11 Best World Series Pitching Performances

Pitchers have won World Series MVP more often than any other position. 

A dominant performance in the Fall Classic can make all the difference for a team, even if they were the underdogs in baseball playoffs odds before Game 1.

11 Best Pitching Performances in World Series History

11. Mickey Lolich, 1968

Yet to be named an All-Star and having posted a 95 ERA+ in the regular season, Mickey Lolich was an unlikely hero for the Detroit Tigers in 1968.

Lolich pitched three complete games, all ending in wins for the Tigers, including a five-hit masterpiece in Game 7. 

10. Grover Alexander, 1926

Grover Alexander was in his age-39 season in 1926, but that didn’t stop him from putting in a spectacular performance in the World Series. 

Facing a fearsome New York Yankees team, Alexander allowed three earned runs in 20.1 innings. He pitched in relief in Game 7, getting out of a bases-loaded jam and pitching two more innings to see the St. Louis Cardinals to their first title. 

9. Steve Blass, 1971

Two complete games with only two runs allowed saw Steve Blass post a 73.3% cWPA in the 1971 World Series for the Pittsburgh Pirates.

Roberto Clemente pipped Blass to World Series MVP, but that doesn’t detract from the pitcher’s achievements against a talented Baltimore Orioles lineup featuring Boog Powell, Brooks Robinson, and Frank Robinson. 

8. Jack Morris, 1991

A Cy Young contender in his age-36 season, Jack Morris followed up a good regular season with a remarkable World Series performance for the Minnesota Twins.

Morris had the second-highest cWPA ever in a World Series thanks to strong starts in Games 1 and 4, followed by a 10-inning shutout in Game 7. 

7. Bret Saberhagen, 1985

Bret Saberhagen pitched a complete game and won in Game 3, with the Kansas City Royals trailing 2-0. He was even better in Game 3. 

One day after his wife gave birth to their first child, Saberhagen pitched a shutout against the St. Louis Cardinals to win the Royals their first-ever title. 

6. Randy Johnson, 2001

Heading into the 2001 Fall Classic, World Series odds priced the Arizona Diamondbacks as massive underdogs against the three-time defending champion Yankees. 

Randy Johnson pitched a shutout in Game 2, led his team to a win in Game 6, and earned a third win in relief in Game 7. 

5. Ralph Terry, 1962

Ralph Terry posted the highest single-season cWPA ever in the 1962 World Series. Terry pitched 25 innings with two complete games, including a shutout.

The right-hander didn’t have the most spectacular career, with just 11.8 bWAR to his name, but his 1962 World Series performance belongs alongside the Fall Classic greats. 

4. Christy Mathewson, 1905

Pitching for the New York Giants against the Philadelphia Athletics in the 1905 World Series, Christy Mathewson produced a barely fathomable three shutouts in six days.

Only one Athletics hitter passed second base across his 27 scoreless innings. The Giants won the World Series in five games. 

3. Sandy Koufax, 1965

Sandy Koufax won his second World Series MVP award in three years after shutouts in Games 5 and 7 of the 1965 World Series. 

Koufax is one of the greatest postseason performers in baseball history. His 1965 effort lands third in my rankings here, and his showing in the 1963 Fall Classic would land inside the top 20. 

2. Bob Gibson, 1967

Bob Gibson won the second of his World Series MVPs in 1967. His 27 strikeouts in the 1967 World Series is tied for the fifth-most ever – he occupies first and second on that list with his performances in 1968 and 1964, respectively.

Gibson pitched three complete games in 1967, producing a cWPA of 46.9%. He allowed 4.7 hits per nine innings as he shut down the Boston Red Sox. 

1. Madison Bumgarner, 2014

Gunning for a third title in five years, the San Francisco Giants were underdogs at most sportsbooks ahead of the 2014 World Series. 

Madison Bumgarner led the Giants to an improbable title, tossing a gem in Game 1, a shutout in Game 5, and a once-in-a-generation performance out of the bullpen in Game 7. 

With the Giants leading 3-2, Bumgarner came in for Jeremy Affeldt in the fifth inning and never left the game. He allowed only two baserunners across five remarkable innings. He recorded the final out with the tying run at third base after a misplay in the outfield. 

His 92% cWPA in the 2014 World Series is the third-highest ever.