1985 Major League Baseball season

1985 MLB season
League	Major League Baseball
Sport	Baseball
Duration	April 8, 1985 – October 27, 1985
Regular season
Season MVP	NL: Willie McGee (STL) AL: Don Mattingly (NYY)
League postseason
AL champions	Kansas City Royals
AL runners-up	Toronto Blue Jays
NL champions	St. Louis Cardinals
NL runners-up	Los Angeles Dodgers
World Series
Champions	Kansas City Royals
Finals MVP	Bret Saberhagen (KC)

The Oakland Athletics hosting a game at the Oakland–Alameda County Coliseum in 1985.

The 1985 Major League Baseball season ended with the Kansas City Royals defeating the St. Louis Cardinals in the seventh game of the I-70 World Series. Bret Saberhagen, the regular season Cy Young Award winner, was named MVP of the Series. The National League won the All-Star Game for the second straight year.

The League Championship Series playoffs were expanded to a best-of-seven format beginning this year, and both leagues ended up settling their pennant winners in more than five games, with the Royals beating the Toronto Blue Jays in seven games, and the Cardinals beating the Los Angeles Dodgers in six games.

Major league baseball final standings

American League AL East W L Pct. GB Home Road Toronto Blue Jays 99 62 0.615 — 54–26 45–36 New York Yankees 97 64 0.602 2 58–22 39–42 Detroit Tigers 84 77 0.522 15 44–37 40–40 Baltimore Orioles 83 78 0.516 16 45–36 38–42 Boston Red Sox 81 81 0.500 18½ 43–37 38–44 Milwaukee Brewers 71 90 0.441 28 40–40 31–50 Cleveland Indians 60 102 0.370 39½ 38–43 22–59 AL West W L Pct. GB Home Road Kansas City Royals 91 71 0.562 — 50–32 41–39 California Angels 90 72 0.556 1 49–30 41–42 Chicago White Sox 85 77 0.525 6 45–36 40–41 Minnesota Twins 77 85 0.475 14 49–35 28–50 Oakland Athletics 77 85 0.475 14 43–36 34–49 Seattle Mariners 74 88 0.457 17 42–41 32–47 Texas Rangers 62 99 0.385 28½ 37–43 25–56

National League NL East W L Pct. GB Home Road St. Louis Cardinals 101 61 0.623 — 54–27 47–34 New York Mets 98 64 0.605 3 51–30 47–34 Montreal Expos 84 77 0.522 16½ 44–37 40–40 Chicago Cubs 77 84 0.478 23½ 41–39 36–45 Philadelphia Phillies 75 87 0.463 26 41–40 34–47 Pittsburgh Pirates 57 104 0.354 43½ 35–45 22–59 NL West W L Pct. GB Home Road Los Angeles Dodgers 95 67 0.586 — 48–33 47–34 Cincinnati Reds 89 72 0.553 5½ 47–34 42–38 Houston Astros 83 79 0.512 12 44–37 39–42 San Diego Padres 83 79 0.512 12 44–37 39–42 Atlanta Braves 66 96 0.407 29 32–49 34–47 San Francisco Giants 62 100 0.383 33 38–43 24–57

Managers

American League

Team	Manager	Notes
Baltimore Orioles	Joe Altobelli, Cal Ripken, Sr., Earl Weaver
Boston Red Sox	John McNamara
California Angels	Gene Mauch
Chicago White Sox	Tony La Russa
Cleveland Indians	Pat Corrales
Detroit Tigers	Sparky Anderson
Kansas City Royals	Dick Howser	Won World Series
Milwaukee Brewers	George Bamberger
Minnesota Twins	Billy Gardner, Ray Miller
New York Yankees	Yogi Berra, Billy Martin
Oakland Athletics	Jackie Moore
Seattle Mariners	Chuck Cottier
Texas Rangers	Doug Rader, Bobby Valentine
Toronto Blue Jays	Bobby Cox

National League

Team	Manager	Notes
Atlanta Braves	Eddie Haas, Bobby Wine
Chicago Cubs	Jim Frey
Cincinnati Reds	Pete Rose
Houston Astros	Bob Lillis
Los Angeles Dodgers	Tommy Lasorda
Montreal Expos	Buck Rodgers
New York Mets	Davey Johnson
Philadelphia Phillies	John Felske
Pittsburgh Pirates	Chuck Tanner
St. Louis Cardinals	Whitey Herzog	Won National League Pennant
San Diego Padres	Dick Williams
San Francisco Giants	Jim Davenport, Roger Craig

Postseason

• World Series: Kansas City Royals over St. Louis Cardinals (4–3); Bret Saberhagen, MVP

	League Championship Series NBC					World Series ABC
	East	Toronto	3
	West	Kansas City	4
						AL	Kansas City	4
						NL	St. Louis	3
	East	St. Louis	4
	West	Los Angeles	2

• American League Championship Series MVP: George Brett
• National League Championship Series MVP: Ozzie Smith

All-Star game

• All-Star Game, July 16 at the Metrodome: National League, 6–1; LaMarr Hoyt, MVP

Milestones

• On August 4, At Yankee Stadium, Tom Seaver won his 300th game as a member of the Chicago White Sox.
• On September 11, Pete Rose hit his 4,192nd hit, breaking Ty Cobb's all-time Major League career hits record.
• On October 6, Phil Niekro won his 300th game and became the oldest pitcher to pitch a shutout as a member of the New York Yankees.

Awards and honors

• Most Valuable Player
  • Don Mattingly, New York Yankees, 1B (AL)
  • Willie McGee, St. Louis Cardinals, OF (NL)
• Cy Young Award
  • Bret Saberhagen, Kansas City Royals (AL)
  • Dwight Gooden, New York Mets (NL)
• Rookie of the Year
  • Ozzie Guillén, Chicago White Sox, SS (AL)
  • Vince Coleman, St. Louis Cardinals, OF (NL)
• Manager of the Year Award
  • Bobby Cox, Toronto Blue Jays (AL)
  • Whitey Herzog, St. Louis Cardinals (NL)

Statistical leaders

	American League		National League
Type	Name	Stat	Name	Stat
AVG	Wade Boggs BOS	.368	Willie McGee STL	.353
HR	Darrell Evans DET	40	Dale Murphy ATL	37
RBI	Don Mattingly NYY	145	Dave Parker CIN	125
Wins	Ron Guidry NYY	22	Dwight Gooden NYM	24
ERA	Dave Stieb TOR	2.48	Dwight Gooden NYM	1.53
SO	Bert Blyleven CLE/MIN	206	Dwight Gooden NYM	268
SV	Dan Quisenberry KC	37	Jeff Reardon MTL	41
SB	Rickey Henderson NYY	80	Vince Coleman STL	110