Major League Baseball’s 2024 postseason field is missing both pennant winners from the previous year, according to league standings and postseason brackets tracked by MLB.com. Neither the Texas Rangers nor the Arizona Diamondbacks secured a playoff berth for the 2024 October tournament, marking a rare instance of a complete World Series rematch missing the following year’s postseason.
Texas Rangers’ 2024 Season Struggles
The Texas Rangers finished the 2024 regular season third in the American League West with a 78-84 record, according to Baseball-Reference. After capturing the franchise’s first World Series title in 2023 against the Arizona Diamondbacks, the team faced mounting injuries to starting pitchers including Jacob deGrom, Max Scherzer, and Tyler Mahle. Manager Bruce Bochy’s squad fell short of the Houston Astros and Seattle Mariners in the division race, eliminating them from wild-card contention in September.
Arizona Diamondbacks Miss National League Wild Card
In the National League, the Arizona Diamondbacks finished the 2024 campaign with an 89-73 record, missing the postseason by a single game. According to ESPN MLB Standings, manager Torey Lovullo’s team tied with the Atlanta Braves and New York Mets for the final wild-card spots, but lost the tiebreaker criteria. Despite a powerful offense led by Ketel Marte, the Diamondbacks’ pitching staff regressed from their 2023 pennant-winning run, allowing 813 runs over 162 games.
Historical Context of World Series Rematch Drop-Off
Failing to make the playoffs the year after reaching the World Series is an unusual occurrence in Major League Baseball, though not unprecedented. According to historical data compiled by MLB History, the 2008 Philadelphia Phillies and Tampa Bay Rays both reached the Fall Classic, but consecutive non-playoff returns for both participants of the previous year’s championship series happen infrequently due to roster turnover and the grueling 162-game schedule.
Frequently Asked Questions
- Did either 2023 World Series team make the 2024 playoffs? No. Both the Texas Rangers and Arizona Diamondbacks missed the postseason.
- What was the Texas Rangers’ record in 2024? The Rangers finished 78-84, placing third in the AL West.
- Why did the Arizona Diamondbacks miss the 2024 postseason? The Diamondbacks finished 89-73, losing out on the final National League wild-card spot via tiebreakers.
Looking Ahead to the 2025 Campaign
Both franchises entered the offseason facing crucial roster decisions to reclaim contention in their respective leagues. According to general manager updates reported by MLB.com News, the Rangers and Diamondbacks are prioritizing pitching depth and bullpen stabilization ahead of spring training to avoid consecutive postseason absences.
Keep reading