Best MLB Regular Season Records Through 120 games

Q: Which MLB team has the best record through 120 games?<

The 1944 St. Louis Cardinals and 1998 New York Yankees tie for the best all-time record through 120 games. They each went 90-30 in the first 120 games. The 1944 St. Louis Cardinals had a better run differential through 120 games, +309 vs +271.

Q: Which MLB team had the best start through 120 games but still missed the postseason?

The 1942 Brooklyn Dodgers started the season 84-36, but failed to make the postseason. In the wild card era (1994 and after), the best start to the season which still missed the postseason was the the 2011 Boston Red Sox, who were 74-46 through 120 games but didn't make the postseason.

Q: How did the best MLB teams through 120 games perform in the postseason?

Starting in 1886, of the 130 teams that each season had the best record or tied for the best record through 120 games, 86.9% of them went on to make the postseason, and 33.8% of them won the World Series. The most recent 5 teams that had the best record through 120 games and went on to win the World Series are The 2018 Boston Red Sox, the 2016 Chicago Cubs, the 2009 New York Yankees, the 2007 Boston Red Sox and the 1999 New York Yankees.

Which MLB team has the best record through 120 games?<

The 1944 St. Louis Cardinals and 1998 New York Yankees tie for the best all-time record through 120 games. They each went 90-30 in the first 120 games. The 1944 St. Louis Cardinals had a better run differential through 120 games, +309 vs +271.

All-Time Best MLB Starts Through:

Best MLB Start Through 120 Games

	Team	Year	Record	Run Differential	Final Record	Final Result
1	St. Louis Cardinals	1944	90-30	+309	105-49	Won WS
	New York Yankees	1998	90-30	+271	114-48	Won WS
3	Pittsburgh Pirates	1902	89-31	+284	103-36	No Postseason
	Chicago Cubs	1906	89-31	+238	116-36	Lost WS
5	Chicago White Stockings	1886	88-32	+343	90-34	No Postseason
	New York Giants	1904	88-32	+271	106-47	No Postseason
	Chicago Cubs	1907	88-32	+150	107-45	Won WS
8	Philadelphia Athletics	1931	87-33	+216	107-45	Lost WS
	Seattle Mariners	2001	87-33	+209	116-46	Lost ALCS
	Pittsburgh Pirates	1909	87-33	+193	111-42	Won WS
11	New York Yankees	1939	86-34	+365	106-45	Won WS
	Baltimore Orioles	1897	86-34	+302	90-40	No Postseason
	Detroit Wolverines	1886	86-34	+296	87-36	No Postseason
	New York Giants	1905	86-34	+251	105-48	Won WS
	Los Angeles Dodgers	2017	86-34	+217	104-58	Lost WS
	Cleveland Indians	1954	86-34	+175	111-43	Lost WS
17	Boston Beaneaters	1897	85-35	+321	93-39	No Postseason
	Baltimore Orioles	1896	85-35	+319	90-39	No Postseason
	Baltimore Orioles	1969	85-35	+242	109-53	Lost WS
	Boston Red Sox	2018	85-35	+213	108-54	Won WS
21	Los Angeles Dodgers	2022	84-36	+264	111-51	Lost NLDS
	New York Giants	1912	84-36	+236	103-48	Lost WS
	Brooklyn Dodgers	1942	84-36	+205	104-50	Missed Playoffs
	Boston Red Sox	1946	84-36	+190	104-50	Lost WS
25	Baltimore Orioles	1894	83-37	+323	89-39	No Postseason
	New York Yankees	1927	83-37	+276	110-44	Won WS
	New York Yankees	1938	83-37	+271	99-53	Won WS
	Philadelphia Athletics	1929	83-37	+260	104-46	Won WS
	Boston Beaneaters	1893	83-37	+239	86-43	No Postseason
	New York Yankees	1932	83-37	+231	107-47	Won WS
	Boston Red Sox	1912	83-37	+201	105-47	Won WS
	Philadelphia Athletics	1910	83-37	+199	102-48	Won WS
	Brooklyn Superbas	1899	83-37	+187	101-47	No Postseason
	New York Yankees	1954	83-37	+187	103-51	Missed Playoffs
	Cleveland Indians	1995	83-37	+186	100-44	Lost WS
	Cincinnati Reds	1919	83-37	+159	96-44	Won WS
37	New York Yankees	1953	82-38	+235	99-52	Won WS
	Chicago Cubs	1929	82-38	+217	98-54	Lost WS
	Brooklyn Dodgers	1953	82-38	+203	105-49	Lost WS
	Pittsburgh Pirates	1903	82-38	+197	91-49	Lost WS
	Chicago Cubs	1910	82-38	+176	104-50	Lost WS
	Philadelphia Athletics	1914	82-38	+172	99-53	Lost WS
	New York Giants	1913	82-38	+158	101-51	Lost WS
44	Cincinnati Reds	1975	81-39	+212	108-54	Won WS
	Philadelphia Athletics	1913	81-39	+198	96-57	Won WS
	Chicago Cubs	1909	81-39	+187	104-49	Missed Playoffs
	Brooklyn Dodgers	1952	81-39	+179	96-57	Lost WS
	New York Yankees	1928	81-39	+178	101-53	Won WS
	Philadelphia Athletics	1930	81-39	+159	102-52	Won WS
	Boston Red Sox	1915	81-39	+138	101-50	Won WS

Which MLB team had the best start through 120 games but still missed the postseason?