CLEVELAND -- The Guardians franchise has been around since 1901, and as a charter member of the American League, the club has enjoyed many memorable seasons in the past century-plus. But which seasons stand out as the best? Let’s take a look:
1. 1954
Record: 111-43
It’s not one of the two years that Cleveland won a World Series title, but it was a season that still holds a record today. No other team in franchise history has posted a higher winning percentage (.721) than the Indians did in ’54, when they were led by Larry Doby, Al Rosen, Bobby Avila, Bob Lemon and Bob Feller. Cleveland secured the AL pennant by besting the 103-win Yankees, before the club was swept in the World Series by the Giants. But that certainly doesn’t take away from the regular-season efforts.
2. 1995
Record: 100-44
It had been 40 years since the Indians last clinched a postseason berth. In a magical 1995 season, Cleveland secured the franchise's second 100-win campaign and won the AL Central title. The club also posted its second-best single-season winning percentage (.694), trailing only the ’54 team. Cleveland finally got a taste of playoff baseball once again and made it all the way to Game 6 of the World Series, before it fell just short of its ultimate goal against the Braves.
3. 1920
Record: 98-56
It’s impossible for this list to be complete without the first championship season. Players such as Tris Speaker (who was also the manager) and Stan Coveleski helped lead the Indians to the first World Series title in franchise history. Ray Chapman played a vital role on the roster until he died later in the season, after being hit by a pitch in August. Cleveland finished two games ahead of the White Sox in the regular season before defeating the Brooklyn Robins in the Fall Classic.
4. 1948
Record: 97-58
While we’re talking about championships, let’s throw Cleveland's second -- and most recent -- World Series-winning season on the list. Lemon threw a no-hitter on June 30, and Negro Leagues star Satchel Paige provided a boost to the pitching staff after he was signed in July. He logged a 2.48 ERA in 21 regular-season games (including seven starts). Cleveland defeated the Boston Braves in six games to become World Series champions for the second time.
5. 2016
Record: 94-67
Just reading that year may cause some fans’ stomachs to still sink. But nobody expected the Indians to do what they did in 2016. Cleveland didn’t win the most games in franchise history, but the club won its first division title since '07, following a season in which it finished in third place and 13.5 games out of first in the AL Central. This was the first full season for shortstop Francisco Lindor, and a key pickup of reliever Andrew Miller at the Trade Deadline took the bullpen to the next level. Cleveland went all the way to Game 7 of the World Series before falling just short in an extra-innings loss to the Cubs, after Rajai Davis provided the electric game-tying homer in the bottom of the eighth.
Honorable mention
2017: Coming off the high of the 2016 season, the Indians won the second-most games in franchise history (102-60). The team’s .630 winning percentage marked the highest during Terry Francona’s 11-year managerial tenure. But the Indians were eliminated from the postseason after losing to the Yankees in five games in the AL Division Series.
1999: The Indians mashed their way to their fifth consecutive AL Central title, leading the Majors in runs per game (6.23) and runs scored (1,009) -- both of which marked single-season franchise bests. Cleveland (97-65) held at least a share of first place from April 8 onward and won the division by 21 1/2 games. Its season ended in the ALDS, when it lost in five games to the Red Sox.
1996: The Indians came just shy of what would’ve been the third 100-win season in franchise history. Led by Jim Thome, Cleveland followed its stellar performance in ’95 with a first-place finish in the division (99-62) once again. But this time, the club came up a little shorter in its postseason run, dropping the ALDS to the Orioles in four games.