Only four big-league clubs managed to win at least 100 games in a single season during the half-decade from 1986 to 1990.
The Oakland Athletics reached triple digits on two occasions (1988 and 1990), a feat matched by the New York Mets (1986 and 1988).
Three of those teams, as great as they were, went on to disappoint their fans in postseason play. The sole exception was the club that posted the strongest record in the five-year period, the 1986 Mets, who won 108 regular-season games and went on to claim a world championship.
It stands to reason that New York’s ’86 squad is rated as the best during the span from 1986 through 1990. My rankings are based on team scores, which are plotted on a 100-point scale. (Click here to learn more about the formula.)
The 1986 Mets amassed a TS of 94.962 points, putting them more than five points ahead of any other club in the half-decade. The next three spots in the standings are occupied by respective Oakland teams for 1990, 1989, and 1988.
Today’s rankings are part of a continuing series that will eventually encompass baseball’s Modern Era, dating back to the first expansion season in 1961. Follow these links to read previous five-year installments:
Look below for a rundown of the 10 highest-rated ballclubs from 1986 to 1990. Each is shown with its win-loss record and its Modern Era percentile, which is the share of all teams that played between 1961 and 2022 (a total of 1,656) that a given club ouperformed.
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1. New York Mets (1986)
Record: 108-54
Team score: 94.962 points
Modern Era percentile: 99.9%
Manager: Davey Johnson
Stars: First baseman Keith Hernandez led the Mets with a .413 on-base average, topped the National League with 94 walks, and won a Gold Glove. Pitcher Dwight Gooden worked 250 innings, went 17-6, and finished with a 2.84 earned run average.
Bottom line: The 1986 Mets rank as the third-best club of the Modern Era, trailing only the 1984 Detroit Tigers and 1998 New York Yankees. They ran away with the NL East by 21.5 games, then won a pair of dramatic postseason matchups, defeating the Houston Astros in the NL Championship Series and the Boston Red Sox in the World Series.
2. Oakland Athletics (1990)
Record: 103-59
Team score: 89.366 points
Modern Era percentile: 99.6%
Manager: Tony La Russa
Stars: Left fielder Rickey Henderson led the American League in on-base average (.439), stolen bases (65), and runs scored (119). First baseman Mark McGwire blasted 39 homers and drove home 108 runs.
Bottom line: This was the third straight Oakland squad to make it to the World Series. The A’s were heavily favored to repeat as world champions, yet were shockingly swept by the Cincinnati Reds. But the 1990 Athletics still finished with a higher TS than Oakland’s 1989 title club.
3. Oakland Athletics (1989)
Record: 99-63
Team score: 85.486 points
Modern Era percentile: 98.9%
Manager: Tony La Russa
Stars: Pitcher Dave Stewart was the runner-up for the American League’s Cy Young Award. He compiled a 21-9 record with a 3.32 ERA. Third baseman Carney Lansford finished second in the league with a .336 batting average.
Bottom line: The Athletics proved to be virtually unbeatable in the postseason in 1989. They defeated the Toronto Blue Jays in the American League Championship Series, four games to one, and then swept the San Francisco Giants in a World Series that was memorably interrupted by a major earthquake.
4. Oakland Athletics (1988)
Record: 104-58
Team score: 80.527 points
Modern Era percentile: 97.3%
Manager: Tony La Russa
Stars: Right fielder Jose Canseco won two-thirds of a Triple Crown, leading the league in homers (42) and runs batted in (124). He was named the AL’s Most Valuable Player. Center fielder Dave Henderson batted a solid .304 and drove in 94 runs.
Bottom line: The Athletics breezed to the American League West title, outdistancing the runner-up Minnesota Twins by 13 games. They swept the Boston Red Sox in the AL Championship Series, only to fall meekly to the Los Angeles Dodgers in a five-game World Series.
5. Cincinnati Reds (1990)
Record: 91-71
Team score: 76.558 points
Modern Era percentile: 95.5%
Manager: Lou Piniella
Stars: Shortstop Barry Larkin batted .301, stole 30 bases, and scored 85 runs. Pitcher Jose Rijo crafted a 14-8 record with a 2.70 ERA.
Bottom line: The Reds, who had stumbled to a 75-87 record the year before, entered 1990 as a lightly regarded club. They stunned the experts by winning the National League West, edging the Pittsburgh Pirates in the NL Championship Series, and sweeping the powerful Oakland A’s in the World Series.
Next five
6. San Francisco Giants (1989), 92-70, 95.5%
7. Boston Red Sox (1986), 95-66, 94.6%
8. New York Mets (1988), 100-60, 94.5%
9. Los Angeles Dodgers (1988), 94-67, 94.3%
10. St. Louis Cardinals (1987), 95-67, 93.7%