This article is about the 2005 Major League Baseball season only. For information on all of baseball, see
2005 in baseball .
Sports season
The 2005 Major League Baseball season was notable for the league's new steroid policy in the wake of the BALCO scandal, which enforced harsher penalties than ever before for steroid use in Major League Baseball. Several players, including veteran Rafael Palmeiro , were suspended under the new policy. Besides steroids it was also notable that every team in the NL East finished the season with at least 81 wins (at least half of the 162 games played). Additionally it was the first season featuring a baseball team in Washington, D.C. since the second iteration of the Washington Senators last played there in 1971; the Washington Nationals had moved from Montreal, the first relocation of a team in 33 years and currently the most recent time this has occurred in the majors .
The Anaheim Angels changed their name to the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim .
The season ended when the Chicago White Sox defeated the Houston Astros in a four-game sweep in the World Series , winning their first championship since 1917.
As of the 2024 season, this is the last season in which no no-hit games were pitched; 2005 was also only the 6th year since 1949 in which no such games were thrown.[a]
This was the first season since 1993 that all teams played at least 162 games with no cancellations.
*Denotes walk-off
Note: Two teams in the same division could not meet in the division series.
Statistical leaders [ edit ] ±hosted the MLB All Star Game
Player of the Month [ edit ] Pitcher of the Month [ edit ] Rookie of the Month [ edit ] Home field attendance and payroll [ edit ]
Team name
Wins
%±
Home attendance
%±
Per game
Est. payroll
%±
New York Yankees [ 1] 95
−5.9%
4,090,696
8.4%
50,502
$208,306,817
13.1%
Los Angeles Dodgers [ 2] 71
−23.7%
3,603,646
3.3%
44,489
$83,039,000
−10.6%
St. Louis Cardinals [ 3] 100
−4.8%
3,538,988
16.1%
43,691
$92,106,833
9.2%
Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim[ 4] 95
3.3%
3,404,686
0.9%
42,033
$94,867,822
−5.6%
San Francisco Giants [ 5] 75
−17.6%
3,181,023
−2.3%
39,272
$90,199,500
10.0%
Chicago Cubs [ 6] 79
−11.2%
3,099,992
−2.2%
38,272
$87,032,933
−3.9%
San Diego Padres [ 7] 82
−5.7%
2,869,787
−4.9%
35,429
$63,290,833
14.3%
Boston Red Sox [ 8] 95
−3.1%
2,847,888
0.4%
35,159
$123,505,125
−3.0%
New York Mets [ 9] 83
16.9%
2,829,929
22.0%
34,937
$101,305,821
−0.7%
Houston Astros [ 10] 89
−3.3%
2,804,760
−9.2%
34,627
$76,779,000
1.8%
Washington Nationals [ 11] 81
20.9%
2,731,993
264.5%
33,728
$48,581,500
17.9%
Seattle Mariners [ 12] 69
9.5%
2,725,459
−7.3%
33,648
$87,754,334
7.7%
Philadelphia Phillies [ 13] 88
2.3%
2,665,304
−18.0%
32,905
$95,522,000
2.5%
Baltimore Orioles [ 14] 74
−5.1%
2,624,740
−4.3%
32,404
$73,914,333
43.2%
Texas Rangers [ 15] 79
−11.2%
2,525,221
0.5%
31,176
$55,849,000
1.5%
Atlanta Braves [ 16] 90
−6.3%
2,521,167
8.3%
31,126
$86,457,302
−4.1%
Chicago White Sox [ 17] 99
19.3%
2,342,833
21.4%
28,924
$75,178,000
15.3%
Milwaukee Brewers [ 18] 81
20.9%
2,211,023
7.2%
27,297
$39,934,833
45.1%
Oakland Athletics [ 19] 88
−3.3%
2,109,118
−4.2%
26,038
$55,425,762
−6.7%
Arizona Diamondbacks [ 20] 77
51.0%
2,059,424
−18.3%
25,425
$62,629,166
−10.2%
Minnesota Twins [ 21] 83
−9.8%
2,034,243
6.4%
25,114
$56,186,000
4.3%
Detroit Tigers [ 22] 71
−1.4%
2,024,431
5.6%
24,993
$69,092,000
47.5%
Toronto Blue Jays [ 23] 80
19.4%
2,014,995
6.1%
24,876
$45,719,500
−8.6%
Cleveland Indians [ 24] 93
16.3%
2,013,763
11.0%
24,861
$41,502,500
20.9%
Cincinnati Reds [ 25] 73
−3.9%
1,943,067
−15.0%
23,696
$61,892,583
31.9%
Colorado Rockies [ 26] 67
−1.5%
1,914,389
−18.1%
23,634
$47,839,000
−26.9%
Florida Marlins [ 27] 83
0.0%
1,852,608
7.5%
22,872
$60,408,834
43.3%
Pittsburgh Pirates [ 28] 67
−6.9%
1,817,245
15.0%
22,435
$38,133,000
18.3%
Kansas City Royals [ 29] 56
−3.4%
1,371,181
−17.5%
16,928
$36,881,000
−22.5%
Tampa Bay Devil Rays [ 30] 67
−4.3%
1,141,669
−10.5%
14,095
$29,679,067
−0.6%
Television coverage [ edit ] This was the fifth season that national TV coverage was split between ESPN and Fox Sports . ESPN and ESPN2 aired selected weeknight and Sunday night games , and selected Division Series playoff games. Fox televised Saturday baseball , the All-Star Game , selected Division Series games, both League Championship Series, and the World Series .
March 24 – a spring training game between the Arizona Diamondbacks and the Colorado Rockies was abandoned after five innings because of a swarm of bees which settled over the field.[ 31]
April 29 – The highly anticipated matchup of Roger Clemens of the Houston Astros vs. Greg Maddux of the Chicago Cubs took place at Minute Maid Park , two of the most acclaimed pitchers of the modern era (between them are 11 Cy Young awards—7 and 4, respectively). Both Clemens and Maddux had 300 career wins at this point in their careers, a feat that is arguably impossible for modern era pitchers to achieve since the advent of middle and closing relief rosters. The Cubs went on to win the game 3–2.
June 18 – Derek Jeter of the New York Yankees hits the first grand slam of his 11-year major league career, as the Yankees defeat the Chicago Cubs 8–1.[ 32] a 1909 , 1913 , 1921 , 1927 –1928 , 1932 –1933 , 1936 , 1939 , 1942 –1943 , 1949 , 1959 , 1982 , 1985 , 1989 , 2000 and 2005.
^ "New York Yankees Attendance, Stadiums and Park Factors" . Baseball-Reference.com . Retrieved September 8, 2020 .^ "Los Angeles Dodgers Attendance, Stadiums and Park Factors" . Baseball-Reference.com . Retrieved September 8, 2020 .^ "St. Louis Cardinals Attendance, Stadiums and Park Factors" . Baseball-Reference.com . Retrieved September 8, 2020 .^ "Los Angeles Angels Attendance, Stadiums and Park Factors" . Baseball-Reference.com . Retrieved September 8, 2020 .^ "San Francisco Giants Attendance, Stadiums and Park Factors" . Baseball-Reference.com . Retrieved September 8, 2020 .^ "Chicago Cubs Attendance, Stadiums and Park Factors" . Baseball-Reference.com . Retrieved September 8, 2020 .^ "San Diego Padres Attendance, Stadiums and Park Factors" . Baseball-Reference.com . Retrieved September 8, 2020 .^ "Boston Red Sox Attendance, Stadiums and Park Factors" . Baseball-Reference.com . Retrieved September 8, 2020 .^ "New York Mets Attendance, Stadiums and Park Factors" . Baseball-Reference.com . Retrieved September 8, 2020 .^ "Cleveland Indians Attendance, Stadiums and Park Factors" . Baseball-Reference.com . Retrieved September 8, 2020 .^ "Washington Nationals Attendance, Stadiums and Park Factors" . Baseball-Reference.com . Retrieved September 8, 2020 .^ "Seattle Mariners Attendance, Stadiums and Park Factors" . Baseball-Reference.com . Retrieved September 8, 2020 .^ "Oakland Athletics Attendance, Stadiums and Park Factors" . Baseball-Reference.com . Retrieved September 8, 2020 .^ "Baltimore Orioles Attendance, Stadiums and Park Factors" . Baseball-Reference.com . Retrieved September 8, 2020 .^ "Texas Rangers Attendance, Stadiums and Park Factors" . Baseball-Reference.com . Retrieved September 8, 2020 .^ "Atlanta Braves Attendance, Stadiums and Park Factors" . Baseball-Reference.com . Retrieved September 8, 2020 .^ "Chicago White Sox Attendance, Stadiums and Park Factors" . Baseball-Reference.com . Retrieved September 8, 2020 .^ "Milwaukee Brewers Attendance, Stadiums and Park Factors" . Baseball-Reference.com . Retrieved September 8, 2020 .^ "Oakland Athletics Attendance, Stadiums and Park Factors" . Baseball-Reference.com . Retrieved September 8, 2020 .^ "Arizona Diamondbacks Attendance, Stadiums and Park Factors" . Baseball-Reference.com . Retrieved September 8, 2020 .^ "Minnesota Twins Attendance, Stadiums and Park Factors" . Baseball-Reference.com . Retrieved September 8, 2020 .^ "Detroit Tigers Attendance, Stadiums and Park Factors" . Baseball-Reference.com . Retrieved September 8, 2020 .^ "Toronto Blue Jays Attendance, Stadiums and Park Factors" . Baseball-Reference.com . Retrieved September 8, 2020 .^ "Cleveland Indians Attendance, Stadiums and Park Factors" . Baseball-Reference.com . Retrieved September 8, 2020 .^ "Cincinnati Reds Attendance, Stadiums and Park Factors" . Baseball-Reference.com . Retrieved September 8, 2020 .^ "Colorado Rockies Attendance, Stadiums and Park Factors" . Baseball-Reference.com . Retrieved September 8, 2020 .^ "Florida Marlins Attendance, Stadiums and Park Factors" . Baseball-Reference.com . Retrieved September 8, 2020 .^ "Pittsburgh Pirates Attendance, Stadiums and Park Factors" . Baseball-Reference.com . Retrieved September 8, 2020 .^ "Kansas City Royals Attendance, Stadiums and Park Factors" . Baseball-Reference.com . Retrieved September 8, 2020 .^ "Tampa Bay Rays Attendance, Stadiums and Park Factors" . Baseball-Reference.com . Retrieved September 8, 2020 .^ "Bees swarm Rockies' game" . www.deseret.com . Retrieved October 16, 2023 .^ Pellowski, Michael J (2007). The Little Giant Books of Baseball Facts 352 . ISBN 978-1-4027-4273-6
Pre-modern era
Beginnings Competition NL monopoly
Modern era
See also
