Baseball is a beautiful game, full of tradition, passion, and an unexplainable love for a sport that can sometimes feel like it moves in slow motion. But with that passion comes a dark side: toxic fanbases. Every team has its share of insufferable die-hards, but some take it to an entirely different level.
Whether it’s relentless gatekeeping, unbearable smugness, or just an overall inability to take a joke, these fanbases have earned their spots on this ranking. Let’s dive into the madness.
15. San Diego Padres
A newer entry into the toxicity rankings, Padres fans have gone from lovable underdogs to loud, overly confident keyboard warriors in record time. After a few splashy signings and a couple decent postseason runs, they started talking like they run the league. You’d think they’d at least win something before acting like Yankees fans.
14. Baltimore Orioles
Normally a quiet fanbase, Orioles fans have recently started puffing out their chests thanks to their promising young core. While it’s nice to see them competitive again, the condescending “We built this the right way” attitude is getting old. Congrats on finally escaping baseball purgatory, but let’s see a playoff series win before crowning yourselves kings.
13. Houston Astros
Astros fans exist in two forms: those who never let go of 2017 and those who swear everyone cheats, so why does it matter? The combination of defiance and victim mentality is exhausting. At this point, just own the villain role and move on.
12. Cincinnati Reds
For a team that hasn’t been relevant in decades, Reds fans sure love to act like their suffering is on par with that of Cubs or Red Sox fans pre-curse-breaking. They also have a weird habit of overhyping every single prospect as the next Mike Trout. Relax, not every call-up is a future MVP.
11. Philadelphia Phillies
If this list were about the most aggressive fanbases, the Phillies would be much higher. But their toxicity is more about hostility than arrogance. Booing Santa Claus is old news—this fanbase will turn on its own players at the first sign of struggle. Fun to watch from a distance, though.
10. New York Mets
Mets fans live in a constant state of self-inflicted pain and make sure you know about it. Every year is either “This is the year” or “We’re cursed.” They love complaining more than they love winning, and honestly, it’s kind of impressive.
9. Los Angeles Angels
Toxic in the sense that they are delusional. Every year, Angels fans convince themselves that this will be the season they finally figure things out. Then, after wasting another year of Mike Trout’s life, they proceed to whine about bad luck and injuries like it’s something new.
8. Chicago Cubs
Winning the 2016 World Series turned Cubs fans from lovable losers into unbearable know-it-alls. The “we broke the curse, so we’re better than you” mentality is grating, and their sudden entitlement to endless success is a sharp contrast from the patience they preached for a century.
7. San Francisco Giants
Giants fans have been salty ever since the Dodgers became good. They love to downplay their rivals’ success while reminiscing about the even-year magic like it’s a personality trait. Let it go. It’s been almost a decade.
6. St. Louis Cardinals
“The Best Fans in Baseball™” love to lecture others on the “right” way to play the game while conveniently ignoring their own team’s scandals and failures. The self-righteousness is suffocating, and if you question anything about the Cardinals, prepare for an essay-length response about baseball’s unwritten rules.
5. Boston Red Sox
Red Sox fans were once the embodiment of lovable misery, but after breaking the curse, they transformed into an entitled, baseball-version of Patriots fans. Complaining about ownership while conveniently forgetting they’ve won four titles in the past 20 years is a true art form.
4. Los Angeles Dodgers
Dodgers fans operate under two extremes: the die-hards who have been there forever and the bandwagoners who appeared in 2020 (or 2024). The toxic part? The sheer arrogance. They act like every season is their birthright to win the World Series, and if they don’t, it’s either MLB’s fault or a fluke.
3. New York Yankees
No surprise here. Yankees fans have a superiority complex larger than their payroll. They expect to win every year, despite not doing so since 2009, and they love reminding you of their 27 rings as if anything before color TV should count. Also, their refusal to accept that analytics exist is peak boomer energy.
2. Toronto Blue Jays
Jays fans treat every offseason like they just won the lottery and then disappear the moment things go south. They’ve also got a weird habit of thinking their players are untouchable, refusing to accept that anyone would ever want to leave Canada. The internet bravado is unmatched, though.
Read More: Ranking the 15 Most Loyal MLB Fanbases
1. Atlanta Braves
The Braves take the top spot because they’ve somehow managed to mix arrogance, denial, and an intense victim complex all at once. Win a World Series? “We’re a dynasty now!” Lose in the playoffs? “The format is unfair!” The way Braves fans flip between smugness and self-pity is truly something to behold.
Read More: Ranking the 15 Most Hated MLB Fanbases