- This article is about the 2004 Major League Baseball season only. For information on all of baseball, see 2004.
The 2004 MLB season was the 101st season of Major League Baseball. The season ended when the Boston Red Sox defeated the St. Louis Cardinals in a four-game sweep. This season was particularly notable since it broke the 86-year-long popular myth known as the Curse of the Bambino, by being the first team ever to come back from 3-0 against the New York Yankees.
Statistical Leaders[]
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Major League Baseball final standings[]
| American League | |||||
| Rank | Club | Wins | Losses | Win % | GB |
| East Division | |||||
| 1st | New York Yankees | 101 | 61 | .623 | -- |
| 2nd | Boston Red Sox * | 98 | 64 | .605 | 3.0 |
| 3rd | Baltimore Orioles | 78 | 84 | .481 | 23.0 |
| 4th | Tampa Bay Devil Rays | 70 | 91 | .435 | 30.5 |
| 5th | Toronto Blue Jays | 67 | 94 | .416 | 33.5 |
| Central Division | |||||
| 1st | Minnesota Twins | 92 | 70 | .568 | -- |
| 2nd | Chicago White Sox | 83 | 79 | .512 | 9.0 |
| 3rd | Cleveland Indians | 80 | 82 | .494 | 12.0 |
| 4th | Detroit Tigers | 72 | 90 | .444 | 20.0 |
| 5th | Kansas City Royals | 58 | 104 | .358 | 34.0 |
| West Division | |||||
| 1st | Anaheim Angels | 92 | 70 | .568 | -- |
| 2nd | Oakland Athletics | 91 | 71 | .562 | 1.0 |
| 3rd | Texas Rangers | 89 | 73 | .549 | 3.0 |
| 4th | Seattle Mariners | 63 | 99 | .389 | 29.0 |
| National League | |||||
| Rank | Club | Wins | Losses | Win % | GB |
| East Division | |||||
| 1st | Atlanta Braves | 96 | 66 | .593 | -- |
| 2nd | Philadelphia Phillies | 86 | 76 | .531 | 10.0 |
| 3rd | Florida Marlins | 83 | 79 | .512 | 13.0 |
| 4th | New York Mets | 71 | 91 | .438 | 25.0 |
| 5th | Montreal Expos | 67 | 95 | .414 | 29.0 |
| Central Division | |||||
| 1st | St. Louis Cardinals | 105 | 57 | .648 | -- |
| 2nd | Houston Astros * | 92 | 70 | .568 | 13.0 |
| 3rd | Chicago Cubs | 89 | 73 | .549 | 16.0 |
| 4th | Cincinnati Reds | 76 | 86 | .469 | 29.0 |
| 5th | Pittsburgh Pirates | 72 | 89 | .447 | 32.5 |
| 6th | Milwaukee Brewers | 67 | 94 | .416 | 37.5 |
| West Division | |||||
| 1st | Los Angeles Dodgers | 93 | 69 | .574 | -- |
| 2nd | San Francisco Giants | 91 | 71 | .562 | 2.0 |
| 3rd | San Diego Padres | 87 | 75 | .537 | 6.0 |
| 4th | Colorado Rockies | 68 | 94 | .420 | 25.0 |
| 5th | Arizona Diamondbacks | 51 | 111 | .315 | 42.0 |
- The asterisk denotes the club that won the wild card for its respective league.
Playoffs[]
- World Series Champion - Boston Red Sox
- Playoffs - October 4 to October 27, 2004.
| Division Series (ESPN/Fox) |
League Championship Series (Fox) |
World Series (Fox) | |||||||||||
| 1 | New York Yankees | 3 | |||||||||||
| 3 | Minnesota Twins | 1 | |||||||||||
| 1 | New York Yankees | 3 | |||||||||||
| American League | |||||||||||||
| 4 | Boston Red Sox | 4 | |||||||||||
| 2 | Anaheim Angels | 0 | |||||||||||
| 4 | Boston Red Sox | 3 | |||||||||||
| AL4 | Boston Red Sox | 4 | |||||||||||
| NL1 | St. Louis Cardinals | 0 | |||||||||||
| 3 | Los Angeles Dodgers | 1 | |||||||||||
| 1 | St. Louis Cardinals | 3 | |||||||||||
| 1 | St. Louis Cardinals | 4 | |||||||||||
| National League | |||||||||||||
| 4 | Houston Astros | 3 | |||||||||||
| 2 | Atlanta Braves | 2 | |||||||||||
| 4 | Houston Astros | 3 | |||||||||||
- Playoff MVPs
- Manny Ramírez (WS)
- David Ortiz (ALCS)
- Albert Pujols (NLCS)
- All-Star Game, July 13 at Minute Maid Park: American League, 9-4; Alfonso Soriano, MVP
Milestones[]
Home Runs[]
The following players reached major milestones in 2004: