The Best Starts to an MLB Season: Historic Early Runs

An Explosive Start to Remember

There’s a lot of hype for the contending teams in the MLB in the offseason, and one can even say that it would be the Los Angeles Dodgers, the New York Yankees, the New York Mets, and the Cleveland Guardians making the rounds of the top teams in the league. However, none of them would go on to hold the best record of the MLB as of the time of writing.

Enter the San Diego Padres – who finished with a 93-69 record and were eliminated in the NLDS at the hands of then-World Series winners Dodgers. After 20 games, the Padres have managed to stay atop the league – with the only team not losing more than four games as of the time of writing. While this can be easily overlooked, one can say that the power shift in the league is alarming as of late.

The Padres have been one of the fiery teams to watch in the league, and their MLS counterpart in San Diego FC has also been enjoying a hot start in their respective run as well. This does seem to be a year for San Diego teams, and even the Los Angeles Clippers have made their mark in the NBA Playoffs as well.

For what it is worth, the San Diego Padres have suddenly popped out of the latest odds to win in the World Series, being ranked high along with the likes of the Dodgers and even the Yankees – who were both in the said stage of the playoffs last season. The expectations are suddenly high for the Padres, but will their strong start translate into a promising result in October?

Starting Strong in the Season

The MLB isn’t new to seeing teams come up with the best starts in a single season. In fact, there were three teams that started out with 13 straight wins and went undefeated in that stretch. While the Padres didn’t exactly go undefeated with their fiery start, it still shows a lot of determination that the team is actually faring better than most people expected them to do so this season.

Most Consecutive Wins to Start the MLB Season

The 1982 Braves, 1987 Brewers, and 2023 Rays all started 13-0, tying the record for most consecutive wins to start a season – and yet none of them made it to the World Series, with only one (Braves) being able to make it past the regular season. The 1955 Dodgers are the only team on this list to win the World Series after a double-digit win streak to start, which makes it a rare case where early momentum aligned with a championship-caliber roster.

While starting the season with a winning streak creates hype and optimism, baseball is a marathon, not a sprint. Depth, health, consistency, and performance in high-pressure postseason environments ultimately decide a champion — not April win streaks.

Strong Through 20

The first 20 games of the MLB season usually serve as a small sample size for analysts to make their predictions and come up with their preferences to win in the season. Most of the time, most of the time, clubs in the upper echelon of the league standings have already made their presence felt and are on a winning groove.

So far, the Padres have not disappointed in their games and looked flawless right out of the gate, and while they do have some tweaks to consider, one can say that there’s more to expect from the team as they try to build the pace after coming up with the league’s best record after 20 games so far.

Best MLB Starts Through 20 Games

Based on this data, a hot start isn’t enough if the team can’t maintain momentum over 162 games. This is evidenced by the fact that 6 out of 10 teams listed didn’t win the World Series, and several didn’t even make the postseason. There are also times when teams played in limited formats, which meant that there are not always playoff opportunities for leading teams such as the 1902 Pirates, 1907 Giants, and the 1946 Red Sox.

Even near-perfect early records don't guarantee October success, as seen by the fact that only two clubs – the 1955 Dodgers and 1984 Tigers — turned an 18-2 start into a World Series title. It also factors in the fact that teams must sustain excellence all season, especially in competitive divisions – just like how the 1987 Brewers were 18-2 but missed the playoffs entirely, finishing 3rd in the AL East.

What Does this Mean for the 2025 Padres?

The data on historic MLB starts — both in terms of consecutive wins and best records through 20 games — offers valuable perspective for fans and analysts watching the 2025 Padres, who have jumped out to a league-leading start. While the early dominance is undoubtedly exciting and shows that the roster is clicking in all the right ways, history suggests a hot start alone isn't a predictor of postseason success. In fact, many teams that started 13-0 or went 18-2 over their first 20 games ultimately faded, missed the playoffs, or fell short in October.

For the Padres, this means staying grounded and focused beyond the headlines. Early wins help build a playoff cushion, boost confidence, and energize the fanbase, but sustaining performance over 162 games is what separates contenders from champions. The Padres will need to stay healthy, manage their pitching staff, and continue producing offensively as opposing teams make adjustments. The key will be avoiding the midseason slumps that have derailed strong-starting teams in the past — like the 1987 Brewers or the 1966 Indians.

That said, there’s still a lot to be encouraged about. Teams like the 1984 Tigers and 1955 Dodgers turned their hot starts into titles by maintaining intensity and improving throughout the year. If the Padres can learn from those examples — and from history’s cautionary tales — they have a chance to turn this electric start into a historic season, not just a memorable April.

In a league where momentum shifts quickly, sustained excellence, not just early dominance, is the true path to October glory.