MLB's All-Quarter Century World Series Team

It doesn't take a superstar resume to be a World Series hero, it just takes a clutch performance on the biggest stage, whether it's a key hit or a brilliant outing on the mound.

Looking back through the last 25 years of baseball history, we've built the All-World Series team for the last quarter century, focusing on individual performance. While coming out on the winning end of the Fall Classic also helped, there are multiple players on this list who didn't win a ring.

Our team consists of one player at each spot on the diamond, a designated hitter, a five-man starting rotation and a relief pitcher. Honorable mentions were also included at each position to highlight some of the standouts who just missed the cut.

As the Los Angeles Dodgers and Toronto Blue Jays get set to battle it out for the 2025 World Series title, let's look back at some recent postseason heroes.

World Series Appearances: 2008, 2009
Stats: 11 G, .353/.488/.706, 12 H, 7 XBH (2 HR), 5 RBI

Carlos Ruiz hit .264/.350/.391 over 12 seasons in the big leagues, earning one All-Star selection along the way as a solid catcher on a Philadelphia Phillies team loaded with stars such as Chase Utley, Jimmy Rollins, Ryan Howard and others.

However, he took his offensive game to another level in the postseason, and particularly in the World Series, going 6-for-16 with a home run to help the Phillies win a ring in 2008.

Honorable Mentions: Yadier Molina (STL), Salvador Perez (KC), Jorge Posada (NYY), Buster Posey (SF)

World Series Appearances: 2021, 2024
Stats: 11 G, .310/.362/.810, 13 H, 8 XBH (6 HR), 17 RBI

Between the final two games of the 2021 World Series with the Atlanta Braves and the first four games of the 2024 World Series with the Los Angeles Dodgers, Freddie Freeman homered in six straight games in the Fall Classic.

His performance last season earned him 2024 World Series MVP honors, and he'll have a chance to add to this resume this year coming off an ALCS where he logged an .896 OPS with two doubles and one home run.

Honorable Mentions: Ryan Howard (PHI), Paul Konerko (CWS), Steve Pearce (BOS), Albert Pujols (STL), Scott Spiezio (LAA)

World Series Appearances: 2008, 2015, 2016
Stats: 16 G, .293/.369/.431, 17 H, 7 XBH (0 HR), 2 RBI

My initial thought here was Jose Altuve, and while he has elite numbers in the ALDS (151 PA, .907 OPS, 11 HR) and ALCS (191 PA, .942 OPS, 12 HR), his World Series track record (121 PA, .700 OPS, 4 HR) is less impressive.

Meanwhile, Zobrist played in the World Series for the Rays, Royals and Cubs, winning two rings and taking home World Series MVP honors while helping the North Siders snap a 108-year drought.

Honorable Mentions: Jose Altuve (HOU), Mark Bellhorn (BOS), Dustin Pedroia (BOS), Chase Utley (PHI)

World Series Appearances: 2011, 2013, 2018
Stats: 18 G, .296/.406/.556, 16 H, 8 XBH (2 HR), 8 RBI

David Freese put together one of the most impressive performances in MLB playoff history in Game 6 of the 2011 World Series, hitting a game-tying, two-run triple in the bottom of the ninth and a walk-off home run in the 11th.

He also went 5-for-12 with a triple and a home run as a platoon player for the Los Angeles Dodgers during the 2018 Fall Classic, adding to his World Series legacy in his age-35 season.

Honorable Mentions: Alex Bregman (HOU), Scott Brosius (NYY), Troy Glaus (LAA), Mike Lowell (MIA/BOS), Pablo Sandoval (SF), Justin Turner (LAD)

World Series Appearances: 2017, 2020, 2023
Stats: 18 G, .294/.402/.588, 20 H, 8 XBH (6 HR), 15 RBI

Here is a full list of all the players who have won multiple World Series MVP awards:

Sandy Koufax: 1963, 1965
Bob Gibson: 1964, 1967
Reggie Jackson: 1973, 1977
Corey Seager: 2020, 2023

That's impressive company and makes Corey Seager a no-brainer to be the pick at shortstop, especially since our cut line is 2000, which eliminates a significant chunk of Derek Jeter's postseason resume.

Honorable Mentions: Carlos Correa (HOU), David Eckstein (LAA/STL), Derek Jeter (NYY), Jeremy Peña (HOU), Edgar Renteria (STL/SF)

World Series Appearances: 2017, 2019
Stats: 14 G, .339/.456/.839, 19 H, 14 XBH (7 HR), 11 RBI

George Springer launched five home runs during the 2017 World Series, helping the Houston Astros beat the Los Angeles Dodgers in an epic seven-game series while taking home World Series MVP honors.

He also had a 1.108 OPS with four doubles and two home runs in the 2019 Fall Classic, and after hitting the game-winning long ball in Game 7 of this year's ALCS, he will have an opportunity to add another chapter to his legacy.

World Series Appearances: 2002
Stats: 7 G, .471/.700/1.294, 8 H, 6 XBH (4 HR), 6 RBI, 13 BB

Despite making seven trips to the postseason and four to the NLCS during his career, Barry Bonds only played in one World Series, leading the San Francisco Giants to the Fall Classic in 2002 while taking home the second of four straight NL MVP awards.

The Angels pitched around him all series, with seven intentional walks and 13 total free passes in 30 plate appearances, but he still managed to slug four home runs when they did pitch to him. The Angels got the last laugh, though, winning the series in seven games.

World Series Appearances: 2020
Stats: 6 G, .364/.462/.773, 8 H, 3 XBH (3 HR), 4 RBI

After a standout performance in the ALDS (8-for-19, 3 HR) and ALCS (9-for-28, 4 HR), Randy Arozarena kept things rolling into the World Series, slugging four more home runs in six games.

The upstart Rays came up short against the Dodgers to cap off the shortened 2020 season, and the following year Arozarena took home AL Rookie of the Year honors, as he had not yet exhausted his prospect status prior to his epic playoff run.

Honorable Mentions: Lance Berkman (HOU/STL), Jermaine Dye (CWS), Joc Pederson (LAD/ATL), Manny Ramirez (BOS), Juan Soto (WAS/NYY), Jayson Werth (PHI), Bernie Williams (NYY)

World Series Appearances: 2004, 2007, 2013
Stats: 14 G, .455/.576/.795, 20 H, 9 XBH (3 HR), 14 RBI

Some of the most memorable moments of David Ortiz's career came against the New York Yankees in the 2004 ALCS, but he also made his mark in the World Series.

He capped off the 2004 playoff run by going 4-for-13 with a home run in the World Series, hit .333 with a .945 OPS to win a second ring in 2007, and made it three rings in three tries in 2013 when he was 11-for-16 with two home runs to earn World Series MVP honors.

Honorable Mentions: Allen Craig (STL), Hideki Matsui (NYY), Jorge Soler (ATL)

World Series Appearances: 2010, 2012, 2014
Stats: 5 G, 4 GS, 4-0, 1 SV, 0.25 ERA, 0.53 WHIP, 31 K, 36.0 IP

Madison Bumgarner came as close as one player can to single-handedly winning a World Series title in 2014, starting with a complete game shutout in the winner-take-all NL Wild Card Game and closing it out with a five-inning save on two days rest in Game 7 of the World Series.

Aside from posting a 0.43 ERA in 21 innings during the 2014 series, he also pitched a gem in Game 4 of the 2010 World Series (8.0 IP, 3 H, 0 ER) when he was just 21 years old, and another in Game 2 of the 2012 World Series (7.0 IP, 2 H, 0 ER).

World Series Appearances: 2003, 2007
Stats: 3 GS, 2-1, 1.16 ERA, 0.86 WHIP, 28 K, 23.1 IP

At 23 years old, Josh Beckett threw a five-hit shutout in Game 6 of the 2003 World Series at Yankee Stadium to clinch a title for the Marlins, and he also had 10 strikeouts in 7.1 innings of two-run ball in Game 3.

He returned to the postseason with the Red Sox in 2007, and after winning ALCS MVP honors, he twirled seven innings of six-hit, one-run ball in Game 1 of the World Series to kick off a four-game sweep of the Rockies.

World Series Appearances: 2001, 2004, 2007
Stats: 5 GS, 3-0, 1.38 ERA, 0.77 WHIP, 34 K, 32.2 IP

Even removing his two starts with the Philadelphia Phillies in the 1991 World Series, which included a complete game shutout in Game 5, Curt Schilling still has an all-time great playoff resume.

He started Game 1 (7.0 IP, 3 H, 1 ER), Game 4 (7.0 IP, 3 H, 1 ER) and Game 7 (7.1 IP, 6 H, 2 ER) of the 2001 World Series for the D-backs, and was also the winning pitcher in Game 2 of the 2004 and 2007 World Series as a member of the Red Sox.

World Series Appearances: 2007, 2013, 2016
Stats: 6 G, 5 GS, 4-1, 1.77 ERA, 0.93 WHIP, 34 K, 35.2 IP

Jon Lester already had a stellar World Series resume before he joined the Cubs and anchored their rotation during their 2016 World Series, starting Game 4 in 2007 (5.2 IP, 3 H, 0 ER), and both Game 1 (7.2 IP, 5 H, 0 ER) and Game 5 (7.2 IP, 4 H, 1 ER) in 2013.

After taking the loss in Game 1 of the 2016 World Series, he rebounded for the win in Game 5, then provided three innings of relief behind starter Kyle Hendricks in Game 7.

World Series Appearances: 2019
Stats: 2 GS, 2-0, 2.51 ERA, 1.05 WHIP, 14 K, 14.1 IP

Stephen Strasburg had plenty of ups and downs during his career after going No. 1 overall in the 2009 draft as one of the most hyped pitching prospects in baseball history, but there is little question his peak was the 2019 postseason.

He went 5-0 with a 1.98 ERA and 47 strikeouts in 36.1 innings during the Nationals playoff run that year, and he capped off that impressive run with World Series MVP honors after earning the win in Game 2 (6.0 IP, 7 H, 2 ER) and Game 6 (8.1 IP, 5 H, 2 ER).

Honorable Mentions: Walker Buehler (LAD), Chris Carpenter (STL), Gerrit Cole (HOU/NYY), Nathan Eovaldi (BOS/TEX), Cole Hamels (PHI), Kyle Hendricks (CHC), Cristian Javier (HOU), Randy Johnson (ARI), John Lackey (LAA/BOS/CHC), Andy Pettitte (NYY/HOU)

World Series Appearances:
Stats: 14 G, 6/6 SV, 1.25 ERA, 0.88 WHIP, 21 K, 21.2 IP

Even with his production during the 1990s removed from the conversation, and the image of him on the mound as Luis Gonzalez delivered the title-clinching hit for the Arizona Diamondbacks in Game 7 of the 2001 World Series, there is still little debate Mariano Rivera is the greatest postseason reliever of the last 25 years.

In his final World Series in 2009, at the age of 39 years old, he tossed 5.1 scoreless innings and nailed down both of his save opportunities.

Honorable Mentions: Wade Davis (KC), Jonathan Papelbon (BOS), Francisco Rodriguez (LAA), Sergio Romo (SF), Koji Uehara (BOS)