It took nearly 60 years, but the Milwaukee Brewers are finally World Series champions. Despite losing ace Jacob Misiorowski to a right calf cramp on Wednesday night, the Brew Crew held on for a 4-1 victory over the Tampa Bay Rays.

Kevin Cash and the Rays are still searching for their first title, but they’re not alone. In fact, the 2027 World Series — assuming there even is one — could potentially feature two teams chasing history, and that’s even if the reigning AL champions return to the status quo. This season marked only the third time in franchise history that they even won a playoff series, not counting the 2013 and 2019 AL Wild Card Games.

But hope springs eternal, even ahead of a likely prolonged lockout.

Which MLB teams still haven’t won the World Series?

As of October 2026, four of the league’s 30 teams are yet to win a World Series title:

You might be tempted to give Colorado and Tampa a slight pass because they’re among baseball’s newest franchises, but next year marks the Rays’ 30th season. 

If anything, shame on the Mariners, who still haven’t even won a pennant. Tampa Bay didn’t have a winning record over its first 10 seasons yet has made three World Series appearances since 2008. Incredibly, that’s as many as the other three teams on this list combined. 

Who will be the next MLB team to win their first World Series title?

Do we need to answer this question? Yes? Alright, but fans of these four teams might want to look away.

Immediately following Wednesday night’s final out, FanDuel Sportsbook published its initial 2027 World Series future odds:

Well, we almost certainly know it won’t be the Rockies. Very rarely can one look at a franchise and genuinely question what they can view as positives, outside of the stadium or uniforms. But we’re not sure whether the Rockies will even approach .500 within the next decade. They’re an organization without any semblance of hope or cause for optimism. 

Kevin Cash spent the World Series — and, honestly, the entire postseason — destroying any credibility he had left. You would think a retired catcher in his 12th season managing the Rays would consider trusting his gut rather than sticking to a plan in an elimination game. Nope!

The irony is that the Rays might have the brightest future of these four, partly because they’re not hamstrung by awful contracts and dead weight. But so long as Cash is the man in Tampa, we can’t see them winning a championship. 

That leaves the Mariners and Padres, neither of which are in ideal situations. Seattle theoretically has an easier road because it doesn’t share a division with the Dodgers, but the Mariners also feel like a one-year wonder. And while we’ve previously criticized Fernando Tatis Jr. for his maturity concerns and that 2022 PED suspension, there’s no denying he remains one of baseball’s most electric players. 

Eh, give us the Padres, though that’s not saying much given the greater context. And yes, we would consider a championship in a potentially shortened 2027 as a legitimate title.