The World Series between the Los Angeles Dodgers and Houston Astros ended with the Astros winning the team’s first championship ever.
The series went to seven games and, especially in Game 2 and Game 5, had some of the most exciting moments in the long history of the series.
Greatest World Series Ever?
That likely depends on how many series you have seen and whether you had any emotional involvement. In short, it’s subjective.
However, it certainly ranks high on the list of exciting series. But, in truth, it might not even have been the most exciting series in the last two years. A somewhat unexciting Game 7 (unless you are an Astros fan) tempered the overall thrilling nature of the series.
Here are some of the greatest and most exciting World Series in the last 25 years we would rank above the one just finished. Just remember, it’s all subjective.
1991
The Minnesota Twins beat the favored Atlanta Braves in an epic struggle between two well-matched clubs in what many consider the best series in modern times, and maybe ever. Five of the seven games were decided by one run. Four games were won in the final at-bat. And three of the games – three! – went into extra innings. But what most people remember is the Game 7 pitching duel between the Twins’ Jack Morris and the Braves’ John Smoltz (among other Braves pitchers). Morris pitched 10 innings to get the win. Gene Larkin hit a bases loaded walk-off single in the bottom of the 10th for a 1-0 Twins victory.
2016
The series last year between the Chicago Cubs and Cleveland Indians provided an enormous amount of drama. After all, the series came down to extra innings in Game 7. The Cubs came back from being down 3 games to 1. They won the championship in Cleveland, in extra innings and after a rain delay. That’s kind of a hard one to beat.
1997
You can understand why Indians fans might be a little bitter. But they have certainly been involved in some great World Series. This one, between the Indians and the Florida Marlins, was not decided until the 11th inning of Game 7, when Edgar Renteria hit a walk-off single with the bases loaded and two outs to give the underdog Marlins their first World Championship in only their fifth season of existence.
2001
The series between the New York Yankees and the Arizona Diamondbacks pitted David vs. Goliath. The Diamondbacks had been in the league just four years. The Yankees were going to their fourth World Series in a row, having won all three of the previous series. And yet, the Diamondbacks won in dramatic fashion, culminating in a walk-off hit by Luis Gonzalez in Game 7 off famed closer Mariano Rivera. It also featured three great pitchers in one series – Roger Clemens for the Yankees and Curt Schilling and Randy Johnson for the Diamondbacks.
1993
This one didn’t go to seven games, but it featured a come-from-behind victory capped with a walk-off home run. The Toronto Blue Jays faced the Philadelphia Phillies in the series, and had a 3-2 lead going into Game 6. However, the Phillies led 6-5 going into the bottom of the ninth. Blue Jay Joe Carter ended the series with a swing of the bat, hitting a three-run homer that brought the Blue Jays back from behind and also won them the series, the team’s second in a row.
All of these are worthy of being in the Top 10 greatest World Series in the last three decades. The 2017 series also deserves to be on the list – but just not probably at the top.
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