Best records by defending champs in divisional era

The Dodgers may have fallen short against the Braves in the 2021 National League Championship Series, but their performance during the regular season was one of the best by a defending World Series champion in recent memory.

Los Angeles went 106-56 (.654 winning percentage), posting the best regular-season record by a reigning champ in the divisional era (since 1969).

You were more likely to see seasons like this from defending champions in the first half of the 20th century, when there were fewer teams and clubs played fewer games. The 1931 Philadelphia A’s, for instance, had a .704 winning percentage (107-45) after winning it all in ‘30. No defending champ has topped that since the first modern World Series in 1903, although the ’39 Yankees came close, with a 106-45-1 record (.702) after winning it all in ‘38.

All told, there were 15 pre-1969 seasons (eight by the Yankees) in which the reigning champion had a .640 winning percentage or better. Since the start of the divisional era? None -- until the Dodgers finished at .654 in 2021.

Here's a look at the best regular-season performances by defending champs during that time.

2021 Dodgers: .654 (106-56)
After winning the World Series during the shortened 2020 campaign to secure the seventh title in franchise history, the Dodgers continued their impressive run of success the following year. Although their streak of eight straight NL West titles came to an end, the Dodgers blew past the previous mark for the best record by the defending World Series champions since the start of the divisional era. Finishing one game behind the 107-win Giants, Los Angeles became the 11th 100-win team not to finish in first place and also set records for the most wins by a second-place team in the divisional era and the most wins by a Wild Card team.

1971 Orioles: .639 (101-57)
After losing to the Mets in the 1969 World Series, the Orioles made it back to the Fall Classic in ‘70 and won, defeating the Reds four games to one. Baltimore followed that up with its third straight 100-win season in 1971, becoming the second team ever after the '20 White Sox with four 20-game winners on its pitching staff as Jim Palmer, Dave McNally, Mike Cuellar and Pat Dobson all reached the mark. The Orioles made the World Series again but were unable to repeat, losing in seven games to the Pirates.

1990 A’s: .636 (103-59)
Like the Orioles from 1969-71, the A’s won three straight AL pennants from ’88-90 and came away with one title sandwiched between two World Series losses. Led by AL MVP Rickey Henderson and AL Cy Young Award winner Bob Welch, the 1990 iteration won the AL West and cruised past the Red Sox in the ALCS before being swept by the Reds in the Fall Classic.

2018 Astros: .636 (103-59)
Bolstering their 2017 World Series championship-winning roster with the addition of Gerrit Cole, the Astros earned their second straight division crown and swept Cleveland in the ALDS, setting up an ALCS showdown with the 108-win Red Sox. Houston took Game 1 at Fenway Park but lost the next four and was sent home, while the Red Sox went on to defeat the Dodgers in the World Series.

1976 Reds: .630 (102-60)
While the other three clubs on this list weren’t able to bring home a second straight World Series title, the 1976 Reds did just that. Behind another MVP season from Joe Morgan, the Big Red Machine won its division and swept its way through the NLCS and World Series.