Being a baseball fan is an emotional rollercoaster, but for some teams, the lows seem to outweigh the highs. Whether it’s constant rebuilds, brutal playoff losses, or just never quite putting it all together, these franchises have tested the patience of their loyal fans for years.
Some teams give you hope only to rip it away at the last second, while others keep making the same mistakes over and over again. Here are the 10 most frustrating MLB teams to root for.
10. Seattle Mariners
The Mariners hold the unfortunate record for the longest playoff drought in North American sports, only recently snapping it in 2022. Even when they have talent, something always seems to go wrong—whether it’s bad trades, late-season collapses, or just not getting over the hump.
9. New York Mets
Rooting for the Mets means preparing for heartbreak in the most ridiculous ways possible. Injuries, bizarre front-office moves, and bullpen implosions have become tradition, leaving fans wondering if their team is cursed.
8. Milwaukee Brewers
The Brewers are consistently good but never quite great, making them one of the most frustrating teams to root for. They’ve built strong rosters and had multiple playoff runs, yet always seem to fall short of a true championship breakthrough.
7. Los Angeles Angels
Imagine having both Mike Trout and Shohei Ohtani and still managing to be irrelevant in September. The Angels have consistently wasted generational talent with bad rosters, poor pitching, and front-office decisions that never seem to work out.
6. Chicago White Sox
The White Sox teased their fans with a promising rebuild, only to completely collapse into dysfunction. Whether it’s front-office incompetence, underperforming stars, or questionable managerial hires, this franchise just can’t seem to get out of its own way.
5. San Diego Padres
The Padres always look like they’re about to break through, but somehow, they never do. Even after loading up with superstars, they’ve still struggled to put together a deep playoff run, leaving fans frustrated year after year.
4. Philadelphia Phillies
Few teams have had higher highs and lower lows than the Phillies, making them an emotional rollercoaster to root for. One year they look like World Series contenders, the next they forget how to field a ground ball—there is no in-between.
3. Cincinnati Reds
The Reds always seem to be rebuilding, yet never quite finish the job. Every time they show promise, ownership finds a way to cut payroll, leaving fans wondering if they’ll ever commit to actually winning.
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2. Minnesota Twins
The Twins are basically allergic to winning in October, setting an MLB record with 18 straight playoff losses. No matter how good they are in the regular season, their inevitable postseason collapse feels like clockwork.
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1. Oakland Athletics
A’s fans have been through it all—low payrolls, star players constantly being traded away, and now the looming move to Las Vegas. Rooting for this team means falling in love with young talent only to watch them get shipped off as soon as they get expensive.
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