1996 Season

28 teams competing across 6 divisions

The 1996 Major League Baseball season was played by 28 teams. The New York Yankees won the World Series, defeating the Atlanta Braves. Mark McGwire led with 52 home runs, Andres Galarraga led with 150 RBI, and Lance Johnson led with 227 hits. This page carries the 1996 standings, league leaders, postseason results, and a link to every team's season.

W (Wins):
Games credited to a pitcher whose team took a lead it never surrendered while he was the pitcher of record.
L (Losses):
Games charged to the pitcher of record when the opposing team took a lead it never surrendered.
Win% (Winning Percentage):
Wins divided by games decided.
GB (Games Back):
How far a team trailed the division or league leader.

Data updated

🏆 Postseason

1996 Bracket
World Series NYA def. ATL (4-2)
AL Championship NYA def. BAL (4-1)
NL Championship ATL def. SLN (4-3)
AL Division Series BAL def. CLE (3-1)
AL Division Series NYA def. TEX (3-1)
NL Division Series ATL def. LAN (3-0)
NL Division Series SLN def. SDN (3-0)

📂 Quick Links

📊 Full Leaders 📋 Standings ⚾ Batting 🎯 Pitching

⏳ Browse Seasons

1986 1991 1995 1996 1997 2001 2006

⚾ Batting Leaders

1996 Home Run Leaders

Top 10 — click a bar to view the player.

Batting average and OPS list qualified hitters only: 3.1 plate appearances per team game — 502 plate appearances at 162 team games. Home runs, RBI, hits, runs and stolen bases are counting totals and list every player.

Batting Average qualified

1 Alex Rodriguez .358 2 Frank Thomas .349 3 Ellis Burks .344 4 Paul Molitor .341 5 Chuck Knoblauch .341

OPS qualified

1 Mark McGwire 1.198 2 Gary Sheffield 1.090 3 Frank Thomas 1.085 4 Barry Bonds 1.076 5 Jim Thome 1.062

Home Runs all players

1 Mark McGwire 52 2 Brady Anderson 50 3 Ken Griffey 49 4 Albert Belle 48 5 Andres Galarraga 47

RBI all players

1 Andres Galarraga 150 2 Albert Belle 148 3 Juan Gonzalez 144 4 Mo Vaughn 143 5 Rafael Palmeiro 142

Hits all players

1 Lance Johnson 227 2 Paul Molitor 225 3 Alex Rodriguez 215 4 Ellis Burks 211 5 Kenny Lofton 210

Runs all players

1 Ellis Burks 142 2 Alex Rodriguez 141 3 Chuck Knoblauch 140 4 Roberto Alomar 132 5 Kenny Lofton 132

Stolen Bases all players

1 Kenny Lofton 75 2 Tom Goodwin 66 3 Otis Nixon 54 4 Eric Young 53 5 Lance Johnson 50
View Complete Batting Stats →

🎯 Pitching Leaders

1996 Strikeout Leaders

Top 10 — click a bar to view the player.

ERA and WHIP list qualified pitchers only: 1 inning pitched per team game — 162 innings at 162 team games. Wins, strikeouts and saves are counting totals and list every pitcher.

ERA qualified

1 Kevin Brown 1.89 2 Greg Maddux 2.72 3 Juan Guzman 2.93 4 Al Leiter 2.93 5 John Smoltz 2.94

WHIP qualified

1 Kevin Brown 0.94 2 John Smoltz 1.00 3 Greg Maddux 1.03 4 Curt Schilling 1.09 5 Juan Guzman 1.12

Wins all pitchers

1 John Smoltz 24 2 Andy Pettitte 21 3 Pat Hentgen 20 4 Mike Mussina 19 5 Andy Benes 18

Strikeouts all pitchers

1 John Smoltz 276 2 Roger Clemens 257 3 Hideo Nomo 234 4 Jeff Fassero 222 5 Pedro Martinez 222

Saves all pitchers

1 Jeff Brantley 44 2 Todd Worrell 44 3 John Wetteland 43 4 Trevor Hoffman 42 5 Jose Mesa 39
View Complete Pitching Stats →

📋 Standings

AL Central

Cleveland Indians ★ 99-62 Chicago White Sox 85-77 Milwaukee Brewers 80-82 Minnesota Twins 78-84 Kansas City Royals 75-86

AL East

New York Yankees ★ 92-70 Baltimore Orioles 88-74 Boston Red Sox 85-77 Toronto Blue Jays 74-88 Detroit Tigers 53-109

AL West

Texas Rangers ★ 90-72 Seattle Mariners 85-76 Oakland Athletics 78-84 California Angels 70-91

NL Central

St. Louis Cardinals ★ 88-74 Houston Astros 82-80 Cincinnati Reds 81-81 Chicago Cubs 76-86 Pittsburgh Pirates 73-89

NL East

Atlanta Braves ★ 96-66 Montreal Expos 88-74 Florida Marlins 80-82 New York Mets 71-91 Philadelphia Phillies 67-95

NL West

San Diego Padres ★ 91-71 Los Angeles Dodgers 90-72 Colorado Rockies 83-79 San Francisco Giants 68-94

The 1996 season in brief

The best record in the 1996 standings belonged to the Cleveland Indians, who finished 99-62. The weakest record belonged to the Detroit Tigers, 53-109. In the 1996 standings, the National League West went to the San Diego Padres by the narrowest of margins over the Los Angeles Dodgers, 91-71 to 90-72, the New York Yankees (92-70) held off the Baltimore Orioles (88-74) in the American League East, the Texas Rangers won the American League West going away, 90-72 against 85-76 for the Seattle Mariners, and the St. Louis Cardinals won the National League Central going away, 88-74 against 82-80 for the Houston Astros. The 1996 title went to the New York Yankees, who defeated the Atlanta Braves in the World Series, 4 games to 2. Earlier rounds sent through the New York Yankees over the Baltimore Orioles in the AL Championship Series (4-1), the Atlanta Braves over the St. Louis Cardinals in the NL Championship Series (4-3), the Baltimore Orioles over the Cleveland Indians in the AL Division Series (3-1), and the New York Yankees over the Texas Rangers in the AL Division Series (3-1). On the home run tile, Mark McGwire sat first with 52, ahead of Brady Anderson with 50. Among qualified hitters, Alex Rodriguez had the top batting average, .358, with Frank Thomas next at .349. The 1996 leaders page lists every qualified line, and each club links to its own 1996 page.

1996 MLB Season: Frequently Asked Questions

Who won the World Series in 1996?
The New York Yankees won the 1996 World Series, beating the Atlanta Braves.
How many teams played in 1996?
28 teams played in the 1996 major league season.
Who led MLB in home runs in 1996?
Mark McGwire led with 52 home runs in 1996.
Who led MLB in RBI in 1996?
Andres Galarraga led with 150 RBI in 1996.
Who led MLB in hits in 1996?
Lance Johnson led with 227 hits in 1996.
All Seasons