What Is A Pennant In Baseball? (Significant Part of MLB)
In this article, I’m going to explain to you what a pennant is as I have heard it being asked over and over again. Baseball is a sport of many terms, nicknames, and unusual words that aren’t known if you aren’t a baseball player or a fan. So, without a further due, what is a pennant?
A pennant in baseball is a triangle flag and recognition awarded to the winner of both American and National leagues. Both pennant winners get to play in the World Series to determine the final winner of the Major League Baseball.
Therefore, if you win a pennant, you have the chance to win the whole Major League Baseball, which is the ultimate goal for all teams!
Now, I’m sure you’re eager to see which teams have the most pennants won and where your favorite lies on the pennant winners. Let’s take a further look!
Related: Do MLB Players Buy Their Own Bats? (Sneak Peek To MLB)
Contents
How Many Times Have Each Team Won the Pennant?
Each year, two teams from the MLB, one from the American League and one from the National League, will win a pennant to their name. Both pennant winners have the privilege to play against each other in the World Series games.
This raises the question, how many times have each team won the pennant, and which league has the most world series victories? Let’s start with the American League (AL) pennant winners.
American League Pennant Winners
| Team | Pennants Won |
| New York Yankees | 40 |
| Oakland Athletics | 15 |
| Boston Red Sox | 14 |
| Detroit Tigers | 11 |
| Baltimore Orioles | 7 |
| Minnesota Twins | 6 |
| Cleveland Guardians | 6 |
| Chicago White Sox | 6 |
| Kansas City Royals | 4 |
| Houston Astros | 3 |
| Tampa Bay Rays | 2 |
| Texas Rangers | 2 |
| Toronto Blue Jays | 2 |
| Los Angeles Angels | 1 |
| Milwaukee Brewers | 1 |
As you can see, the New York Yankees have by far the most pennant victories out of all teams. Next, check out the National League (NL) pennant winners.
National League Pennant Winners
| Team | Pennants Won |
| Los Angeles Dodgers | 24 |
| San Francisco Giants | 23 |
| ST. Louis Cardinals | 19 |
| Atlanta Braves | 18 |
| Chicago Cubs | 17 |
| Pittsburgh Pirates | 9 |
| Cincinnati Reds | 9 |
| Philadelphia Phillies | 7 |
| New York Mets | 5 |
| Baltimore Orioles | 3 |
| San Diego Padres | 2 |
| Miami Marlins | 2 |
| Providence Grays | 2 |
| Houston Astros | 1 |
| Arizona Diamondbacks | 1 |
| Washington Nationals | 1 |
| Colorado Rockies | 1 |
| Detroit Wolverines | 1 |
The Lost Angeles Dodgers have the most pennant victories in the National League. So, which league has the most victories in the World Series?
The American League has won more World Series winners than the National League. The world series was first played in 1903 and has been played 117 times until the latest season of 2021. During these 117 years, the American League has had 66 world series victories, and the National League has 51.
- American League World Series Victories: 66
- National League World Series Victories: 51
Read also: What Is Pepper In Baseball?
Who Has Most Pennants In MLB?
A pennant victory on its own is a boast; however, it isn’t the World Series victory. Still, the chances are great for the team that has won the most pennants to be the team with the most World Series victories. So, who has the most pennants in MLB?
The New York Yankees have 40 pennants, which is the most pennant victories by far in the MLB. The Los Angeles Dodgers have the second most with 24 pennants, and the San Fransico Giants have the third most with 23 pennants.
The funny thing is that the Yankees are in the American League and crushing all teams with pennant victories. However, the next team from the American League in pennant wins comes only 7th of all MLB teams. The second to sixth pennant winners are all from the National League.
Is the Pennant the Same as the World Series?
I have heard people mixing up things and numbers when they explain winners in baseball. Sometimes, the numbers of pennant winners come up, and sometimes the numbers of world series winners. That being said, is the pennant the same as the world series?
A pennant isn’t the same thing as the world series in baseball. Each year, two teams will win a pennant that gives the right to compete in the World Series for the trophy of the winner of the whole Major League Baseball. Thus, a pennant is a lesser yet necessary victory to win the World Series.
Naturally, there are more pennant winners than World Series winners as two teams will gain a pennant in a regular season, yet only one can win the World Series.
This takes us to the most interesting part of this article: Major League Baseball World Series champions and their victories!
List of World Series Champions In Baseball
| Team | World Series Wins |
| New York Yankees | 27 |
| St. Louis Cardinals | 11 |
| Boston Red Sox | 9 |
| Los Angeles Dodgers | 7 |
| New York Giants | 5 |
| Philadelphia Athletics | 5 |
| Pittsburgh Pirates | 5 |
| Cincinnati Reds | 5 |
| Detroit Tigers | 4 |
| Oakland Athletics | 4 |
| Baltimore Orioles | 3 |
| Chicago White Sox | 3 |
| San Francisco Giants | 3 |
| Chicago Cubs | 3 |
| Cleveland Indians | 2 |
| Florida Marlins | 2 |
| Minnesota Twins | 2 |
| New York Mets | 2 |
| Philadelphia Phillies | 2 |
| Toronto Blue Jays | 2 |
| Atlanta Braves | 2 |
| Kansas City Royals | 2 |
| Houston Astros | 1 |
| Anaheim Angels | 1 |
| Arizona Diamondbacks | 1 |
| Boston Braves | 1 |
| Brooklyn Dodgers | 1 |
| Milwaukee Braves | 1 |
| Washington Senators | 1 |
| Washington Nationals | 1 |
It’s not surprising to see the New York Yankees on top of the list as they have by far the most pennants in MLB too. Out of the 40 pennants, the Yankees have won 27 World Series. In conclusion, it’s not a secret which team is overall the best in Major League Baseball.
My Favorite Baseball Equipment
Thanks for reading this article. I hope it brought you great value that you can implement into your own life! Below you can find my favorite baseball bat, baseballs, and a glove that I think will take your game to the next level!
- Bat: My favorite baseball bat is the Easton Project 3 Fuze. This bat has a composite end cap, reduced post-impact vibrations, balanced swing weight for the fastest swing speed, and a carbon core that makes this bat perform very well! As I’m not a professional baseball player, I like to use alloy bats as you can swing faster and hit further.
- Baseballs: Rawlings Competition Grade Practice Balls are my choice for something to hit. I love these balls because they fit all levels of play, so regardless of who you are playing with, you can use them. They come in a 6 or 12 balls box, and you can choose between raised or flat seams! I prefer flat seams as the balls tend to fly further!
- Glove: When it comes to the glove, my choice is the Rawlings Sandlot Glove. This glove is available for both lefties and righties. The same glove is also available for infielders, outfielders, pitchers, catchers, and 1B mitt. This glove has a nice vintage look, and it’s made from oiled leather. It has palm pads that protect your hand from impact, and it is pre-broken-in, so you are good to go as soon as you have it! A glove I’m proud to recommend.
- Fan Equipment: If you’re a fan more than a player, you don’t want to miss Fan Equipment by Fanatics. You can find items from various sports that bear your favorite team’s logo, such as jerseys, gift ideas, or other surprising things.
