The teams that find a way to win close games often find themselves in the postseason.
Take the 2023 Marlins, who went 33-14 in one-run games to reach the playoffs despite a -57 run differential -- the lowest for any team to ever make the postseason.
The 2016 Rangers hold the modern era (since 1900) MLB record with a 36-11 record in one-run games. Texas rode that to the American League West title and the best record in the AL that year.
Here are the top teams by record in one-run games in the modern era.
1. 2016 Rangers: 36-11 in 1-run games (.766 winning percentage)
The 2016 Rangers finished 28 games over .500 overall ... and 25 games over .500 in one-run games alone. Over a third of their 95 wins were by a single run. This team was led by the ageless Adri¨¢n Beltr¨¦, who hit an even .300 with 32 home runs and 104 RBIs while winning his fifth Gold Glove Award at third base. Cole Hamels anchored the starting rotation, and closer Sam Dyson posted a career-high 38 saves.?
Despite being the top team in the AL that season, though, Texas was swept in the Division Series by their postseason rivals, the Blue Jays, in a rematch of the previous year's ALDS (the Jos¨¦ Bautista bat flip series).
2. 2012 Orioles: 29-9 in 1-run games (.763 winning percentage)
The O's made a surprising run to the playoffs -- 2012 was Baltimore's first postseason appearance since 1997, after 14 consecutive losing seasons. Pitching in so many close games, closer Jim Johnson led the Majors with 51 saves.
Once in the playoffs, the Orioles beat the Rangers in the AL Wild Card Game before falling to the Yankees in the Division Series in a deciding fifth game. Both of Baltimore's wins over New York in that series were by one run, including a 13-inning win in Game 4.
3. 1981 Orioles: 21-7 in 1-run games (.750 winning percentage)
Success in one-run games runs in the franchise. The Orioles hold two of the top three spots among the modern era's best one-run teams. In the strike-shortened 1981 season, which was divided into two segments, Baltimore missed the playoffs even with Eddie Murray leading the league with 22 home runs and 78 RBIs and Dennis Martinez leading the Majors with 14 wins.
The O's overall record was 59-46, but they finished second in the AL East in the first half of the season and fourth in the second half, while only the division winners from each half made the playoffs.
4. 2020 Rays: 14-5 in 1-run games (.737 winning percentage)^
In the COVID-shortened 2020 season, the Rays' great record in one-run games made a big difference. They rode that success to the best record in the AL at 40-20 and ran away with the AL East. Tampa Bay defeated the Blue Jays, Yankees and Astros in the postseason to win the AL pennant before falling just short in the World Series against the Dodgers.
The Rays' two most dramatic games of the year were one-run wins: the winner-take-all Game 5 of the ALDS against the Yankees (Mike Brosseau's series-deciding home run off Aroldis Chapman) and Game 4 of the World Series against the Dodgers (Brett Phillips' wild walk-off single and airplane celebration).
^60-game season
5. 1908 Pirates: 33-12 in 1-run games (.733 winning percentage)
This Bucs team featured Hall of Famer Honus Wagner, who led the Major Leagues in batting average, on-base percentage, slugging percentage, hits, RBIs and stolen bases in the middle of the Deadball Era. Even with Wagner's .354/.415/.542, 201-hit, 109-RBI, 53-steal campaign, Pittsburgh finished second in the National League. The Pirates' 98-56 record wasn't enough to win the pennant, as the Cubs beat them in their final game of the season and won the National League by a single game.
6. 1970 Orioles: 40-15 in 1-run games (.727 winning percentage)
The 1970 Orioles weren't just good in one-run games. They were dominant in all games, rolling to a Major League-best 108 wins during the regular season. How could they not be? They had an offense led by Hall of Famer Brooks Robinson and AL MVP Boog Powell, plus Hall of Famer Jim Palmer and Dave McNally atop the starting rotation.
The O's won the World Series while losing only a single game in the playoffs, erasing their loss to the Miracle Mets the year before. Two of their World Series wins over the Reds had one-run margins.
7. 1909 Pirates: 33-13 in 1-run games (.717 winning percentage)
The Pirates' one-run success wasn't enough to get them into the playoffs in 1908, but the next year, Pittsburgh was still nearly as good at pulling out wins in close games. And this time, like the 1970 Orioles, the Bucs rode those one-run wins to a World Series championship.
Wagner again put up league-leading numbers in every slash line category, with a .339 batting average, .420 on-base percentage and .489 slugging percentage, and he also led the NL with 100 RBIs. Wagner and Pittsburgh beat Ty Cobb and the Tigers in seven games in the World Series -- although the only game decided by one run was, ironically, a Pirates loss in Game 6.
8. (tie) 1954 Guardians: 32-13 in 1-run games (.711 winning percentage)
Cleveland in 1954 had one of the best regular seasons of all time -- the team went 111-43-2, the fourth-most wins in a season in AL/NL history and an AL-record .721 winning percentage. That ended the Yankees' historic run of five straight World Series titles as Cleveland dethroned New York for the AL pennant.
Hall of Famer Larry Doby led the AL with 32 home runs and 126 RBIs that season, and Hall of Famers Early Wynn and Bob Lemon tied for the Major League lead with 23 wins each. But the Guardians were swept in the World Series by the New York Giants thanks to a young Willie Mays -- who made The Catch in this Fall Classic.
8. (tie) 1913 Senators: 32-13 in 1-run games (.711 winning percentage)
The 1913 Washington Senators had Walter Johnson at his absolute peak. The Big Train had maybe the best season of his legendary career, winning the MLB Triple Crown with 36 wins, a 1.14 ERA and 243 strikeouts. He also led the Majors with 346 innings pitched, 29 complete games and 11 shutouts. He was single-handedly responsible for 13 of the Senators' one-run wins, and five of those were 1-0 shutouts.
Unfortunately, though Washington finished 90-64, that was only good enough for second place in the American League with the Philadelphia Athletics winning 96 games.
8. (tie) 1925 Senators: 27-11 in 1-run games (.711 winning percentage)
The 1925 Senators had better luck in the standings. They rode basically identical success in one-run games to the AL pennant, finishing well ahead of the A's at 96-55-1. Johnson was nearing the end of his career, but he and fellow Hall of Famer Stan Coveleski were still a formidable duo atop the rotation, combining for 40 wins and 31 complete games. Another Hall of Famer, Goose Goslin, anchored the lineup, batting .334 with 18 homers and 113 RBIs.
Though they won the pennant, the Senators fell in the World Series to the Pirates in seven games. Three of the games were decided by one run ... but Pittsburgh actually took two of those three.