MINNEAPOLIS — Kansas City has become Major League Baseball’s fourth 100-loss team this season, matching the major league record.
The Royals were defeated 12-8 by the AL Central-leading Minnesota Twins on Sunday, joining the Baltimore Orioles, Detroit Tigers and Miami Marlins as clubs with 100 defeats. The only other season to feature four 100-loss clubs was 2002, when the Tigers, Milwaukee Brewers and Tampa Bay Rays each dropped 106 games and Kansas City fell on the final day of the season for its 100th loss.
It’s also a banner year for baseball’s best. There have never been four 100-win teams in the same season, but that could change. The New York Yankees (102) and Houston Astros (102) already have eclipsed the mark, and the Los Angeles Dodgers (99 wins), Atlanta Braves (96) Minnesota (95) and Oakland Athletics (94) could still get there.
Three teams reached 100 wins in both 2017 and ’18. Before then, there were only three 100-game winners in 1942, ’77, ’98, 2002 and ’03.