The Memphis RedbirdsMinor League Baseball team has played in Memphis, Tennessee, for 27 years since being established in 1998. As of the completion of the 2024 season, the club has played in 3,707 regular-season games and compiled a win–loss record of 1,858–1,849 (.501). They have appeared in the postseason on seven occasions in which they have a record of 34–24 (.586) in 58 games. Combining all 3,765 regular-season and postseason games, Memphis has an all-time record of 1,892–1,873 (.503).
The Redbirds reached the postseason in 6 of their 23 years in the Pacific Coast League, all by means of winning division titles. They went on to win five conference titles and four PCL championships during this period. Their first championship came in 2000 and their second in 2009 before winning back-to-back titles in 2017 and 2018. The Redbirds participated in one Triple-A World Series, losing in 2000, and three Triple-A National Championship Games, losing in 2009 and 2017 but winning in 2018. Memphis has not qualified for the International League championship playoffs since joining the league.
The team's best season record occurred in 2017, when they finished 91–50 (.645). Their lowest season record was 56–88 (.389) in 2007.
History
Pacific Coast League (1998–2020)
The Memphis Redbirds were created as an expansion team of the Triple-APacific Coast League (PCL) in 1998.[1] As the Triple-A affiliate of the St. Louis Cardinals,[2] Memphis incurred second and third-place finishes in their first two years of competition.[3] The Redbirds made their first of six PCL playoff appearances in 2000 by winning the American Conference Southern Division title.[4] They defeated the Albuquerque Isotopes to win the American Conference title before winning their first PCL championship against the Salt Lake Buzz.[4] The Redbirds went on to face the Indianapolis Indians, league champions of the Triple-A International League, in the best-of-five Triple-A World Series to determine an overall champion of the classification. Memphis lost, three games to one.[5] Over the next eight seasons, the club typically placed third or fourth (last) in their division, including a franchise-low 56–88 (.389) in 2007.[3]
Memphis returned to the PCL playoffs in 2009 with an American Conference Northern Division title win.[6] After sweeping Albuquerque for the conference title, they did the same against the Sacramento River Cats in the finals to win their second PCL championship.[6] The Redbirds faced the International League's Durham Bulls in the Bricktown Showdown for the Triple-A championship, but they were defeated in the single game, 5–4.[7]
The 2010 team posted a league-best 82–62 (.569) record, tied for first-place with the Iowa Cubs.[8] Memphis won the division title by means of a tiebreaker (having a better regular-season record against divisional opponents than Iowa).[9] The Redbirds swept their way back to the PCL finals with a series victory over the Oklahoma City RedHawks, but they were denied consecutive PCL crowns by the Tacoma Rainiers.[8] Despite close second-place finishes in 2011 (2+1⁄2 games out of first) and 2013 (1 game back),[10][11] Memphis made one playoff appearance over the next six years. They won the 2014 American Conference Southern Division title but were eliminated by the Omaha Storm Chasers in the conference series.[12]
With a league-leading 91–50 (.645) campaign, also a franchise high, the 2017 Redbirds clinched the division title by 22 games ahead of the second-place finisher.[13] They defeated the Colorado Springs Sky Sox in the conference series and won their third PCL championship against the El Paso Chihuahuas.[13] In a rematch from 2009, Memphis bested Durham, 5–3, in the Triple-A National Championship Game.[14] The Redbirds posted another league-best 83–57 (.593) season in 2018 on the way to the division title.[15] They proceeded to advance past the Oklahoma City Dodgers before defeating the Fresno Grizzlies for a fourth PCL championship.[15] Meeting Durham in a third Triple-A class championship, Memphis was defeated, 14–4.[16]
With the 2020 season being cancelled due to the COVID-19 pandemic before it began and Major League Baseball's restructuring of Minor League Baseball after the season, the 2019 campaign became Memphis' last as members of the Pacific Coast League.[17][18] All told, the Redbirds won six division titles, five conference titles, four league championships, and one Triple-A championship in 23 years of membership in the PCL.
Triple-A East / International League (2021–present)
In conjunction with the 2021 restructuring of the minor leagues, the Redbirds were placed in the new Triple-A East (AAAE),[18] but remained affiliated with the St. Louis Cardinals.[2] Instead of holding traditional playoffs to determine a league champion, the team with the best record was declared the winner, but 10 games were added onto the schedule as a postseason tournament, called the Triple-A Final Stretch, in which all 30 Triple-A clubs competed for the highest winning percentage.[19] Memphis finished the tournament tied for 13th place with a 4–4 (.500) record.[20] In 2022, the Triple-A East became known as the International League.[21] Since 2023, seasons have been played with a split-season format in which the teams with the best league-wide records at the end of each half qualify for the playoffs.[22] The Redbirds have not qualified for the International League postseason.
Season-by-season records
Key
League
The team's final position in the league standings
Division
The team's final position in the divisional standings
GB
Games behind the team that finished in first place in the division that season
Apps.
Postseason appearances: number of seasons the team qualified for the postseason
The International League has used a split-season schedule wherein the teams with the best league-wide records at the end of each half qualify for the postseason championship playoffs since 2023.[22]
^The Redbirds finished the season tied for first-place with the Iowa Cubs. The division title was decided by means of a tiebreaker (having a better regular season record against opponents in their division).[9]
^Games three and four of the five-game series were cancelled due to unplayable field conditions/weather.[54][55]
^The Triple-A Final Stretch was a 10-game postseason tournament in which all 30 Triple-A clubs competed for the highest winning percentage.[19] Though not a traditional postseason, games were played after the conclusion of the regular championship season on September 19 and were not a factor in determining the regular-season champion.[57]
