World Series Champion
Chicago Cubs
Cubs over the Indians (4-3)
World Series MVP: Ben Zobrist (CHC)
The biggest story of the 2016 MLB season was the Chicago Cubs winning the World Series to break a 108-year-old drought. By finally ending the Curse of the Billy Goat, one of the oldest, craziest baseball superstitions has been defeated.
Highlights
No-Hitter: Thursday, April 21, 2016, Jake Arrieta
Retiring: Vin Scully – A-Rod – Big Papi – Prince Fielder
Sad: R.I.P. 24-year-old Jose Fernandez
Fun: Bartolo Colon’s first home run
Top 25 Baseball Stories of 2016
VIA: NBC Sport’s Hardball Talk
1. The Chicago Cubs Break the Curse
2. Jose Fernandez killed in a boating accident
3. Vin Scully calls his final game
4. David Ortiz’s historic farewell season
5. Alex Rodriguez’s career comes to an end
6. Ken Griffey Jr. gets a record 99.3% of Hall vote
7. New Collective Bargaining Agreement
8. The Year of the Reliever
9. Bryce tries to Make Baseball Fun Again
10. Aroldis Chapman gets suspended
11. The Drake LaRoche Saga
12. Tim Tebow plays baseball
13. Ichiro Becomes the All-Time Hit King
14. Bartolo Colon hits a homer
15. The Jose Bautista-Rougned Odor Fight
16. Bud Selig gets elected to the Hall of Fame
17. Yoenis Cespedes shows off his wheels
18. MLB adopts “The Chase Utley Rule”
19. Jenrry Mejia permanently suspended
20. The lifespan of a ballpark gets shorter
21. Chris Sale freaks out
22. Story and Sanchez make big rookie splashes
23. A.J. Preller suspended
24. 2 Ryans sue Al Jazeera
25. Curt Schilling fired from ESPN
National League
| EAST | W | L | W-L% | GB |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Washington Nationals | 95 | 67 | .586 | — |
| New York Mets | 87 | 75 | .537 | 8.0 |
| Miami Marlins | 79 | 82 | .491 | 15.5 |
| Philadelphia Phillies | 71 | 91 | .438 | 24.0 |
| Atlanta Braves | 68 | 93 | .422 | 26.5 |
| CENTRAL | W | L | W-L% | GB |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Chicago Cubs | 103 | 58 | .640 | — |
| St. Louis Cardinals | 86 | 76 | .531 | 17.5 |
| Pittsburgh Pirates | 78 | 83 | .484 | 25.0 |
| Milwaukee Brewers | 73 | 89 | .451 | 30.5 |
| Cincinnati Reds | 68 | 94 | .420 | 35.5 |
| WEST | W | L | W-L% | GB |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Los Angeles Dodgers | 91 | 71 | .562 | — |
| San Francisco Giants | 87 | 75 | .537 | 4.0 |
| Colorado Rockies | 75 | 87 | .463 | 16.0 |
| Arz. Diamondbacks | 69 | 93 | .426 | 22.0 |
| San Diego Padres | 68 | 94 | .420 | 23.0 |
National League Awards
Most Valuable Player: Kris Bryant (CHC)
Cy Young: Max Scherzer (WSN)
Rookie of the Year: Corey Seager (LAD)
Manager of the Year: Dave Roberts (LAD)
National League Playoffs
NLCS: Cubs over the Dodgers (4-2)
NLDS: Cubs over the Giants (3-1)
NLDS: Dodgers over the Nationals (3-2)
NL Wild Card: Giants over the Mets (1-0)
American League
| EAST | W | L | W-L% | GB |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Boston Red Sox | 93 | 69 | .574 | — |
| Baltimore Orioles | 89 | 73 | .549 | 4.0 |
| Toronto Blue Jays | 89 | 73 | .549 | 4.0 |
| New York Yankees | 84 | 78 | .519 | 9.0 |
| Tampa Bay Rays | 68 | 94 | .420 | 25.0 |
| CENTRAL | W | L | W-L% | GB |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Cleveland Indians | 94 | 67 | .584 | — |
| Detroit Tigers | 86 | 75 | .534 | 8.0 |
| Kansas City Royals | 81 | 81 | .500 | 13.5 |
| Chicago White Sox | 78 | 84 | .481 | 16.5 |
| Minnesota Twins | 59 | 103 | .364 | 35.5 |
| WEST | W | L | W-L% | GB |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Texas Rangers | 95 | 67 | .586 | — |
| Seattle Mariners | 86 | 76 | .531 | 9.0 |
| Houston Astros | 84 | 78 | .519 | 11.0 |
| Los Angeles Angels | 74 | 88 | .457 | 21.0 |
| Oakland Athletics | 69 | 93 | .426 | 26.0 |
American League Awards
Most Valuable Player: Mike Trout (LAA)
Cy Young: Rick Porcello (BOS)
Rookie of the Year: Michael Fulmer (DET)
Manager of the Year: Terry Francona (CLE)
American League Playoffs
ALCS: Indians over the Blue Jays (4-1)
ALDS: Blue Jays over the Rangers (3-0)
ALDS: Indians over the Red Sox (3-0)
AL Wild Card: Blue Jays over the Orioles (1-0)