You’d think the record for the longest MLB winning streak would be a simple number. Sports are obsessed with math, after all. Box scores, ERA, launch angle—we track everything. But baseball is weird. It’s a sport where a game can happen, last nine innings, and then effectively cease to exist in the record books because of a rain cloud or a lack of lightbulbs.
If you look at the official Major League Baseball record books, the number is 26.
That honor belongs to the 1916 New York Giants. But if you ask a purist in Cleveland or a fan of the 2002 "Moneyball" A’s, they might give you a side-eye. There is a massive catch involving a tie game that wasn't a tie, but also wasn't a win. It’s the kind of bureaucratic baseball madness that makes the sport beautiful and infuriating at the same time.
The 26-Game Asterisk: The 1916 New York Giants
Let’s talk about those 1916 Giants. Honestly, their season was a fever dream. They didn’t even win the pennant. They finished fourth! Imagine winning 26 games in a row and still ending the season seven games out of first place.
The streak ran from September 7 to September 30. Every single one of those games was played at the Polo Grounds. Home cooking helps. But here is where the controversy lives: on September 18, the Giants played the Pittsburgh Pirates in the second game of a doubleheader. The game went nine innings. The score was 1–1.
Then the rain came.
Back then, you couldn't just flip on the stadium lights. If it got dark or rained too hard, that was it. Because the game was tied, the rules of the era dictated it didn't count toward the standings. It was basically "scratched" and replayed from scratch the next day. The Giants won that replay.
So, did they win 26 in a row?
Official record: Yes. Literal reality: They went 27 games without losing, but that middle game was a 1–1 draw.
Major League Baseball’s logic is that a tie isn't a game. It’s a void. Therefore, the "winning" streak remains "consecutive" because no loss interrupted it. If that feels like a technicality, you're not alone.
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The "Real" Record? The 2017 Cleveland Indians
For fans who want their streaks "clean"—as in, no ties, no rain-shortened voids—the 2017 Cleveland Indians (now the Guardians) hold the modern gold standard.
They won 22 straight games.
Between August 24 and September 15, Cleveland was untouchable. They didn't just win; they embarrassed people. During those 22 games, they outscored opponents 142–37. That is a run differential of plus-105. To put that in perspective, they hit 41 home runs during the streak while their pitchers only allowed 37 total runs.
It was the perfect storm of elite pitching and a lineup that couldn't miss. Francisco Lindor was emerging as a superstar, and Corey Kluber was pitching like a cyborg. They broke the American League record previously held by the 2002 Oakland Athletics, and they did it without a single tie game or weather-related technicality to muddy the waters.
The Hollywood Streak: 2002 Oakland Athletics
You’ve probably seen the movie Moneyball. Brad Pitt, Jonah Hill, the drama of the 20th win.
In 2002, the Oakland A's won 20 games in a row.
At the time, it was an American League record. It’s arguably the most famous streak because it proved Billy Beane’s "undervalued assets" theory could actually work in the regular season. The 20th win was the peak of the drama—an 11–0 lead against the Kansas City Royals that evaporated into an 11–11 tie in the ninth inning.
Then Scott Hatteberg hit that pinch-hit home run.
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The Coliseum erupted. The "20" banner unfurled. It felt like the greatest achievement in baseball history because of how unlikely that roster was. But even that 20-game miracle sits at fifth all-time today.
Ranking the Heavy Hitters
When we look at the longest MLB winning streak list, we have to navigate two different eras: the "pre-modern" era (pre-1901) and the modern era.
- 1916 New York Giants (26 games): The official king, tie-game controversy and all.
- 2017 Cleveland Indians (22 games): The longest "uninterrupted" streak in history.
- 1935 Chicago Cubs (21 games): A late-season surge that snatched the pennant from the Cardinals.
- 1880 Chicago White Stockings (21 games): Different era, different rules, but still recognized.
- 2002 Oakland Athletics (20 games): The "Moneyball" streak.
There are others that hit the 20-game mark, like the 1884 Providence Grays and the 1884 St. Louis Maroons. Honestly, 1884 was a weird year for baseball. The Maroons were in the Union Association, a league so lopsided it barely counts as a major league by today's standards. They started the season 20–0 because the competition was basically amateur.
Why Do These Streaks Keep Happening in September?
Notice a pattern?
- 1916 Giants: September.
- 2017 Indians: August/September.
- 1935 Cubs: September.
- 2002 A's: August/September.
There’s a reason for this. In late August and September, the "haves" and "have-nots" in baseball are clearly defined. Contending teams are often playing against bottom-feeders who have traded away their best veterans for prospects. The rosters expand. Pitching staffs for losing teams are often exhausted or filled with "September call-ups" getting their first taste of the Bigs.
Basically, the shark is in the water and the water is full of easy targets.
The Psychological Toll of the Streak
Winning 10 in a row is fun. Winning 20 in a row is stressful.
Players are notoriously superstitious. By game 15, no one is changing their socks. No one is talking to the starting pitcher. The media attention becomes a circus. Terry Francona, the manager of the 2017 Cleveland team, famously talked about how the pressure shifted from "wanting to win" to "not wanting to be the guy who blows it."
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It’s a different kind of exhaustion. You’re playing high-intensity baseball every single night with no room for a "clunker" game. Usually, a starter has a bad night, the bullpen gives up a few runs, and you just move on to tomorrow. In a streak, you’re trying to prevent that natural variance of the game through sheer force of will.
Misconceptions About the Record
One thing people often get wrong is the difference between a winning streak and an unbeaten streak.
If MLB played by NHL or soccer rules, the 1916 Giants would be credited with a 27-game unbeaten streak. But because MLB doesn't like ties—and usually forces teams to finish them or replays them—the tie game is treated as if it never occurred.
Another common mistake? Thinking these streaks lead to World Series rings.
Kinda heartbreakingly, they usually don't.
- The 1916 Giants: No World Series (finished 4th).
- The 2017 Indians: Lost in the ALDS to the Yankees.
- The 2002 A's: Lost in the ALDS to the Twins.
The 1935 Cubs? They made it to the World Series but lost to the Tigers. It turns out that playing at a 100% win rate for three weeks is a great way to burn through your emotional and physical energy before the playoffs even start.
Key Takeaways for Baseball Historians
If you’re arguing about this at a bar, here is the nuance you need to win:
- The official MLB record is 26, held by the 1916 Giants.
- The longest streak without a tie is 22, by the 2017 Cleveland Indians.
- The 1916 Giants actually won 17 games in a row earlier that same season. They had two of the longest streaks in history in the same year and still didn't win their league.
- Ties in the early 1900s were common due to darkness; they were replayed but didn't count toward a team’s official win-loss record.
Actionable Insights for Fans and Analysts
When tracking a potential record-breaking run in the future, watch the schedule. A team playing 15 of 20 games against sub-.500 opponents in September is the prime candidate. Look at the bullpen usage; streaks usually die when a manager is forced to use his "B-team" relievers three days in a row.
If you want to dive deeper into the box scores of these historic runs, the Baseball-Reference "Streak Analyzer" is the best tool available. You can see exactly how many times the 2017 Indians trailed during their 22-game run (it was only 8 innings out of 199).
The 26-game record is likely safe for a long time. With modern parity and the way bullpens are managed, winning 27 games in a row (to beat it) requires a level of luck that transcends talent. You need 27 straight days of the ball bouncing your way.
Next Steps for Research:
- Check the current MLB standings to see if any team is approaching a 10-game streak.
- Review the 2002 Oakland A's game logs to see the "Moneyball" transition in action.
- Compare the 2017 Cleveland pitching stats to the 1990s Braves to see which was more dominant.