Brewers’ Jake Bauers on heartbreaking playoff loss to New York Mets
Jake Bauers discusses a season-ending loss to the New York Mets after his home run gave Milwaukee a late lead in wild-card playoff Game 3.
The Milwaukee Brewers are on the cusp of securing the top record in the 2025 baseball season, which naturally comes with a No. 1 seed in the National League half of the upcoming playoffs and a bye past the wild-card round.
But just how well do top overall seeds fare in the postseason? Milwaukee fans may not love what they hear.
Among the teams to appear in a World Series since 2000, only 17 of the 50 were No. 1 seeds in their league. But, most baseball observers will tell you that anyone can win in the postseason, especially when all the teams involved are good teams. Given that one-seeds typically represented one-fourth of the playoff field, reaching the World Series at a clip of 34% seems about right.
Facts and figures about the top teams in the playoffs
Among the past 25 Major League Baseball seasons (since 2000):
7 featured the team with the best record in baseball (or tied with the best record) winning the World Series5 featured the team with the best record in baseball (or tied with the best record) losing the World Series4 featured the team with the best record in baseball (or tied with best record) losing in the championship series — one lost to the other team with the best record13 featured the team with the best record in baseball (or tied with best record) losing in the divisional round1 featured the team with the best record in baseball (or tied with the best record) winning zero playoff games14 featured at least one of the one-seeds in the World Series3 featured both one seeds in the World Series — 2024, 2020 and 2013A look at teams with the best record in baseball and how they fared in MLB postseason since 20002024: Los Angeles Dodgers (98-64), won World Series, 4-12023: Atlanta (104-58), lost in divisional round, 3-12022: Los Angeles Dodgers (111-51), lost in divisional round, 3-12021: San Francisco (107-55), lost in divisional round, 3-22020: Los Angeles Dodgers (43-17), won World Series (pandemic-shortened season), 4-22019: Houston (107-55), lost World Series, 4-32018: Boston (108-54), won World Series, 4-12017: Los Angeles Dodgers (104-58), lost World Series, 4-32016: Chicago Cubs (103-58), won World Series, 4-32015: St. Louis (100-62), lost in divisional round, 3-12014: Los Angeles Angels (98-64), lost in divisional round, 3-02013: Boston (97-65) and St. Louis (97-65), met in World Series, with Boston winning, 4-22012: Washington (98-64), lost in divisional round, 3-22011: Philadelphia (102-60), lost in divisional round, 3-22010: Philadelphia (97-65), lost in NLCS, 4-22009: New York Yankees (103-59), won World Series, 4-22008: Los Angeles Angels (100-62), lost in divisional round, 3-12007: Boston Red Sox (96-66) and Cleveland (96-66), met in ALCS, with Boston winning, 4-3, en route to winning World Series, 4-02006: New York Yankees (97-65) and New York Mets (97-65); Yankees lost in divisional round, 3-1 and Mets lost in NLCS, 4-32005: St. Louis Cardinals (100-62), lost in NLCS, 4-22004: St. Louis Cardinals (105-57), lost in World Series, 4-02003: New York Yankees (101-61) and Atlanta (101-61); Yankees lost in World Series, 4-2 and Atlanta lost in divisional round, 3-22002: New York Yankees (103-58), lost in divisional round, 3-12001: Seattle (116-46), lost in divisional round, 3-22000: San Francisco (97-65), lost in divisional round, 3-1