The World Series is where baseball legends are made. One clutch home run or dominant pitching performance can turn an ordinary player into a household name. But some of the most impressive achievements in the Fall Classic have stood the test of time, surviving generations of players and countless changes to the game.
With another World Series underway, it’s a good time to look back at the MLB records that have shaped baseball’s biggest stage. From the New York Yankees’ remarkable championship history to marathon games that tested the limits of human endurance, these milestones show just how much it takes to make history in October.
Most RBIs in a Single World Series Game
Driving in a run is always satisfying, but doing it six times in one World Series game is something most hitters can only dream of. Hideki Matsui accomplished the feat for the New York Yankees in Game 6 of the 2009 World Series, helping his team defeat the Philadelphia Phillies 7-3 and clinch the championship.
Matsui was involved in all three of New York’s scoring innings. He opened the scoring with a two-run homer in the second, followed that with a two-run single in the third, then added a two-run double in the fifth. Not a bad night’s work.
His performance also earned him World Series MVP honours, making him the first Japanese-born player to win the award. The Yankees collected their 27th championship that night, while Matsui delivered a performance that remains one of the greatest individual hitting displays in World Series history.
Longest World Series Game by Innings
World Series games are stressful enough without having to play two games’ worth of baseball in one night. Yet that’s essentially what happened twice, when the Los Angeles Dodgers played 18-inning games in 2018 and 2025. Both set the record for the most innings in a World Series game.
In 2018, the Dodgers faced the Boston Red Sox in Game 3 of the World Series. The contest lasted seven hours and 20 minutes before Max Muncy ended it with a walk-off home run. In 2025, the Dodgers found themselves in another World Series marathon, this time against the Toronto Blue Jays. This game also went 18 innings, lasting six hours and 39 minutes before Freddie Freeman’s walk-off homer sealed the victory for Los Angeles.
Both games were exhausting tests of patience and bullpen depth. And if you’re wondering whether you could sit through every pitch, the final out of the 2018 game came at about 3:30 am on the East Coast.
Most Strikeouts by a Pitcher in a Single World Series Game
Bob Gibson practically owned the mound in Game 1 of the 1968 World Series, striking out 17 Detroit Tigers batters to set a record that still stands today. The St. Louis Cardinals ace finished with a complete-game shutout, leading his team to a 4-0 victory.
Gibson gave Detroit’s hitters very little room to breathe, combining overpowering pitching with the stamina to finish what he started. For context, Sandy Koufax held the previous record with 15 strikeouts in the 1963 World Series. Gibson raised the bar to 17, and it’s stayed there ever since.
The Only Perfect Game in World Series History
A no-hitter is an incredible achievement for any pitcher. A perfect game takes things even further, requiring 27 consecutive outs without allowing a single batter to reach base. Don Larsen of the New York Yankees remains the only pitcher to pull it off in a World Series.
Larsen made history in Game 5 of the 1956 World Series against the Brooklyn Dodgers. He struck out seven batters and retired every hitter he faced in a 2-0 Yankees victory. Even more impressive, he needed just 97 pitches to complete the game.
Nearly seven decades later, no other pitcher has matched Larsen’s World Series perfect game. Plenty have delivered outstanding performances, but getting through an entire game without allowing a hit, walk or other baserunner remains one of baseball’s rarest accomplishments.
Most Home Runs by a Player in a Single World Series
There’s a reason they call Reggie Jackson “Mr. October.” He set the standard for postseason power hitting with five home runs for the New York Yankees in the 1977 World Series against the Los Angeles Dodgers.
Jackson saved his most memorable performance for Game 6, famously hitting three home runs on just three swings. The Yankees won the game 8-4 to secure the championship, while Jackson earned World Series MVP honours.
The performance cemented his reputation as “Mr. October”, a nickname that has since become synonymous with players who deliver when the stakes are highest. Jackson’s five-homer series remains the benchmark and has since been matched by Chase Utley in 2009 and George Springer in 2017.
Biggest Comeback in a World Series Game
Almost 100 years ago, baseball fans were treated to the kind of comeback that still gets people talking today. In Game 4 of the 1929 World Series, the Philadelphia Athletics turned an 8-0 deficit into a memorable 10-8 victory over the Chicago Cubs. The comeback remains the biggest in World Series history.
Down by eight runs in the seventh inning, Philadelphia finally got its offence moving with some timely hits and a costly defensive error by the Cubs. By the end of the inning, the score had completely flipped. Chicago had gone from cruising towards a comfortable win to facing a two-run deficit, and Philadelphia held on to take the game.
The Athletics eventually won the series in five games, claiming their first championship since 1913. The rally remains a reminder that even an enormous lead isn’t safe in baseball. Until the final out, there’s always a chance for the game to turn around.