Ranking past World Series

Photo courtesy of Ian D'Andrea/Flickr

Ben Zobrist’s clutch MVP performance in the 2016 World Series helped end the Chicago Cubs’ 108-year championship drought.

With the World Series well underway between the Los Angeles Dodgers and Toronto Blue Jays, I thought it would be a perfect opportunity to rank the greatest World Series matchups in the last decade. Before we begin the rankings, I would like to acknowledge the subjective nature of greatness and how I personally quantify it. In my opinion, a great World Series must have a combination of three key elements: unforgettable moments, spectacular individual moments of brilliance, and a hard-fought series that lasts at least six games. But, before the 2025 World Series comes to a close, let us blast back to the past and marvel at some truly extraordinary baseball. 

2021 World Series: Atlanta Braves vs. Houston Astros 

Outcome: Atlanta Braves win in six games

Kicking off the list, we have the 2021 World Series between the Atlanta Braves and the Houston Astros. In my opinion, this series is severely underrated and does not nearly get the respect it deserves. First off, the matchup was supremely engrossing because of the mutual starpower. Houston was the perfect villain in baseball at this time, especially after their sign-stealing scandal and sustained dominance. This series was their third World Series appearance in a five-season stretch. 

The Braves, on the other hand, were more of a rag-tag group that caught fire at the right time. This resulted in a highly entertaining back-and-forth series that culminated in the Braves edging out the Astros in six games. The defining moment of the series was undoubtedly slugger Jorge Soler's towering shot that propelled the Braves to a decisive win in the penultimate game of the series.

2017 World Series: Houston Astros vs. Los Angeles Dodgers

Outcome: Astros in seven games

This series was absolutely fantastic and a truly cinematic display of baseball. However, the reason why it is not higher on the list is because of the Astros’ sign-stealing scandal, which involved a team using an illegal camera system to steal signs from opposing teams. Despite the scandal slightly tainting the greatness of this series, it still deserves its place on the list. 

Unforgettable moments include the offensive frenzy in game five, Dodgers infielder Justin Turner’s walk-off homerun in game four, and Astros first-baseman Yuli Gurriel’s game-changing three-run bomb in game five. In terms of individual brilliance, George Springer hit five total home runs in the series, tying the all-time record with Reggie Jackson in 1977. Overall, the series was a captivating matchup between two juggernauts and still stands as one of the more entertaining fall classics in recent memory.

2019 World Series: Houston Astros vs. Washington Nationals

Outcome: Nationals in seven games

There’s something about the Astros and playing in thrilling World Series matchups. This time around, their opponent was the Washington Nationals, who felt like David to the Astros' Goliath heading into this battle. Shockingly, the Nationals proved themselves to be the better team as they overwhelmed the Astros with their stalwart pitching and timely power hitting. Some of the iconic moments from this series include Howie Kendrick’s game seven go-ahead home run off the foul pole and Juan Soto’s triumphant blast against Astros’ ace Justin Verlander. The Nats certainly made the most of their lone trip to the fall classic, as this series holds up remarkably well in the pantheon of Championships. 

2014 World Series: San Francisco Giants vs. Kansas City Royals

Outcome: Giants in seven games

The Giants’ World Series victory in 2014 capped off a phenomenal period of Giants baseball that saw them win three championship victories in the span of six seasons; 2014 was arguably the sweetest and most intense one of the bunch. These teams were incredibly evenly matched, as it was the last World Series to feature two wild-card teams until the 2023 World Series. 

Ultimately, the series was defined by the dominance of Giants starter Madison Bumgarner. The Giant’s gruff lefthander was impeccable during this series; he was the winning pitcher in games one and five, and came out of the bullpen to close out the seventh game. Bumgardner’s heroics and performance are widely considered to be the greatest individual performance in World Series history.

2016 World Series: Chicago Cubs vs. Cleveland Indians

Outcome: Cubs in seven games

In terms of championship sporting events, the 2016 World Series was the creme of the crop in every facet. It had the compelling narrative: both teams entered the series with the two longest World Series droughts (108 years for Chicago, 75 years for Cleveland). The series itself was absolute chaos. The Indians took three out of the first four games. Facing a seemingly insurmountable 3-1 deficit, the Cubs managed to rally back to force a game seven in Cleveland. 

The deciding seventh game had more drama than a feature-length Hollywood film. After a rain delay, Chicago stormed back to win the game 4-3, breaking their 108-year drought and capturing the franchise's third World Series title. It will be difficult for any future fall classic to match the intensity and emotional magnitude of the 2016 series.

It is hard to believe just how many classic World Series matchups we received in just the last decade. Each of these series is further proof of why the World Series is such a revered and timeless sporting event. As this year’s World Series unfolds, there is a good chance that this list might need some alterations. If there is one certainty in life, it’s that October baseball will not disappoint.