As the start of Major League Baseball approaches, now is the best time to break down the people who put all the pieces in place for your favorite team to be successful. While they don’t play, the Owners make the big decisions for every franchise. Here is a ranking of all 30 MLB Owners from Worst to First.
30. Detroit Tigers
Owner: Christopher Illitch
Christopher Illitch has owned the Detroit Tigers since 2017. He has never had a winning season, and the team’s best year was last season, when they were six games below .500. While seven years is not a long time as an owner, not having a single winning season earns you the last spot on an MLB Owners ranking.
29. Kansas City Royals
Owner: John Sherman
John Sherman, a new owner in the MLB, as he acquired the Royals only five years ago in 2019. The team hasn’t had a winning record since and continues to get worse. Sherman isn’t dead last because he’s only owned the team for five seasons.
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28. Miami Marlins
Owner: Bruce Sherman
Bruce Sherman is another new owner in the MLB. He acquired the Marlins in 2017, and 2023 was their first winning season. I’d love to say Sherman is starting to get the hang of things, but he fired Derek Jeter last season following their best season in his tenure. Mainly because he wasn’t making enough money for the organization. He’s committed to lifetime ownership and promised to keep the team in the family. But Fans will turn quickly if the Marlins return to being the disappointing franchise they were.
27. Seattle Mariners
Owner: John W. Stanton
John W. Stanton took over ownership of the Seattle Mariners in 2016. Stanton is just another Businessman owner who looks to profit and isn’t concerned with winning. Seattle fans have constantly expressed their outrage with Stanton. The team was on a two-decade postseason drought from 2001 to 2022 but missed the playoffs again last season.
26. Pittsburgh Pirates
Owner: Bob Nutting
Bob Nutting became owner of the Pittsburgh Pirates in 2007, and it’s safe to say the fans are not happy. Pittsburgh is historically known for being a bad franchise, and Nutting has continued the trend only producing four winning seasons, four playoff appearances, and zero division titles. Their last playoff appearance was in 2015. Nutting isn’t the worst owner, but he’s earned himself one of the lowest rankings on this list.
25. Cincinnati Reds
Owner: Bob Castellini
Castellini has been in charge of the Reds since 2006 and doesn’t have much to show for it. Since taking over the franchise he’s mishandled the careers of multiple stars and has a career record of 1337-1477. He’s said he plans to spend big in Free Agency this summer, but we didn’t even see much of that and his time as owner will likely come to an end soon.
24. Los Angeles Angels
Owner: Arte Moreno
Arte Moreno has owned the Los Angeles Angels for 21 years and has recently put the team up for sale after 21 years of bad management. In 2002, the Angels won the World Series, which is the only reason Moreno isn’t last on my list. The Angels haven’t even come close to the playoffs in the last decade, even though they have two of the biggest baseball stars, Mike Trout and Shohei Ohtani, partially due to both players struggling to play together due to injury, but also because there was minimal talent around them.
23. San Diego Padres
Owner: Eric Kutsenda
Kutsenda was given temporary control of San Diego in November 2023 after the death of Peter Seidler. Seidler has been in charge since 2020 and has made many big moves to keep up with the Los Angeles Dodgers and try to win a Championship. Before his passing, he built a quality roster with stars like Fernando Tatis Jr. and Manny Machado, leaving the team in good hands for Kutsenda. But Kutsenda is this low simply because he hasn’t won a game yet.
23. Milwaukee Brewers
Owner: Mark Attanasio
They’ve been highly mediocre since Mark Attanasio took over the Brewers in 2005. Every season, they’ve finished between .600 and .400, most of the time closer to .500. But Attansio has provided the team with one of the best ballparks in the league in American Family Field. The stadium features a pool with a slide in the outfield, so Attansio is cool. No Championships under his belt though, which is why he’s ranked so low.
21. Toronto Blue Jays
Owner: Rogers Communication Company
The Toronto Blue Jays were bought by Rogers Communication Company in 2005, and are run by Ed Rogers the company’s chairman, like Attanasio, the owner of the Brewers. Rogers has built a very cool stadium for the one Canadian Major League Baseball Team and has also found a way to be mediocre since being the owner. Their other common trait is no championships.
20. Oakland Athletics
Owner: John J. Fisher
John J. Fisher understands the business, so as Oakland prepares to move to Las Vegas and build potentially the coolest and most advanced stadium ever, I give him credit for what the future has in store for the A’s. With no state income tax in Nevada, don’t be surprised if this team isn’t loaded with superstars in the upcoming years. This team needs a change of scenery and to forget about the past.
19. Colorado Rockies
Owner: The Montfort Brothers
The Montfort Brothers are best known for their historic ”Rocktober” 2007 World Series run. But since then, they haven’t won a playoff series, and they’ve finished over .500 five times. Even with the altitude advantage in Colorado, they can’t seem to get it together as owners and produce a team that can compete for championships.
18. Baltimore Orioles
Owner: David Rubenstein
The Angelos Family has owned the Baltimore Orioles since 1993 and has compiled a 2276-2574 record since the original purchase. The group has been known for not giving players high contracts but has had good seasons, especially during the Cal Ripken Era.
The team will have a new owner this upcoming MLB season. That might be a good thing, considering Oriole’s young and talented roster will need to get paid soon. They’ve already agreed to give the team to a group controlled by David Rubinstein and Mike Arougheti for 1.725 billion and are awaiting league approval.
17. The New York Mets
Owner: Steven A Cohen
The New York Mets were purchased by Steven Cohen in 2020. Since taking over, the Mets have only had one winning season, and somehow, they still missed the playoffs. I’m not too harsh on Cohen because he purchased the team during a pandemic, and they’ve gotten much better than where they were. They’ve also somewhat revived the Subway Series, so he’s progressing.
16. Washington Nationals
Owner: Mark Lerner
Ted Lerner bought the Washington Nationals in 2006. The team hasn’t been around for two decades, and he’s already won a World Series in 2019. But since then, Lerner has made questionable roster moves and has looked to sell the team. Lerner isn’t a top owner in baseball, but he’s had a lot of good moments.
15. Arizona Diamondbacks
Owner: Ken Kendrick Jr.
Ken Kendrick is historically known for leading the Diamondbacks to being the fastest expansion team ever to win a World Series. What was more remarkable about the 2001 Championship was that they knocked off the three-time defending champions at the time, The New York Yankees. Since then, they’ve only made the postseason five times, but they were on the brink of another World Series in 2023. It’s tough for anyone to compete in the NL West, but Ken Kendrick has found his success periodically.
14. Philadelphia Phillies
Owner: John S. Middleton
Middleton is the principal owner of the Philadelphia Phillies, which has owned 48% since 2014. He’s only been the public face of the Phillies for a few seasons because they’re a franchise that’s always had multiple owners. The Philadelphia native is the perfect owner; he understands how challenging the city is and that he has to win, not just focus on the money. Since he’s taken over, they’ve constantly gone after big free agents and have become better each season up until this point.
13. Chicago Cubs
Owner: The Rickett Family
The Rickett Family is well known for ending the Chicago Championship drought in 2016 when the Cubs won the World Series. They have a career-losing record by just three games, but the ring shines over that.
12. Chicago White Sox
Owner: Jerry Reinsdorf
Jerry Reinsdorf, the Chicago legend who owns the Bulls and White Sox. He might be a much better basketball owner than Baseball. But he won a World Series in 2005, and has pulled the franchise out of the shadows of the Cubs. He might not be the best owner, but he is indeed a legend.
11. Cleveland Guardians
Owner: Paul J. Dolan
Paul J. Dolan worked his way up to being the owner of the Cleveland Guardians. He joined the organization in 2000, working his way through various executive positions before becoming the owner in 2013. Since then, they’ve had nine winning seasons and six postseason appearances. Some might even say they have the best staff in the MLB.
10. Minnesota Twins
Owner: The Pohlad Family
The Pohlad Family has owned the Minnesota Twins since 1984 and has been passed down their family line since. In that time, they’ve won two World Series championships and made the playoffs 12 times in four decades. Unfortunately, the Steinbrenner family and the New York Yankees had beat them in the playoffs in six of the twelve appearances. The Pohlad Family has done a great job with the twins. They’ve had ups and downs, but they’ve been competitive most seasons.
9. San Francisco Giants
Owner: Charles B. Johnson
Charles B. Johnson has owned the Giants since 1992; he purchased his share alongside Peter McGowan and Larry Baer. The Giants are another team with multiple people who own a percentage, but Johnson is the principal owner. Johnson isn’t a famous owner by any means, as he is out of touch with his fans and city. Many dislike him because he constantly displays his political opinions and the groups he chooses to support. Nonetheless, The Giants won Multiple World Series Titles in the early 2000s, so you have to give him some credit. However, the team has had very little success since their most recent win in 2014.
8. Texas Rangers
Owner: Ray Davis
Ray Davis became the owner of the Texas Rangers in 2010 and turned the franchise around. Since Davis took over the team, they’ve made the postseason six times, won the AL West four times, and won their first World Series title in 2023. He’s one of the more popular owners in Texas sports right now, considering the Cowboys haven’t sniffed a Super Bowl appearance since the ’90s, and Davis has built the Rangers currently to win for a very long time.
7. New York Yankees
Owner: Hal Steinbrenner
Hal Steinbrenner owns the New York Yankees, as the team has been in his family for generations. He took over in 2008 and won a championship in his first season in 2009. He’s been excellent at building talented rosters and signing superstars; he’s only had one losing season during his tenure. While he hasn’t added many Championship trophies to the Yankees showcase. He has kept New York in playoff contention for years.
6. Tampa Bay Rays
Owner: Stuart Sternberg
Stuart Sternberg became the principal owner of the Tampa Bay Rays. The team has earned the 4th best record overall in baseball. Although they have no World Series Championships, they’ve reached the series twice and have consistently been a playoff team, reaching the playoffs eight times. Sternberg is best known for saving the Rays organization, which had the worst record in history (.399) before he took over.
5. Los Angeles Dodgers
Owner: Guggenheim Baseball Group
Guggenheim Baseball Group is an ownership team consisting of Todd Boehly, Mark Walter, and Magic Johnson. The group purchased the Dodgers in 2012 and has been one of the most successful owners in Baseball. They’ve made the postseason 11 times and the World Series three times, with one victory in 2020.
4. St. Louis Cardinals
Owner: William O. DeWitt Jr.
William O. Dewitt Jr. has owned the St. Louis Cardinals since 1996, 27 years. He has won two World Series trophies and been to the playoffs 17 times, 62% of the seasons he’s owned the team. That number is higher than most other owners in their ownership period. While the Cardinals haven’t had recent Championship success, the team has been one of the best in baseball under Dewitt’s control.
3. Houston Astros
Owner: Jim Crane
Jim Crane recently said the Houston Astros Championship window will “always be open” in a recent interview with Sports Illustrated. Crane has been the owner since 2012; the team has appeared in four World Series and won two. They’ve also made the playoffs in 8 of the 12 seasons he’s owned the team. Since the first time he made the playoffs as an owner in 2015, the Astros have been competitive, so that statement holds weight.
2. Atlanta Braves
Owner: Ted Turner
Ted Turner is the best owner in Baseball. Since buying the team in 1976, Turner has won two championships and built one of the most consistent franchises in Baseball without throwing around millions to win. They also won 11 straight NL East titles from 1995-2005, and have constantly been a playoff team over the last five decades, with 29 appearances.
1. Boston Red Sox
Owner: John Henry II
John Henry II became the Owner of the Boston Red Sox in 2002. Since taking over the team, it has won five World Series Championships and made the postseason 11 times. That stat makes you the best Owner in Baseball; even if Boston isn’t the best right now, Henry II will find a way to get them back to the top.
