Yankee second baseman Bobby Richardson made a game-saving catch of a line drive hit by Dodger outfielder Willie Davis.

1970-1979: The Yankees Lose Three World Series

The New York Yankees lost the World Series in 1970, 1972, and 1973. In 1970, they lost to the Baltimore Orioles in five games. The following year, they lost to the Cincinnati Reds in seven games. Then, in 1973, they lost to the Oakland Athletics in seven games.

1970: The Yankees lose their first World Series

The Yankees lost the 1970 World Series to the Cincinnati Reds in four games. This was the first time the Yankees had lost a World Series since 1964, and it marked the beginning of a string of three consecutive losses in the Fall Classic. The following year, the Yankees lost to the Pittsburgh Pirates in seven games, and then in 1972 they were defeated by the Oakland Athletics in seven games.

1976: The Yankees lose their second World Series

In 1976, the Yankees lost their second World Series in a row. This time, they were swept by the Cincinnati Reds in four games. The Yankees would go on to lose two more World Series in the 1970s, against the Los Angeles Dodgers in 1978 and the Baltimore Orioles in 1979.

1980-1989: The Yankees Win Two More World Series

The New York Yankees lost the World Series in 1980 and 1982, but won it in 1981 and 1983. Their next appearance in the Fall Classic was in 1984, when they lost to the Detroit Tigers in five games. The following year, the Yankees won 103 regular-season games, but lost to the Kansas City Royals in the ALCS. They would make it back to the World Series in 1986, but would lose to the Mets in seven games. The 1987 season saw the Yankees win another AL pennant, but they would lose to the eventual World Champion Minnesota Twins in seven games. The Yankees would make the World Series for a third straight year in 1988, but would again come up short, this time against the Los Angeles Dodgers. They would finally break through and win the World Series in 1989, defeating the cross-town rival Mets in five games.

1981: The Yankees win their ninth World Series

In 1981, the Yankees won their ninth World Series, defeating the Los Angeles Dodgers in six games. The following year, they won their tenth championship, defeating the Milwaukee Brewers in seven games. The Yankees would go on to win the World Series in 1986 (defeating the Mets in seven games), and again in 1996 (defeating the Atlanta Braves in six games).

1986: The Yankees win their tenth World Series

The 1986 New York Yankees season was the 84th season for the Yankees. The team finished in second place in the American League East with a record of 97-64, behind the Boston Red Sox. New York was managed by Lou Piniella. The Yankees played at Yankee Stadium.

1990-1999: The Yankees Lose Three More World Series

The Yankees lost the 1990 World Series to the Cincinnati Reds, the 1991 World Series to the Minnesota Twins, and the 1997 World Series to the Florida Marlins.

1996: The Yankees lose their third World Series

The New York Yankees lost their third World Series in 1996 to the Atlanta Braves. The Yankees had won the World Series in 1992 and 1993, but they were unable to repeat in 1994 due to a players’ strike that canceled the remainder of the season, including the postseason. In 1995, they were back in the Fall Classic but lost to the Braves in six games. The next year, they made it back to the World Series for a rematch with Atlanta. After winning Game 1, the Yankees lost four straight games and the series.

2000-2009: The Yankees Win Three More World Series

From 2000 to 2009, the Yankees lost the World Series three times. In 2000, they were defeated by the Mets in five games. In 2001, they lost to the Arizona Diamondbacks in seven games. In 2003, they lost to the Florida Marlins in six games.

2000: The Yankees win their eleventh World Series

The Yankees won the World Series in 2000 for the second consecutive year, defeating the New York Mets in five games. This was the Yankees’ third World Series win in four years and their fourth overall win in five years. The Yankees won their eleventh World Series title, which is still a record today. They also became only the second team in baseball history to win three World Series titles in a row. Despite losing the first two games of the series, the Yankees rallied to win the next four games and take the series.

2009: The Yankees win their twelfth World Series

The Yankees won their twenty-seventh World Series in 2009, their second in a row. The series was notable for several rain delays, including a six-hour delay in Game One. The Yankees won the series in six games, and were led by Series MVP Hideki Matsui.

2010-2019: The Yankees Lose Two More World Series

2010 was the first time the Yankees had made it to the World Series since 2009, when they won their 27th championship. In the 2010 World Series, the Yankees lost to the Philadelphia Phillies in six games. Phillies pitcher, Cole Hamels, was named the series MVP. The following year, the Yankees made it back to the World Series where they lost to the Cardinals in seven games.

2017: The Yankees lose their thirteenth World Series

The New York Yankees have lost the World Series thirteen times. They lost in 2010 to the Texas Rangers, in 2011 to the St. Louis Cardinals, in 2012 to the San Francisco Giants, in 2013 to the Boston Red Sox, in 2014 to the San Francisco Giants, in 2015 to the Kansas City Royals, in 2016 to the Chicago Cubs, and in 2017 to the Houston Astros.