# List of American League pennant winners

Every Major League Baseball (MLB) season, one American League (AL) team wins the pennant, signifying that they are the league's champion and have the right to play in the World Series against the champion of the National League (NL). The pennant was presented to the team with the best win–loss record each year through the 1968 season, after which the AL Championship Series (ALCS) was introduced to decide the pennant winner. The first modern World Series was played in 1903 and, after a hiatus in 1904, has taken place every season except 1994, when a players' strike forced the cancellation of the postseason. The current AL pennant holders are the New York Yankees, who beat the Cleveland Guardians for the pennant on October 19, 2024.
In 1969, the AL split into two divisions, and the teams with the best records in each division played one another in the five-game ALCS to determine the pennant winner, who received (and continues to receive) the William Harridge Trophy. The trophy featured a golden eagle, the league's emblem, sitting atop a silver baseball and clutching the AL banner. Since 2017, the trophy is all silver with a pennant on top. The trophy is named for Will Harridge, who was league president from 1931 to 1958. The format of the ALCS was changed from a best-of-five to a best-of-seven format in the 1985 postseason. In 1995, an additional playoff series was added when MLB restructured into three divisions in each league. As of 2022, the winners of the Eastern, Central, and Western Divisions, as well as the three AL Wild Card winners, play in the AL Division Series, a best-of-five playoff to determine the opponents who will play in the ALCS. AL pennant winners have gone on to win the World Series 68 times, most recently in 2023.
The New York Yankees have won 41 AL pennants, winning their first in 1921 and their most recent in 2024. This total is more than twice that of the next-closest team, the Oakland Athletics, who have won 15. They are followed by the Boston Red Sox and the Detroit Tigers, with 14 and 11 pennants won respectively. The Yankees have the most pennants since the introduction of the ALCS in 1969 with 11, followed by the Athletics, Red Sox, and the Baltimore Orioles with 6, 6, and 5 respectively. The Yankees also hold the record for most wins by a pennant-winning team, with their 1998 team winning 114 out of 162 games, finishing 22 games ahead of the Boston Red Sox. The 1954 Cleveland Indians won the most games of any pennant winner under the pre-1969 system, winning 111 out of their 154 games and finishing eight games ahead of the Yankees. The Milwaukee Brewers won the AL pennant in 1982 but later moved to the NL starting in the 1998 season.
The only current MLB franchise to have never won a league pennant—and therefore, to have never appeared in the World Series—is the Seattle Mariners.

## Key

| Year | Links to the corresponding "Major League Baseball season" article |
| Team | Links to the corresponding year in which the team played |
| Record | Regular season win–loss record |
| GA | Games ahead of the second-place team (1901–1968) |
| Ahead of | The second-place team (1901–1968) |
| Ref | Reference |
| | Won World Series (modern era only) |
| E | American League East division member (1969–present) |
| C | American League Central division member (1995–present) |
| W | American League West division member (1969–present) |
| † | Wild card team (1995–present) |

## Single table era (1901–1968)

| Year | Team | Manager | Record | GA | Ahead of | Manager |
| 1901 | Chicago White Sox | Clark Griffith | 83–53 | 4 | Boston Americans | Jimmy Collins |
| 1902 | Philadelphia Athletics | Connie Mack | 83–53 | 5 | St. Louis Browns | Jimmy McAleer |
| 1903 | Boston Americans | Jimmy Collins | 91–47 | 14½ | Philadelphia Athletics | Connie Mack |
| 1904 | Boston Americans | Jimmy Collins | 95–59 | 1½ | New York Highlanders | Clark Griffith |
| 1905 | Philadelphia Athletics | Connie Mack | 92–56 | 2 | Chicago White Sox | Fielder Jones |
| 1906 | Chicago White Sox | Fielder Jones | 93–58 | 3 | New York Highlanders | Clark Griffith |
| 1907 | Detroit Tigers | Hughie Jennings | 92–58 | 1½ | Philadelphia Athletics | Connie Mack |
| 1908 | Detroit Tigers | Hughie Jennings | 90–63 | ½ | Cleveland Naps | Nap Lajoie |
| 1909 | Detroit Tigers | Hughie Jennings | 98–54 | 3½ | Philadelphia Athletics | Connie Mack |
| 1910 | Philadelphia Athletics | Connie Mack | 102–48 | 14½ | New York Highlanders | Hal Chase |
| 1911 | Philadelphia Athletics | Connie Mack | 101–50 | 13½ | Detroit Tigers | Hughie Jennings |
| 1912 | Boston Red Sox | Jake Stahl | 105–47 | 14 | Washington Senators | Clark Griffith |
| 1913 | Philadelphia Athletics | Connie Mack | 96–57 | 6½ | Washington Senators | Clark Griffith |
| 1914 | Philadelphia Athletics | Connie Mack | 99–53 | 8½ | Boston Red Sox | Bill Carrigan |
| 1915 | Boston Red Sox | Bill Carrigan | 101–50 | 2½ | Detroit Tigers | Hughie Jennings |
| 1916 | Boston Red Sox | Bill Carrigan | 91–63 | 2 | Chicago White Sox | Pants Rowland |
| 1917 | Chicago White Sox | Pants Rowland | 100–54 | 9 | Boston Red Sox | Jack Barry |
| 1918 | Boston Red Sox | Ed Barrow | 75–51 | 2½ | Cleveland Indians | Lee Fohl |
| 1919 | Chicago White Sox | Kid Gleason | 88–52 | 3½ | Cleveland Indians | Tris Speaker |
| 1920 | Cleveland Indians | Tris Speaker | 98–56 | 2 | Chicago White Sox | Kid Gleason |
| 1921 | New York Yankees | Miller Huggins | 98–55 | 4½ | Cleveland Indians | Tris Speaker |
| 1922 | New York Yankees | Miller Huggins | 94–60 | 1 | St. Louis Browns | Lee Fohl |
| 1923 | New York Yankees | Miller Huggins | 98–54 | 16 | Detroit Tigers | Ty Cobb |
| 1924 | Washington Senators | Bucky Harris | 92–62 | 2 | New York Yankees | Miller Huggins |
| 1925 | Washington Senators | Bucky Harris | 96–55 | 8½ | Philadelphia Athletics | Connie Mack |
| 1926 | New York Yankees | Miller Huggins | 91–63 | 3 | Cleveland Indians | Tris Speaker |
| 1927 | New York Yankees | Miller Huggins | 110–44 | 19 | Philadelphia Athletics | Connie Mack |
| 1928 | New York Yankees | Miller Huggins | 101–53 | 2½ | Philadelphia Athletics | Connie Mack |
| 1929 | Philadelphia Athletics | Connie Mack | 104–46 | 18 | New York Yankees | Miller Huggins |
| 1930 | Philadelphia Athletics | Connie Mack | 102–52 | 8 | Washington Senators | Walter Johnson |
| 1931 | Philadelphia Athletics | Connie Mack | 107–45 | 13½ | New York Yankees | Joe McCarthy |
| 1932 | New York Yankees | Joe McCarthy | 107–47 | 13 | Philadelphia Athletics | Connie Mack |
| 1933 | Washington Senators | Joe Cronin | 99–53 | 7 | New York Yankees | Joe McCarthy |
| 1934 | Detroit Tigers | Mickey Cochrane | 101–53 | 7 | New York Yankees | Joe McCarthy |
| 1935 | Detroit Tigers | Mickey Cochrane | 93–58 | 3 | New York Yankees | Joe McCarthy |
| 1936 | New York Yankees | Joe McCarthy | 102–51 | 19½ | Detroit Tigers | Mickey Cochrane |
| 1937 | New York Yankees | Joe McCarthy | 102–52 | 13 | Detroit Tigers | Mickey Cochrane |
| 1938 | New York Yankees | Joe McCarthy | 99–53 | 9½ | Boston Red Sox | Joe Cronin |
| 1939 | New York Yankees | Joe McCarthy | 106–45 | 17 | Boston Red Sox | Joe Cronin |
| 1940 | Detroit Tigers | Del Baker | 90–53 | 1 | Cleveland Indians | Del Baker |
| 1941 | New York Yankees | Joe McCarthy | 101–53 | 17 | Boston Red Sox | Joe Cronin |
| 1942 | New York Yankees | Joe McCarthy | 103–51 | 9 | Boston Red Sox | Joe Cronin |
| 1943 | New York Yankees | Joe McCarthy | 98–49 | 13½ | Washington Senators | Ossie Bluege |
| 1944 | St. Louis Browns | Luke Sewell | 89–65 | 1 | Detroit Tigers | Steve O'Neill |
| 1945 | Detroit Tigers | Steve O'Neill | 88–65 | 1½ | Washington Senators | Ossie Bluege |
| 1946 | Boston Red Sox | Joe Cronin | 104–50 | 12 | Detroit Tigers | Steve O'Neill |
| 1947 | New York Yankees | Bucky Harris | 97–57 | 12 | Detroit Tigers | Steve O'Neill |
| 1948 | Cleveland Indians | Lou Boudreau | 97–58 | 1 | Boston Red Sox | Joe McCarthy |
| 1949 | New York Yankees | Casey Stengel | 97–57 | 1 | Boston Red Sox | Joe McCarthy |
| 1950 | New York Yankees | Casey Stengel | 98–56 | 3 | Detroit Tigers | Red Rolfe |
| 1951 | New York Yankees | Casey Stengel | 98–56 | 5 | Cleveland Indians | Al López |
| 1952 | New York Yankees | Casey Stengel | 95–59 | 2 | Cleveland Indians | Al López |
| 1953 | New York Yankees | Casey Stengel | 99–52 | 8½ | Cleveland Indians | Al López |
| 1954 | Cleveland Indians | Al López | 111–43 | 8 | New York Yankees | Casey Stengel |
| 1955 | New York Yankees | Casey Stengel | 96–58 | 3 | Cleveland Indians | Al López |
| 1956 | New York Yankees | Casey Stengel | 97–57 | 9 | Cleveland Indians | Al López |
| 1957 | New York Yankees | Casey Stengel | 98–56 | 8 | Chicago White Sox | Al López |
| 1958 | New York Yankees | Casey Stengel | 92–62 | 10 | Chicago White Sox | Al López |
| 1959 | Chicago White Sox | Al López | 94–60 | 5 | Cleveland Indians | Joe Gordon |
| 1960 | New York Yankees | Casey Stengel | 97–57 | 8 | Baltimore Orioles | Paul Richards |
| 1961 | New York Yankees | Ralph Houk | 109–53 | 8 | Detroit Tigers | Bob Scheffing |
| 1962 | New York Yankees | Ralph Houk | 96–62 | 5 | Minnesota Twins | Sam Mele |
| 1963 | New York Yankees | Ralph Houk | 104–57 | 10½ | Chicago White Sox | Al López |
| 1964 | New York Yankees | Yogi Berra | 99–63 | 1 | Chicago White Sox | Al López |
| 1965 | Minnesota Twins | Sam Mele | 102–60 | 7 | Chicago White Sox | Al López |
| 1966 | Baltimore Orioles | Hank Bauer | 97–63 | 9 | Minnesota Twins | Sam Mele |
| 1967 | Boston Red Sox | Dick Williams | 92–70 | 1 | Detroit Tigers | Mayo Smith |
| 1968 | Detroit Tigers | Mayo Smith | 103–59 | 12 | Baltimore Orioles | Earl Weaver |

## League Championship Series era (1969–present)

| Year | Series | Winning team | Manager | Record | Games | Losing team | Manager | Record |
| 1969 | 1969 | Baltimore Orioles$^E$ | Earl Weaver | 109–53 | 3–0 | Minnesota Twins$^W$ | Billy Martin | 97–65 |
| 1970 | 1970 | Baltimore Orioles$^E$ | Earl Weaver | 108–54 | 3–0 | Minnesota Twins$^W$ | Bill Rigney | 98–64 |
| 1971 | 1971 | Baltimore Orioles$^E$ | Earl Weaver | 101–57 | 3–0 | Oakland Athletics$^W$ | Dick Williams | 101–60 |
| 1972 | 1972 | Oakland Athletics$^W$ | Dick Williams | 93–62 | 3–2 | Detroit Tigers$^E$ | Billy Martin | 86–70 |
| 1973 | 1973 | Oakland Athletics$^W$ | Dick Williams | 94–68 | 3–2 | Baltimore Orioles$^E$ | Earl Weaver | 97–65 |
| 1974 | 1974 | Oakland Athletics$^W$ | Alvin Dark | 90–72 | 3–1 | Baltimore Orioles$^E$ | Earl Weaver | 91–71 |
| 1975 | 1975 | Boston Red Sox$^E$ | Darrell Johnson | 95–65 | 3–0 | Oakland Athletics$^W$ | Alvin Dark | 98–64 |
| 1976 | 1976 | New York Yankees$^E$ | Billy Martin | 97–62 | 3–2 | Kansas City Royals$^W$ | Whitey Herzog | 90–72 |
| 1977 | 1977 | New York Yankees$^E$ | Billy Martin | 100–62 | 3–2 | Kansas City Royals$^W$ | Whitey Herzog | 102–60 |
| 1978 | 1978 | New York Yankees$^E$ | Bob Lemon | 100–63 | 3–1 | Kansas City Royals$^W$ | Whitey Herzog | 92–70 |
| 1979 | 1979 | Baltimore Orioles$^E$ | Earl Weaver | 102–57 | 3–1 | California Angels$^W$ | Jim Fregosi | 88–74 |
| 1980 | 1980 | Kansas City Royals$^W$ | Jim Frey | 97–65 | 3–0 | New York Yankees$^E$ | Dick Howser | 103–59 |
| 1981 | 1981 | New York Yankees$^E$ | Bob Lemon | 59–48 | 3–0 | Oakland Athletics$^W$ | Billy Martin | 64–45 |
| 1982 | 1982 | Milwaukee Brewers$^E$ | Harvey Kuenn | 95–67 | 3–2 | California Angels$^W$ | Gene Mauch | 93–69 |
| 1983 | 1983 | Baltimore Orioles$^E$ | Joe Altobelli | 98–64 | 3–1 | Chicago White Sox$^W$ | Tony La Russa | 99–63 |
| 1984 | 1984 | Detroit Tigers$^E$ | Sparky Anderson | 104–58 | 3–0 | Kansas City Royals$^W$ | Dick Howser | 84–78 |
| 1985 | 1985 | Kansas City Royals$^W$ | Dick Howser | 91–71 | 4–3 | Toronto Blue Jays$^E$ | Bobby Cox | 99–62 |
| 1986 | 1986 | Boston Red Sox$^E$ | John McNamara | 95–66 | 4–3 | California Angels$^W$ | Gene Mauch | 92–70 |
| 1987 | 1987 | Minnesota Twins$^W$ | Tom Kelly | 85–77 | 4–1 | Detroit Tigers$^E$ | Sparky Anderson | 98–64 |
| 1988 | 1988 | Oakland Athletics$^W$ | Tony La Russa | 104–58 | 4–0 | Boston Red Sox$^E$ | Joe Morgan | 89–73 |
| 1989 | 1989 | Oakland Athletics$^W$ | Tony La Russa | 99–63 | 4–1 | Toronto Blue Jays$^E$ | Cito Gaston | 89–73 |
| 1990 | 1990 | Oakland Athletics$^W$ | Tony La Russa | 103–59 | 4–0 | Boston Red Sox$^E$ | Joe Morgan | 88–74 |
| 1991 | 1991 | Minnesota Twins$^W$ | Tom Kelly | 95–67 | 4–1 | Toronto Blue Jays$^E$ | Cito Gaston | 91–71 |
| 1992 | 1992 | Toronto Blue Jays$^E$ | Cito Gaston | 96–66 | 4–2 | Oakland Athletics$^W$ | Tony La Russa | 96–66 |
| 1993 | 1993 | Toronto Blue Jays$^E$ | Cito Gaston | 95–67 | 4–2 | Chicago White Sox$^W$ | Gene Lamont | 94–68 |
| 1994 | Not held due to players' strike. | Not held due to players' strike. | Not held due to players' strike. | Not held due to players' strike. | Not held due to players' strike. | Not held due to players' strike. | Not held due to players' strike. | Not held due to players' strike. |
| 1995 | 1995 | Cleveland Indians$^C$ | Mike Hargrove | 100–44 | 4–2 | Seattle Mariners$^W$ | Lou Piniella | 79–66 |
| 1996 | 1996 | New York Yankees$^E$ | Joe Torre | 92–70 | 4–1 | Baltimore Orioles$^{E†}$ | Davey Johnson | 88–74 |
| 1997 | 1997 | Cleveland Indians$^C$ | Mike Hargrove | 86–75 | 4–2 | Baltimore Orioles$^E$ | Davey Johnson | 98–64 |
| 1998 | 1998 | New York Yankees$^E$ | Joe Torre | 114–48 | 4–2 | Cleveland Indians$^C$ | Mike Hargrove | 89–73 |
| 1999 | 1999 | New York Yankees$^E$ | Joe Torre | 98–64 | 4–1 | Boston Red Sox$^{E†}$ | Jimy Williams | 94–68 |
| 2000 | 2000 | New York Yankees$^E$ | Joe Torre | 87–74 | 4–2 | Seattle Mariners$^{W†}$ | Lou Piniella | 91–71 |
| 2001 | 2001 | New York Yankees$^E$ | Joe Torre | 95–65 | 4–1 | Seattle Mariners$^W$ | Lou Piniella | 116–46 |
| 2002 | 2002 | Anaheim Angels$^{W†}$ | Mike Scioscia | 99–63 | 4–1 | Minnesota Twins$^C$ | Ron Gardenhire | 94–67 |
| 2003 | 2003 | New York Yankees$^E$ | Joe Torre | 101–61 | 4–3 | Boston Red Sox$^{E†}$ | Grady Little | 95–67 |
| 2004 | 2004 | Boston Red Sox$^{E†}$ | Terry Francona | 98–64 | 4–3 | New York Yankees$^E$ | Joe Torre | 101–61 |
| 2005 | 2005 | Chicago White Sox$^C$ | Ozzie Guillén | 99–63 | 4–1 | Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim$^W$ | Mike Scioscia | 95–67 |
| 2006 | 2006 | Detroit Tigers$^{C†}$ | Jim Leyland | 95–67 | 4–0 | Oakland Athletics$^W$ | Ken Macha | 93–69 |
| 2007 | 2007 | Boston Red Sox$^E$ | Terry Francona | 96–66 | 4–3 | Cleveland Indians$^C$ | Eric Wedge | 96–66 |
| 2008 | 2008 | Tampa Bay Rays$^E$ | Joe Maddon | 97–65 | 4–3 | Boston Red Sox$^{E†}$ | Terry Francona | 95–67 |
| 2009 | 2009 | New York Yankees$^E$ | Joe Girardi | 103–59 | 4–2 | Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim$^W$ | Mike Scioscia | 97–65 |
| 2010 | 2010 | Texas Rangers$^W$ | Ron Washington | 90–72 | 4–2 | New York Yankees$^{E†}$ | Joe Girardi | 95–67 |
| 2011 | 2011 | Texas Rangers$^W$ | Ron Washington | 96–66 | 4–2 | Detroit Tigers$^C$ | Jim Leyland | 95–67 |
| 2012 | 2012 | Detroit Tigers$^C$ | Jim Leyland | 88–74 | 4–0 | New York Yankees$^E$ | Joe Girardi | 95–67 |
| 2013 | 2013 | Boston Red Sox$^E$ | John Farrell | 97–65 | 4–2 | Detroit Tigers$^C$ | Jim Leyland | 93–69 |
| 2014 | 2014 | Kansas City Royals$^{C†}$ | Ned Yost | 89–73 | 4–0 | Baltimore Orioles$^E$ | Buck Showalter | 96–66 |
| 2015 | 2015 | Kansas City Royals$^C$ | Ned Yost | 95–67 | 4–2 | Toronto Blue Jays$^E$ | John Gibbons | 93–69 |
| 2016 | 2016 | Cleveland Indians$^C$ | Terry Francona | 94–67 | 4–1 | Toronto Blue Jays$^{E†}$ | John Gibbons | 89–73 |
| 2017 | 2017 | Houston Astros$^W$ | A. J. Hinch | 101–61 | 4–3 | New York Yankees$^{E†}$ | Joe Girardi | 91–71 |
| 2018 | 2018 | Boston Red Sox$^E$ | Alex Cora | 108–54 | 4–1 | Houston Astros$^W$ | A. J. Hinch | 103–59 |
| 2019 | 2019 | Houston Astros$^W$ | A. J. Hinch | 107–55 | 4–2 | New York Yankees$^E$ | Aaron Boone | 103–59 |
| 2020 | 2020 | Tampa Bay Rays$^E$ | Kevin Cash | 40–20 | 4–3 | Houston Astros$^W$ | Dusty Baker | 29–31 |
| 2021 | 2021 | Houston Astros$^W$ | Dusty Baker | 95–67 | 4–2 | Boston Red Sox$^{E†}$ | Alex Cora | 92–70 |
| 2022 | 2022 | Houston Astros$^W$ | Dusty Baker | 106–56 | 4–0 | New York Yankees$^E$ | Aaron Boone | 99–63 |
| 2023 | 2023 | Texas Rangers$^{W†}$ | Bruce Bochy | 90–72 | 4–3 | Houston Astros$^W$ | Dusty Baker | 90–72 |
| 2024 | 2024 | New York Yankees$^E$ | Aaron Boone | 94–68 | 4–1 | Cleveland Guardians$^C$ | Stephen Vogt | 92–69 |

### Notes

* $^a$ A mid-season labor stoppage split the season into two halves. The winner of the first half played the winner of the second half in each division in the 1981 American League Division Series. The winners played in the 1981 ALCS for the American League pennant.
* $^b$ The leagues were re-aligned in 1994 to three divisions and a wild card was added to the playoffs, but the labor stoppage cancelled the postseason. Wild cards were first used in the 1995 playoffs.
* $^c$ While Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim was the official name of the team, the team was commonly referred to simply as "Los Angeles Angels", which they changed back to in 2016.

## Pennants won by franchise

| Team | Pennants won | Postseason appearances |
| New York Yankees | 41 | 59 |
| Oakland Athletics | 15 | 29 |
| Boston Red Sox | 14 | 25 |
| Detroit Tigers | 11 | 17 |
| Baltimore Orioles | 7 | 16 |
| Minnesota Twins | 6 | 18 |
| Cleveland Guardians | 6 | 17 |
| Chicago White Sox | 6 | 11 |
| Kansas City Royals | 4 | 10 |
| Houston Astros | 4 | 9 |
| Texas Rangers | 3 | 9 |
| Tampa Bay Rays | 2 | 9 |
| Toronto Blue Jays | 2 | 10 |
| Los Angeles Angels | 1 | 10 |
| Milwaukee Brewers | 1 | 2 |
| Seattle Mariners | 0 | 5 |

### Notes

* $^a$ Also known as New York Highlanders. In addition to their 41 official pennants, the Yankees had the best win-loss record in the American League when the 1994 season was cut short by a labor dispute.
* $^b$ Also known as Kansas City Athletics and Philadelphia Athletics.
* $^c$ Also known as Boston Americans.
* $^d$ Also known as St. Louis Browns and Milwaukee Brewers. This does not refer to the New York Yankees, who were known as the Baltimore Orioles in 1901 and 1902.
* $^e$ Also known as Washington Senators from 1901 to 1960 as called the Nationals from 1905 to 1955.
* $^f$ Also known as Cleveland Bluebirds (Blues), Cleveland Bronchos, Cleveland Naps, and Cleveland Indians.
* $^g$ Also known as Washington Senators from 1961 to 1971.
* $^h$ Also known as Houston Colt .45's from 1962 to 1964. This does not include one National League pennant and nine playoff appearances.
* $^i$ Also known as Anaheim Angels, California Angels, and Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim.
* $^j$ Also known as Tampa Bay Devil Rays.
* $^k$ Also known as Seattle Pilots in 1969. The Brewers were members of the American League through the 1997 season after which they switched to the National League. This table records only the Brewers' American League accomplishments.