The 7 Most Unlikely World Series Winners

The 2026 Major League Baseball season is here, and the defending World Series champion Los Angeles Dodgers are going for a three-peat. The Dodgers have +230 odds at DraftKings Sportsbook, followed by the New York Yankees (+1000). This news isn’t surprising, given that Los Angeles has the highest payroll - just under $400 million - and a stacked roster that includes stars like Shohei Ohtani, Kyle Tucker, and Blake Snell.  

Even though the Dodgers are opening the season with the shortest odds, it doesn’t guarantee them another World Series title. Over the past 40 years, several teams began the season with extremely long odds to win the World Series, yet went on to mount improbable postseason runs. 

Wondering which teams have shocked the baseball world the most? Using sports odds history data, the list below highlights some of the biggest surprise MLB champs since 1985. 

Seven Most Unlikely MLB Champions

1991 Minnesota Twins (+8000)

The 1991 Minnesota Twins remain one of the greatest turnaround stories in MLB history. Everybody expected it to be a rebuilding year after finishing last in the American League West (74-88). With +8000 World Series odds, Minnesota skyrocketed to first an AL-best 95-67 record.

Adding DH Chili Davis and former Detroit Tigers ace Jack Morris via free agency paid off. Morris saved his best outing for Game 7 of the World Series against the Atlanta Braves when he tossed a complete game 10-inning shutout. Gene Larkin’s walk-off home run in the 10th ended up being the difference maker. None of this would’ve been possible if star player Kirby Puckett hadn’t hit a walk-off homer in Game 6. 

2003 Florida Marlins (+7500) 

With opening World Series future odds of +7500, the idea of the 2003 Florida Marlins making the Fall Classic seemed like a stretch. They made the NL Playoffs as a wild card team while the American League champion New York Yankees led all AL teams (101-61). Operating on a low budget, Florida’s biggest free agent move was signing future Hall-of-Fame catcher Ivan Rodriguez. 

Hiring 72-year-old Jack McKeon following a 16-22 start helped right the ship. In Game 6 of the World Series, Florida shocked the baseball world with a 2-0 victory over New York that clinched the title. Josh Beckett’s gem - a five-hit shutout with nine Ks - silenced the Yankees offense.  

2023 Texas Rangers (+5000)

The Texas Rangers' lone World Series title came in 2023. They opened at +5000 World Series odds after losing 94 games the previous season. The Rangers decided to speed up the championship process during the offseason by investing heavily in starting pitching, adding Jacob deGrom, Andrew Heaney, and Nathan Eovaldi via free agency.

Texas made the postseason as a Wild Card team and faced the Arizona Diamondbacks in the World Series. The Rangers won the deciding fifth game 5-0. Eovaldi pitched six shutout innings, and Marcus Semien hit a two-run homer in the game’s final inning.

2002 Anaheim Angels (+4000)

The Anaheim (now Los Angeles) Angels have won a total of one World Series championship. The team entered the season with +4000 odds, which wasn’t surprising given the franchise's postseason drought dating back to 1986.

Maybe it was the Disney magic that did the trick, being that Angels were owned by the Walt Disney Co. In Game 6 against the San Francisco Giants, Anaheim was trailing 5-0 late when one of the greatest comebacks in World Series history unfolded. The Angels ended up winning 6-5 before taking the deciding Game 7 by a 4-1 score. Closer Troy Percival made three World Series saves, including the final two games. 

2013 Boston Red Sox (+2800) 

The story of the 2013 Boston Red Sox remains one of those true feel-good stories. It was the same year as the Boston Marathon bombing that was followed by a furious FBI manhunt. The Sox, with their preseason World Series odds of +2800, ended up being the team the entire city rallied around. 

Boston went from finishing last in the AL East (69-93) in 2012 to first (97-65) the following season. New additions Koji Uehara, Shane Victorino, and Mike Napoli were key contributors. Boston defeated the St. Louis Cardinals 4-2 in the Fall Classic. “Big Papi” David Ortiz was named World Series MVP with a .353 batting average.

2014 San Francisco Giants (+2500)

The 2014 San Francisco Giants, with +2500 WS futures, made the postseason as a Wild Card team after finishing the regular season 88-74. The NL West club re-signed several players, including Jake Peavy, Sergio Romo, and Ryan Vogelsong.

The Giants went on to win the World Series in seven games over the Kansas City Royals. In the deciding seventh game, San Francisco defeated KC 3-2 with Madison Bumgarner picking up the rare five-inning save in which he allowed just two hits and zero earned runs. Besides being the winning pitcher in Games 1 and 5, he finished the World Series with a 0.43 ERA.  

2005 Chicago White Sox (+2200) 

Believe it or not, the same franchise that has lost at least 101 games over the last three seasons has actually won a World Series within the last three decades. With +2200 odds, the 2005 Chicago White Sox finished with an AL-best 99-63 record. 

It was followed by a near-perfect postseason run in which the team went 11-1 and swept the Houston Astros 4-0 in the World Series. Jermaine Dye, whom the team signed as a free agent, was named MVP. In the deciding game, Dye hit what ended up being the game-winning single in the top of the eighth inning. Ace Freddy Garcia pitched seven shutout innings.

White Sox fans are hoping it's not going to be another 88-year wait for the next one.

Will the 2026 season produce a surprise World Series champ?

The teams highlighted above are proof that being the Opening Day favorite far from guarantees a World Series championship. A lot can happen over the course of a 162-game season as teams go through hot and cold spells. 

Time to sit back and watch the 2026 MLB season unfold.