CBS Sports columnist Matt Snyder has released his annual ranking of the last 10 World Series, placing the 2025 Los Angeles Dodgers vs. Toronto Blue Jays showdown at number one. The 2026 Milwaukee Brewers vs. Tampa Bay Rays series, which the Brewers won in five games for their first championship, ranks eighth on the list.
Ranking Criteria
Snyder evaluates each Fall Classic from a neutral perspective, prioritizing seven-game series with epic Game 7 finishes, close games throughout, back-and-forth momentum, and memorable moments. He notes that every World Series is remarkable, and lower rankings reflect relative comparison rather than poor quality.
Top and Bottom of the List
The 2020 World Series, played during the COVID-19 pandemic with no fans in attendance, ranks last at number 10. Snyder cites the lack of atmosphere as a significant detractor despite competitive games, including Tampa Bay's Game 4 comeback and Los Angeles' Game 6 rally after Blake Snell's early removal.
At number one, the 2025 series featured what Snyder calls an "all-time great Game 7" following a series packed with historic moments. Highlights included Toronto's nine-run sixth inning in Game 1, Yoshinobu Yamamoto's complete game in Game 2 (the first in the World Series since 2015), an 18-inning Game 3 tied for the longest ever, Shohei Ohtani reaching base nine times in a single game, and a chaotic Game 6 ninth inning where the Blue Jays had the tying run on second with no outs before a double play ended the game.
2026 Brewers Championship Ranked Eighth
The 2026 World Series, won by Milwaukee in five games, sits at number eight. Snyder acknowledges possible recency bias but highlights Games 1, 2, and 4 as highly entertaining. Game 1 featured a review overturning an apparent game-ending double play. In Game 2, the Brewers overcame a 4-0 first-inning deficit to win 5-4. Game 3 saw Milwaukee score eight runs with two outs in the fifth inning. Game 4 went 12 innings, with Cooper Pratt's solo home run in the top of the 12th answered by Tampa Bay's four singles in the bottom half for a walk-off win. Game 5 closed the series with Jacob Misiorowski on the mound and Pratt adding two hits and two RBIs.
Snyder notes the 2026 matchup featured both No. 1 seeds (103 and 98 wins), unlike the 2023 series (90 vs. 84 wins) which ranks ninth. The 2023 Texas Rangers vs. Arizona Diamondbacks series earned bonus points for the Rangers' first championship and a dramatic Game 1 walk-off by Adolis García, but lacked other closely contested games.
Other Notable Rankings
The 2022 Houston Astros vs. Philadelphia Phillies series ranks fourth as the best non-seven-game series of the decade, featuring a combined no-hitter in Game 4 and Yordan Alvarez's decisive home run in Game 6. The 2017 Astros vs. Dodgers classic ranks third despite a lackluster Game 7, demoted partly due to the subsequent sign-stealing scandal. The 2019 Washington Nationals' unlikely run from a 19-31 start to a Game 7 victory over Houston, capped by Howie Kendrick's dramatic home run, ranks second.
