Blog Update

World Series Matchups Last 10 Years

By Roshan Khatiwada / 30 July 2023 03:32 AM

Astros are the defending World Series champions in Major League Baseball
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World Series matchups last 10 years has different matchups in every season. Houston Astros is the team to appear the most in the finale in the last decade.

The team from Houston has made four appearances in the MLB final, three of which are in the last four years. They are followed by the Los Angeles Dodgers with three.

World Series is the annual MLB championship series which is a best-of-seven playoff between the champions of the American League and the National League. It is often referred to as the Fall Classic.

The tournament has been played yearly since its inception in 1903, except for the 1904 and 1994 seasons due to a dispute between the league champions and a player's strike, respectively.

The Fall Classic is the pinnacle of professional baseball, attracting millions of spectators worldwide. The winner is awarded the Commissioner's Trophy, whereas all the players and staffs receive a ring to mark their victory.

Last 10 World Series Matchups

World Series matchups by year include last season's Fall Classic matchup between the Houston Astros and the Philadelphia Phillies. Astros won the series 4-2.

Most common World Series matchups is the Dodgers against the Yankees. They have faced each other eleven times, with the New York team winning eight times.

Here are the Fall Classic matchups for the last ten years:

1. 2022 - Houston Astros against Philadelphia Phillies (4-2)

The 2022 World Series was the 118th edition of the Fall Classic that saw AL pennant winner Astros facing the NL wild-card spot winners Phillies. The team from Houston won the title in six games.

Last 5 World Series matchups have Astros in three of them, with Houston winning on two instances.

Hector Neris of Houston celebrating after striking out the opposition batter
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It was the second title in the franchise's history, after winning the first in 2017. On the other hand, Phillies failed to capture what would have been their third title in eight appearances.

Phillies won the first and third games of the series, whereas the Astros took the second. Houston won the final three games with an aggregate score of 12-3, clinching the title.

2. 2021 - Atlanta Braves against Houston Astros (4-2)

The 2021 Fall Classic had the NL East winners Atlanta Braves, face off against the AL West winners Houston Astros. The Braves went on to clinch the title during Game 6.

It was the fourth title for the Braves, the first since 1995 and the second since the team relocated to Atlanta in 1966. On the other hand, it was the third loss for the Astros in the MLB finale.

Braves and Astros shared the first two games at Minute Maid Park, but Atlanta utilized home-ground advantage, winning the first two games at Truist Park. Braves defeated the Astros 7-0 in Game 6 at the Houston ballpark, claiming the Fall Classic.

3. 2020 - Los Angeles Dodgers against Tampa Bay Rays (4-2)

The 2020 edition of the tournament saw Los Angeles Dodgers capture their first title since 1988 and seventh in total. They defeated the Bay Rays, who were appearing in their second World Series in six games.

James Outman being poured with water after smashing a walk off hit
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The entire tournament was played at Globe Life Field in Arlington, Texas, due to the Covid-19 pandemic. The Dodgers were designated the home team because of their better regular season record.

The first four games saw the series tied at 2-2, with the Dodgers winning the first and the third game, whereas Tampa took the second and the fourth. Los Angeles won the last two games, winning their seventh title in their illustrious history.

4. 2019 - Washington Nationals against Houston Astros (4-3)

2019 was the 40th time that the tournament saw seven games in 120 years of MLB history. The NL champions Washinton Nationals, defeated the AL champions to claim their first-ever title.

It was the sixth straight edition where the away team won the title. The season also marked the sixth consecutive year with the final winner from a different division.

The visiting team won all seven games of the series. Nationals claimed the first and the last two games at the Houston stadium, whereas the Astros won Games 3, 4, and 5 at Nationals Park.

5. 2018 - Boston Red Sox against Los Angeles Dodgers (4-1)

The Red Sox defeated the Dodgers in five games during the 2018 Fall Classic. It was their second matchup in the finale as Boston beat the then-Brooklyn Robins in five games in 1916.

Triston Casas of the Red Sox celebrating with dumbbells after smashing a home run to dead center
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It was the ninth title for Boston and the fourth in the last fifteen years. On the other hand, Dodgers became the first NL team since 1992 Atlanta Braves to lose two consecutive World Series.

The team from Boston took care of the home court, winning the first two games. Game 3 at Dodgers Stadium was won by the home team, hinting at a comeback, but the Red Sox did not allow that and took Games 4 and 5, ending the tournament.

6. 2017 - Houston Astros against Los Angeles Dodgers (4-3)

In 2017, Houston won their first franchise title and became the first team from Texas to do so. They won the Commisioner's Trophy by defeating the Dodgers in seven games.

Further, Houston became the only second team in MLB history to win two Game 7's in a single season. It was the first time that the regular season records of the pennant winners decided the home-field advantage.

The teams shared the first six games, with the Dodgers facing elimination during the sixth. The MLB team from California won Games 1, 4, and 6, whereas Houston took the remaining games.

7. 2016 - Chicago Cubs against Cleveland Indians (4-3)

Chicago Cubs faced the Cleveland Indians to determine the 2016 Fall Classic champion. It was the first postseason meeting between the clubs.

Cody Bellinger after smashing a dinger at Guaranteed Rate Field
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The team from Chicago won the championship in seven games, with the final match reaching extra innings. It was the fifth time Game 7 of the tournament needed extra innings to determine the winner.

Cleveland had a lead of 3-1 going into the fifth game of the bracket and was on the verge of winning their third title. However, the Cubs fought back, taking the last three games, two while facing elimination, to claim their first championship since 1908 and third overall.

8. 2015 - Kansas City Royals against New York Mets (4-1)

Kansas City Royals won their second championship during the 2015 season, defeating the Mets in five games. They also became the first team since the 1989 Oakland Athletics to win the tournament after losing in the previous season.

It was the fifth appearance for the Mets in the Major League Baseball Fall Classic, whereas the fourth for the Royals. It also marked the first time the championship had two expansion teams competing for the final prize.

Kansas won the first two games at Kauffman Stadium, whereas the Mets took advantage of home field on Game 3. The Royals returned strong, winning Games 4 and 5 at Citi Field to clinch the title.

9. 2014 - San Francisco Giants against Kansas City Royals (4-3)

The Giants from San Francisco claimed their third championship in five years in the 2014 edition of the tournament. They defeated Kansas in seven games.

Giants JD Davis sliding to reach the base and avoid being tagged
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The team from San Francisco previously defeated Texas Rangers in 2010 and Detroit Tigers in 2012. On the other hand, the Royals were making their third appearance at the finale.

The Giants won the first game, and the Royals took the next two matches. The former won the next two games to lead the series 3-2, but Kansas won Game 6 to force the series to reach seven games.

10. 2013 - Boston Red Sox against St. Louis Cardinals (4-2)

The 2013 championship edition was the first one since 1999 to feature both number one seeds of AL and NL. The AL winners St. Louis Cardinals, faced off against the NL champions Boston Red Sox.

This marked the fourth meeting between the teams in the Fall Classic. They previously played each other in 1946, 1967, and 2004.

The Red Sox started the campaign with a win in the first game at Fenway Park, but the Cards took the next two games, leading 2-1 after three rounds. Boston then won three in a row to win the championship.

World Series matchups since 2000 have seen some of the best rivalries in MLB history, including the Subway Series between the Yankees and Mets.

World Series 2013 Pitching Matchups

World Series 2013 pitching matchups had Boston starting pitcher Jon Lester go against the Cardinals' Adam Wainwright. They faced off twice in the series.

Lester won the bragging rights on both occasions as he handed a loss to the opposing pitcher. Michale Wacha and Trevor Rosenthal from the Cardinals registered a win on their record, whereas Felix Doubront and John Lackey were the other winning pitchers from Boston.

Here are the pitchers who started in the tournament:

GamesRed Sox against Cardinals
Game 1John Lester against Adam Wainwright
Game 2John Lackey against Michael Wacha
Game 3Brandon Workman against Trevor Rosenthal
Game 4Felix Doubront against Lance Lynn
Game 5John Lester against Adam Wainwright
Game 6John Lackey against Michael Wacha

World Series 2014 Pitching Matchups

World Series 2014 pitching matchups featured ace pitchers of both teams; Madison Bumgarner and James Shields. They faced each other in Games 1 and 5.

The Giants pitcher Bumgarner earned a win in both instances, whereas Shields registered a loss. Madison also earned a crucial save in Game 7 to help his side clinch the championship.

Here are the starting pitchers used in the 2014 series:

GamesGiants against Royals
Game 1Madison Bumgarner against James Shields
Game 2Jake Peavy against Kelvin Herrera
Game 3Tim Hudson against Jeremy Guthrie
Game 4Yusmeiro Petit against Brandon Finnegan
Game 5Madison Bumgarner against James Shields
Game 6Jake Peavy against Yordano Ventura
Game 7Tim Hudso against Jeremy Guthrie

World Series 2015 Pitching Matchups

World Series 2015 pitching matchups had different starting pitchers for all five games. Royals pitcher Chris Young faced Bartolo Colon during Game 1.

Noah Syndergaard was the only winning pitcher for the New York Mets, whereas Chris Young, Johnny Cueto, Ryan Madson, and Luke Hochevar earned a win for their team. Further, Wade Davis of the Royals earned a save in Game 4.

Here are the starting pitchers used by the two teams during the 2015 Fall Classic:

GamesRoyals against Mets
Game 1Chris Young against Bartolo Colon
Game 2Johnny Cueto against Jacob deGrom
Game 3Yordano Ventura against Noah Syndergaard
Game 4Ryan Madson against Tyler Clippard
Game 5Luke Hochevar against Addison Reed

World Series 2016 Pitching Matchups

World Series 2016 pitching matchups had Cubs pitchers Jon Lester and Jake Arrieta facing Corey Kluber and Trevor Bauer in the first two games, respectively.

Lester, Arrieta, Kluber, and Bauer played two games for their respective teams. In addition, Aroldis Chapman earned a save in the fifth match, whereas Mike Montgomery saved the game for the Cubs in the final match.

Here are the starting pitchers used in the championship:

GamesCubs against Indians
Game 1Jon Lester against Corey Kluber
Game 2Jake Arrieta against Trevor Bauer
Game 3Carl Edwards Jr. against Andrew Miller
Game 4John Lackey against Corey Kluber
Game 5Jon Lester against Trevor Bauer
Game 6Jake Arrieta against Josh Tomlin
Game 7Aroldis Chapman against Bryan Shaw

2017 World Series Pitching Matchups

World Series 2017 pitching matchups saw Dodgers Yu Darvish face Lance McCullers and Charlie Morton. Darvish lost both matchups against his opposing pitcher.

Los Angeles star pitcher Clayton Kershaw started the first game of the series and was used as a reliever in other games. Kenley Jansen of the Dodgers earned two saves during the championship.

Here are the starting pitchers used by clubs during the 2017 series:

GamesDodgers against Astros
Game 1Clayton Kershaw against Dallas Keuchel
Game 2Brandon McCarthy against Chris Devenski
Game 3Yu Darvish against Lance McCullers
Game 4Tony Watson against Ken Giles
Game 5Kenley Jansen against Joe Musgrove
Game 6Tony Watson against Justin Verlander
Game 7Yu Darvish against Charlie Morton

World Series 2018 Pitching Matchups

World Series 2018 pitching matchups featured Red Sox starting Chris Sale against Clayton Kershaw. The Dodgers pitcher had a 0-2 record during the tournament.

On the other hand, Boston's starting pitcher had a 2-0 win-loss record in the series. Craig Kimbrel of the Red Sox was the only athlete to register a save throughout the tournament.

Here are the pitchers who started in the championship:

GamesRed Sox against Dodgers
Game 1Chris Sale against Clayton Kershaw
Game 2David Price against Hyun-Jin Ryu
Game 3Rick Porcello against Walker Buehler
Game 4Eduardo Rodriguez against Rich Hill
Game 5David Price against Clayton Kershaw

World Series 2019 Pitching Matchups

World Series 2019 pitching matchups featured two-star pitchers Stephen Strasburg against Justin Verlander go head to head. Strasburg got the nod in both games.

Max Scherzer, Gerrit Cole, Strasburg and Verlander started two games each for their respective teams in the World Series. Houston's Roberto Osuna and Washington's Sean Doolittle were the relievers who earned a save during the championship.

Here are the starting pitchers used by the two clubs during the 2019 Fall Classic:

GamesNationals against Astros
Game 1Max Scherzer against Gerrit Cole
Game 2Stephen Strasburg against Justin Verlander
Game 3AnĂ­bal Sanchez against Zack Grienke
Game 4Patrick Corbin against Jose Urquidy
Game 5Joe Ross against Gerrit Cole
Game 6Stephen Strasburg against Justin Verlander
Game 7Max Scherzer against Zack Grienke

World Series 2020 Pitching Matchups

World Series 2020 pitching matchups saw one of the best left-handed pitchers, Clayton Kershaw start the first game against Tyler Glasnow.

The pair again faced each other in Game 5, with Kershaw getting the upper hand in both instances. The other matchup that featured twice during the Fall Classic was Tony Gonsolin against Blake Snell.

Here are the starting pitchers used by franchises during the 2020 tournament:

GamesDodgers against Bay Rays
Game 1Clayton Kershaw against Tyler Glasnow
Game 2Tony Gonsolin against Blake Snell
Game 3Walker Buehler against Charlie Morton
Game 4Julio Urias against Ryan Yarbrough
Game 5Clayton Kershaw against Tyler Glasnow
Game 6Tony Gonsolin against Blake Snell

World Series 2021 Pitching Matchups

World Series 2021 pitching matchups saw Astros start Framber Valdez against former Astro Charlie Morton in the first game. Valdez got handed a loss in the game.

Max Fried of the Braves faced Jose Urquidy in the second game and Luis Garcia in the sixth. Urquidy finished the championship with a record of 2-0, whereas Garcia was 0-2 and Fried with 1-1.

Here are the starting pitchers used in the 2021 championships:

GamesBraves against Astros
Game 1Charlie Morton against Framber Valdez
Game 2Max Fried against Jose Urquidy
Game 3Ian Anderson against Luis Garcia
Game 4Dylan Lee against Zack Grienke
Game 5Tucker Davidson against Framber Valdez
Game 6Max Fried against Luis Garcia

World Series 2022 Pitching Matchups

World Series 2021 pitching matchups saw thirty-nine-year-old Astros pitcher Justin Verlander start the tournament's opening match, where he faced Aaron Nola.

Justin then faced Noah Syndergaard in the fifth game of the series. The other marquee matchup during the championship was of Astros starting pitcher Framber Valdez against Phillies Zack Wheeler.

Valdez earned a win on both occasions, including the sixth game of the series that saw Houston win the title.

Here are the pitchers who started in the 2022 championship:

GamesAstros against Phillies
Game 1Justin Verlander against Aaron Nola
Game 2Framber Valdez against Zack Wheeler
Game 3Lance McCullers Jr. against Ranger Suarez
Game 4Cristian Javier against Aaron Nola
Game 5Justin Verlander against Noah Syndergaard
Game 6Framber Valdez against Zack Wheeler

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