The 2026 World Series matchup is officially set. The Milwaukee Brewers will take on the Tampa Bay Rays in a showdown between two teams looking for the first championship in franchise history.
The beauty of baseball is that, despite the fact that it's been played for more than a century, on any given night, fans might see something they've never seen before and never see again.
Ahead, we've highlighted seven World Series records that will never be broken, spanning individual series records, career records and even game-specific details.
What never-before-seen feat will be accomplished this October?
Most World Series Rings, Player
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Record: 10
Record Holder: Yogi Berra
Over 19 seasons in the big leagues, Yogi Berra played in the World Series 14 times and won 10 rings, one more than fellow Yankees legend Joe DiMaggio for the most ever by a player.
The most rings by a player active in the 2000s is five, held by a handful of players, including Derek Jeter. The active leader is Mookie Betts with four rings from his time with the Red Sox and Dodgers.
Berra did it at a time before the LCS was added. The World Series matchup was simply the AL's best team against the NL's best team. In today's expanded playoff format, a player's chances of suiting up for 10 World Series appearances are virtually nonexistent, let alone winning 10 rings.
Most Strikeouts, Single World Series
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Record: 35
Record Holder: Bob Gibson
While 35 strikeouts might not sound like an insurmountable record, consider for a moment what it took Bob Gibson to put up that record-setting total against the Tigers during the 1968 World Series.
Game 1: 9.0 IP, 5 H, 0 ER, 17 K
Game 4: 9.0 IP, 5 H, 1 ER, 10 K
Game 7: 9.0 IP, 8 H, 4 ER, 8 K
It's worth noting that Gibson took the loss in Game 7. Facing the same lineup three times increases exposure to hitters who generally don't see the same pitcher in such rapid succession.
Pitch counts are not available, but it's fair to assume Gibson was well into the triple digits in all three starts. It's simply hard to envision any manager riding his ace that hard in today's game, even in pursuit of a title.
For recent comparison, Yoshinobu Yamamoto tossed a complete game, a second quality start and had a 2.2-inning save in last year's World Series to earn MVP honors. He finished with 15 strikeouts.
Most World Series Home Runs, Career
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Record: 18
Record Holder: Mickey Mantle
Not unlike Bob Gibson's 35 strikeouts in a single World Series, this record does not necessarily sound unbreakable at first, but there's a reason no one has come close in recent history.
Yogi Berra (295) and Mickey Mantle (273) are the only players in history with more than 250 plate appearances in the World Series. Derek Jeter (173) is a full 100 short of Mantle's total, despite his status as a fixture in October throughout his Hall of Fame career.
Only six players in MLB history have even reached double-digit home runs in the World Series. Among active players, the co-leaders are George Springer and Freddie Freeman, with seven each.
Springer is tied with Chase Utley and Reggie Jackson for the most home runs in a single World Series with five. Even if a player accomplished that rare feat three different times, he would still be four home runs shy of overtaking Mantle for the top spot.
This one is a lot safer than it sounds.
Shortest World Series Game
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Record: 1 hour, 25 minutes
Record Holder: 1908 World Series, Game 5 (Cubs vs. Tigers)
Considering playoff games today feature roughly 85 minutes of Sydney Sweeney and Megan Fox commercials alone, it's virtually impossible to picture a World Series game being played start to finish in under two hours.
This was actually a series-clinching game for the Cubs, who won 2-0 behind a complete-game shutout from Orval Overall (9 IP, 3 H, 0 ER, 10 K) and three-hit games from Frank Chance and Johnny Evers.
The Cubs actually had 10 hits in the game, which makes the dizzying pace of play even more impressive.
Between commercials and inevitable pitching changes, this one should comfortably stand the test of time.
Most Times On Base, Single Game
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Record: 9
Record Holder: Shohei Ohtani
Shohei Ohtani's plate appearance rundown from last year's 18-inning odyssey in Game 3 of the World Series speaks for itself:
2B
HR
2B
HR
IBB
IBB
IBB
IBB
BB
The vast majority of World Series come and go without anyone ever sniffing nine plate appearances in a single game, let alone reaching base that many times in a single contest, so this one is going to be difficult to touch.
The previous record was six times on base, so he didn't just break it. He absolutely demolished it.
Most World Series Wins, Career
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Record: 10
Record Holder: Whitey Ford
Even in an era when starting pitchers were regularly tasked with throwing complete games, especially in October when the season hangs in the balance, it took Whitey Ford a whopping 11 trips to the World Series to tally his record-setting 10 wins.
Pitcher wins, in general, have become an afterthought in an age of openers, bullpen games and five strong innings representing a terrific outing for a traditional starting pitcher.
Yoshinobu Yamamoto was the first pitcher since Randy Johnson in 2001 to record three wins in one World Series last October. He has a fourth win from the 2024 Fall Classic, so he's one to watch.
Still, he's not even halfway there. He won't add to that total this season either. Being 28 years old doesn't help either. Never say never, but a lot will have to break right for him to make a legitimate run at the record.
Barry Bonds' Epic 2002 World Series
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Records
.700 OBP (career)
1.294 SLG (career)
1.994 OPS (career)
13 BB (single-series)
7 IBB (single-series)
The 2002 World Series was the only Fall Classic Barry Bonds played in during his 22-year career. While the Angels came out on top in seven games, Bonds rewrote the record books.
A year after his 73-homer season and in his second of four straight MVP campaigns, Bonds was at the absolute peak of his game. The Angels wanted nothing to do with pitching to him.
He was walked in 13 of his 30 plate appearances. He went 8-for-17 with two doubles, four home runs and six RBI when they gave him something to hit.
Qualifying for the all-time leaderboard requires at least 20 plate appearances. That .700 on-base percentage will be the toughest one for anyone to top. David Ortiz, one of the greatest postseason hitters of all time, sits a distant second on that list at .576.
The Many Pitching Records of a Different Era
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Most CG, Single WS: Deacon Phillippe (5, 1903)
Most CG, Career: Christy Mathewson (10)
Most IP, Single Game: Babe Ruth (14.0, 1916)
Most IP, Single WS: Deacon Phillippe (44.0, 1903)
Most IP, Career: Whitey Ford (146.0)
Most SHO, Single WS: Christy Mathewson (3, 1905)
Most SHO, Career: Christy Mathewson (4)
Simply because pitching staffs have transformed over the past 100 years, several pitching records from the early days of the World Series will never be broken.
One of the fascinating records belongs to Babe Ruth, not from his days as a slugger for the Yankees, but as a pitcher for the Red Sox. He tossed all 14 innings of a 2-1 victory over the Brooklyn Robins in Game 2 of the 1916 World Series, allowing six hits and one earned run.
The five complete games thrown by Deacon Phillippe also sounds like something out of a video game. He threw complete games on Oct. 1, 3, 6, 10 and 13, going 3-2 with a 3.07 ERA in 44 innings of work.
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