The 2019 World Series was the championship series of
Major League Baseball
Major League Baseball (MLB) is a professional baseball league composed of 30 teams, divided equally between the National League (baseball), National League (NL) and the American League (AL), with 29 in the United States and 1 in Canada. MLB i ...
's (MLB)
2019 season. The 115th edition of the
World Series
The World Series is the annual championship series of Major League Baseball (MLB). It has been contested since between the champion teams of the American League (AL) and the National League (NL). The winning team, determined through a best- ...
, it was a
best-of-seven playoff
There are a number of formats used in various levels of competition in sports and games to determine an overall champion. Some of the most common are the ''single elimination'', the ''best-of-'' series, the ''total points series'' more commonly kn ...
between the
American League
The American League of Professional Baseball Clubs, known simply as the American League (AL), is the younger of two sports leagues, leagues constituting Major League Baseball (MLB) in the United States and Canada. It developed from the Western L ...
champion
Houston Astros
The Houston Astros are an American professional baseball team based in Houston. The Astros compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the American League (AL) American League West, West Division. They are one of two major leag ...
and the
National League
National League often refers to:
*National League (baseball), one of the two baseball leagues constituting Major League Baseball in the United States and Canada
*National League (division), the fifth division of the English football (soccer) system ...
champion
Washington Nationals
The Washington Nationals are an American professional baseball team based in Washington, D.C. The Nationals compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the National League (NL) East Division. They play their home games at Na ...
. The series was played from October 22 to October 30. Washington upset the favored Astros, four games to three, to secure its first title in franchise history and first in the
capital city
A capital city, or just capital, is the municipality holding primary status in a country, state (polity), state, province, department (administrative division), department, or other administrative division, subnational division, usually as its ...
since the
1924 series. Washington
pitcher
In baseball, the pitcher is the player who throws ("Pitch (baseball), pitches") the Baseball (ball), baseball from the pitcher's mound toward the catcher to begin each play, with the goal of out (baseball), retiring a batter (baseball), batter, ...
Stephen Strasburg
Stephen James Strasburg (; born July 20, 1988) is an American former professional baseball pitcher who spent his entire 13-year Major League Baseball (MLB) career with the Washington Nationals. He is a three-time Major League Baseball All-Star G ...
was named the
World Series Most Valuable Player (MVP) after earning two
wins in the series.
The Astros had
home-field advantage
In team sports, the term home advantage – also called home ground, home field, home-field advantage, home court, home-court advantage, defender's advantage or home-ice advantage – describes the benefit that the home (sports), home team ...
because they had the better regular-season record. It was the third World Series in which home-field advantage was decided by the regular-season records of the American and National league champions, a practice that started in the 2017 season. It was the first World Series in which the Houston Astros had home-field advantage. The series was played in a 2–3–2 format, with the Astros hosting Games 1, 2, 6, and 7; and the Nationals hosting Games 3, 4, and 5.
For the first time in any of the
major North American sports leagues, the visiting team won all the games of a seven-game championship series, surpassing the previous high of five.
The road team outscored the home team 49–14 in the seven games played. Washington won despite scoring only three runs at home. It was the sixth straight World Series in which the championship was clinched by the visiting team, and the fourth consecutive seventh game of a Series won by the visiting team.
With the Nationals being from the National League East, this marked the sixth World Series in a row to have been won by teams from separate divisions in Major League Baseball.
For the third straight year, MLB sold
presenting sponsorships to all of postseason series. As with the
2017
2017 was designated as the International Year of Sustainable Tourism for Development by the United Nations General Assembly.
Events January
* January 1 – Istanbul nightclub shooting: A gunman dressed as Santa Claus opens fire at the ...
and
2018 World Series
The 2018 World Series was the World Series, championship series of Major League Baseball's 2018 Major League Baseball season, 2018 season. The 114th edition of the World Series, it was a best-of-seven playoff played between the American League ( ...
, this World Series was sponsored by
YouTube TV
YouTube TV is an American Pay television, subscription Over-the-top media service, over-the-top streaming television service operated by YouTube, a subsidiary of Google, which in turn is a subsidiary of Alphabet Inc., who announced YouTube TV ...
and was officially known as the ''2019 World Series presented by YouTube TV''.
Background
This was the first World Series appearance for the franchise that began its existence as the
Montreal Expos
The Montreal Expos () were a Canadian professional baseball team based in Montreal. The Expos were the first Major League Baseball (MLB) franchise located outside the United States. They played in the National League (baseball), National League ...
in 1969, and moved to Washington, D.C. in 2005 to become the Nationals. The Nationals were also the last team from the
1969 expansion class (which also included the
Kansas City Royals
The Kansas City Royals are an American professional baseball team based in Kansas City, Missouri. The Royals compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the American League (AL) American League Central, Central Division. The team ...
,
Milwaukee Brewers
The Milwaukee Brewers are an American professional baseball team based in Milwaukee. The Brewers compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the National League (baseball), National League (NL) National League Central, Central Di ...
—who began as the
Seattle Pilots
The Seattle Pilots were an American professional baseball team based in Seattle, Washington, during the 1969 Major League Baseball season. During their single-season existence, the Pilots played their home games at Sick's Stadium and were a me ...
—and
San Diego Padres
The San Diego Padres are an American professional baseball team based in San Diego. The Padres compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the National League (baseball), National League (NL) National League West, West Division. ...
) to earn a trip to the series. Also, after their World Series appearance, all
National League
National League often refers to:
*National League (baseball), one of the two baseball leagues constituting Major League Baseball in the United States and Canada
*National League (division), the fifth division of the English football (soccer) system ...
(NL) teams had played in at least one World Series. The only
American League
The American League of Professional Baseball Clubs, known simply as the American League (AL), is the younger of two sports leagues, leagues constituting Major League Baseball (MLB) in the United States and Canada. It developed from the Western L ...
(AL) team that has yet to play in a World Series is the
Seattle Mariners
The Seattle Mariners are an American professional baseball team based in Seattle. The Mariners compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the American League (AL) American League West, West Division. The team joined the American ...
, who were part of the
1977 expansion. Prior to this series, the Astros and Nationals had never played each other in a
postseason series, even though Houston played in the NL from 1962 to 2012 before moving to the AL West in 2013. In fact, the Nationals are the only team the Astros have faced in the World Series that they have never faced in a pre-World Series playoff round, since the Astros have faced the White Sox, Dodgers, and Braves during at least one playoff round prior to the World Series. The Astros and Nationals did not play an
interleague game in 2019, and last faced each other during the
2017 regular season. The two teams share a
spring training
Spring training, also called spring camp, is the preseason of the Summer Professional Baseball Leagues, such as Major League Baseball (MLB), and it is a series of practices and exhibition games preceding the start of the regular season. Spri ...
site in
West Palm Beach, Florida
West Palm Beach is a city in and the county seat of Palm Beach County, Florida, United States. It is located immediately to the west of the adjacent Palm Beach, Florida, Palm Beach, which is situated on a barrier island across the Lake Worth Lag ...
, and opened the 2019 spring training schedule against each other. This was the second World Series to feature two
expansion team
An expansion team is a new team in a sports league, usually from a city that has not hosted a team in that league before, formed with the intention of satisfying the demand for a local team from a population in a new area. Sporting leagues also ...
s, the first being in between the
Kansas City Royals
The Kansas City Royals are an American professional baseball team based in Kansas City, Missouri. The Royals compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the American League (AL) American League Central, Central Division. The team ...
and the
New York Mets
The New York Mets are an American professional baseball team based in the Boroughs of New York City, New York City borough of Queens. The Mets compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the National League (baseball), National ...
.
The Astros were deemed as heavy favorites to win the title.
Washington Nationals
The Nationals finished the
2018
Events January
* January 1 – Bulgaria takes over the Presidency of the Council of the European Union, after the Estonian presidency.
* January 4 – SPLM-IO rebels loyal to Chan Garang Lual start a raid against Juba, capital of ...
season with an 82–80 ()
win–loss record, and started the 2019 season with a 19–31 () record. Second-year
manager
Management (or managing) is the administration of organizations, whether businesses, nonprofit organizations, or a government bodies through business administration, nonprofit management, or the political science sub-field of public administra ...
Dave Martinez
David Martinez (born September 26, 1964) is an American professional baseball coach and former outfielder who is the manager for the Washington Nationals of Major League Baseball (MLB). He previously served as the bench coach for the Tampa Bay ...
began to receive public pressure to be fired by the Nationals. The team engineered a turnaround and finished the season in second place in the
National League East
The National League East is one of Major League Baseball's six divisions. Along with the American League Central, it is one of two divisions to have every member win at least one World Series title.
After having internal, informal divisions for ...
, four
games behind
In some North American sports, the phrase games behind or games back (often abbreviated GB) refers to a common way to reflect the gap between a leading team and another team in a sports league, conference, or division.
Example
In the standings ...
the
Atlanta Braves
The Atlanta Braves are an American professional baseball team based in the Atlanta metropolitan area. The Braves compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the National League (baseball), National League (NL) National League Eas ...
, ending the year with a 93–69 () record. The Nationals were one of two teams to qualify for the playoffs as a
wild card team from the
National League
National League often refers to:
*National League (baseball), one of the two baseball leagues constituting Major League Baseball in the United States and Canada
*National League (division), the fifth division of the English football (soccer) system ...
. Martinez had missed three games in September for a
cardiac catheterization
Cardiac catheterization (heart cath) is the insertion of a catheter into a heart chamber, chamber or Blood vessel, vessel of the heart. This is done both for diagnostic and interventional purposes.
A common example of cardiac catheterization is c ...
procedure to treat
angina
Angina, also known as angina pectoris, is chest pain or pressure, usually caused by insufficient blood flow to the heart muscle (myocardium). It is most commonly a symptom of coronary artery disease.
Angina is typically the result of parti ...
.
The fourth-seeded Nationals defeated the
Milwaukee Brewers
The Milwaukee Brewers are an American professional baseball team based in Milwaukee. The Brewers compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the National League (baseball), National League (NL) National League Central, Central Di ...
at home in the
National League Wild Card Game, coming behind from a 3–1 deficit in the eighth inning to win 4–3. The Nationals then upset the top-seeded
Los Angeles Dodgers
The Los Angeles Dodgers are an American professional baseball team based in Los Angeles. The Dodgers compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the National League (baseball), National League (NL) National League West, West Div ...
, who had won the previous two National League pennants, in the
National League Division Series
In Major League Baseball, the National League Division Series (NLDS) determines which two teams from the National League will advance to the National League Championship Series. The Division Series consists of two best-of-five series, featuring e ...
. The Nationals were behind two games to one, and won their second and third elimination games of the postseason to take the best-of-five series. The postseason series win was the first in Washington Nationals history. In the best-of-seven
National League Championship Series
The National League Championship Series (NLCS) is a best-of-seven playoff and one of two League Championship Series comprising the penultimate round of Major League Baseball's (MLB) postseason. It is contested by the winners of the two Natio ...
, the Nationals
swept the
St. Louis Cardinals
The St. Louis Cardinals are an American professional baseball team based in St. Louis. The Cardinals compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the National League (baseball), National League (NL) National League Central, Centra ...
(who had defeated the Braves in the Division Series round) in four games to secure the first
pennant in franchise history (including their time as the
Montreal Expos
The Montreal Expos () were a Canadian professional baseball team based in Montreal. The Expos were the first Major League Baseball (MLB) franchise located outside the United States. They played in the National League (baseball), National League ...
from 1969 to 2004). It was the first World Series appearance for a team from Washington D.C. since , including 33 seasons that the city did not host an MLB team (1972–2004).
Houston Astros
In the prior two seasons, the Astros had won the
2017 World Series, the franchise's first World Series championship, and lost the
2018 American League Championship Series to the
Boston Red Sox
The Boston Red Sox are an American professional baseball team based in Boston. The Red Sox compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the American League (AL) American League East, East Division. Founded in as one of the Ameri ...
. The Astros finished the 2019 regular season atop the
American League West
The American League West is one of Major League Baseball's six divisions. The division has five teams as of the 2013 season, but had four teams from 1994 to 2012, and had as many as seven teams before the 1994 realignment. Although its teams cu ...
—their third consecutive division championship—with a 107–55 () win–loss record.
[ Their 107 wins were a franchise record, and the most in MLB for the season.]
The Astros entered the postseason as the overall #1 seed. Their first opponent in the postseason was determined by the American League Wild Card Game, which saw the Tampa Bay Rays
The Tampa Bay Rays are an American professional baseball team based in the Tampa Bay area. The Rays compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the American League (AL) American League East, East Division. They are one of two major ...
defeat the Oakland Athletics
The Oakland Athletics (frequently referred to as the Oakland A's) were an American Major League Baseball (MLB) team based in Oakland, California from 1968 to 2024. The Athletics were a member club of the American League (AL) American League We ...
. In the best-of-five American League Division Series, the top-seeded Astros defeated fifth-seeded Tampa Bay in five games, with each game of the series being won by the home team. The Astros' opponent in the best-of-seven American League Championship Series
The American League Championship Series (ALCS) is a best-of-seven playoff and one of two League Championship Series comprising the penultimate round of Major League Baseball's (MLB) postseason. The winner of the ALCS wins the AL pennant and ...
(ALCS) was the second-seeded New York Yankees
The New York Yankees are an American professional baseball team based in the Boroughs of New York City, New York City borough of the Bronx. The Yankees compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the American League (AL) Am ...
, who had defeated the Minnesota Twins
The Minnesota Twins are an American professional baseball team based in Minneapolis. The Twins compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the American League (AL) American League Central, Central Division. The team is named afte ...
in their playoff series, three games to none. In the ALCS, the Astros and Yankee split the first two games, followed by the Astros winning two-of-three games played at Yankee Stadium
Yankee Stadium is a baseball stadium located in the Bronx in New York City. It is the home field of Major League Baseball’s New York Yankees and New York City FC of Major League Soccer.
The stadium opened in April 2009, replacing the Yankee S ...
. Game 6 in Houston was then won by the Astros, giving them the series win, four games to two. The Astros' ALCS victory advanced them to their third overall World Series appearance (2 in the American League & one in the National League), and second in three years.
Summary
Game summaries
The below game summaries include a line score of each game, showing the runs scored by each team during each inning
In baseball, softball, and similar games, an inning is the basic unit of play, consisting of two halves or frames, the "top" (first half) and the "bottom" (second half). In each half, one team bats until three outs are made, with the other tea ...
. Various baseball terms appearing in the summaries can be found in the glossary of baseball terms
This is an alphabetical list of selected unofficial and specialized terms, phrases, and other jargon used in baseball, along with their definitions, including illustrative examples for many entries.
0–9 0
:"Oh and ..." See count.
1
...
. The performance of pitchers in a game is often summarized by wording such as "two runs on three hits while striking out four batters", indicating how many runs and hits the pitcher allowed (the fewer, the better) and how many opposing batters the pitcher struck out (the more, the better).
Game 1
Before the national anthem
A national anthem is a patriotic musical composition symbolizing and evoking eulogies of the history and traditions of a country or nation. The majority of national anthems are marches or hymns in style. American, Central Asian, and European ...
sung by Nicole Scherzinger
Nicole Prascovia Elikolani Scherzinger ( ; ; born June 29, 1978) is an American singer, songwriter, dancer, actress, and television personality. She was a member of the girl group and dance ensemble the Pussycat Dolls between 2003 and 2010. With ...
, a moment of silence took place in honor of umpire Eric Cooper,[ who had died on October 20. Former Astro Brian McCann threw out the ]ceremonial first pitch
The ceremonial first pitch is a longstanding ritual of baseball in which a guest of honor throws a ball to mark the end of pregame festivities and the start of the game. Originally, the guest threw a ball from their seat in the grandstand to ...
to former teammate Evan Gattis. Max Scherzer
Maxwell Martin Scherzer (born July 27, 1984), nicknamed "Mad Max", is an American professional baseball pitcher for the Toronto Blue Jays of Major League Baseball (MLB). He has previously played in MLB for the Arizona Diamondbacks, Detroit Tige ...
started for the Nationals, while Gerrit Cole
Gerrit Alan Cole (born September 8, 1990) is an American professional baseball pitcher for the New York Yankees of Major League Baseball (MLB). He has previously played in MLB for the Pittsburgh Pirates and Houston Astros. Cole played for the bas ...
started for the Astros. With two outs in the bottom of the first inning, Yuli Gurriel hit a two-run double
Double, The Double or Dubble may refer to:
Mathematics and computing
* Multiplication by 2
* Double precision, a floating-point representation of numbers that is typically 64 bits in length
* A double number of the form x+yj, where j^2=+1
* A ...
, giving the Astros a 2–0 lead. In the top of the second inning, Ryan Zimmerman
Ryan Wallace Zimmerman (born September 28, 1984) is an American former professional baseball infielder who spent his entire 17-year Major League Baseball (MLB) career with the Washington Nationals. Zimmerman graduated from Floyd E. Kellam High S ...
hit a home run
In baseball, a home run (abbreviated HR) is scored when the Baseball (ball), ball is hit in such a way that the batting (baseball), batter is able to circle the bases and reach home plate safe (baseball), safely in one play without any error ( ...
to cut the Astros' lead to 2–1. Juan Soto led off the top of the fourth inning with a home run to tie the game, 2–2. Soto became the fourth-youngest player to hit a home run in a World Series; Andruw Jones
Andruw Rudolf Jones (; born April 23, 1977) is a Curaçaoan former professional baseball center fielder who played 17 seasons in Major League Baseball (MLB), most notably for the Atlanta Braves. Jones also played for the Los Angeles Dodgers, Tex ...
in 1996
1996 was designated as:
* International Year for the Eradication of Poverty
Events January
* January 8 – A Zairean cargo plane crashes into a crowded market in the center of the capital city of the Democratic Republic of the Congo ...
was the youngest to date. Adam Eaton batted in a run in the top of the fifth inning, followed two batters later by a Soto two-run double, giving the Nationals a 5–2 lead.
Scherzer exited after pitching five innings, having allowed two runs on five hits while striking out seven batters. Cole went seven innings, allowing five runs on eight hits while striking out six. After Nationals pitcher Patrick Corbin pitched a scoreless sixth, George Springer led off the bottom of the seventh inning with the 14th postseason home run of his career, off Nats relief pitcher
In baseball and softball, a relief pitcher or reliever is a pitcher who pitches in the game after the starting pitcher or another relief pitcher has been removed from the game due to fatigue (medical), fatigue, injury, ineffectiveness, ejection ...
Tanner Rainey. He also broke a World Series record held by Reggie Jackson
Reginald Martinez Jackson (born May 18, 1946) is an American former professional baseball right fielder who played 21 seasons in Major League Baseball (MLB) for the Kansas City / Oakland Athletics, Baltimore Orioles, New York Yankees, and Cal ...
and Lou Gehrig
Henry Louis Gehrig ( ; June 19, 1903June 2, 1941), also known as Heinrich Ludwig Gehrig, was an American professional baseball first baseman who played 17 seasons in Major League Baseball (MLB) for the New York Yankees (1923–1939). Gehrig was ...
, with a home run in five consecutive World Series games, dating back to Game4 of the 2017 World Series. The Astros loaded the bases later in the inning with two walk
Walking (also known as ambulation) is one of the main gaits of terrestrial locomotion among legged animals. Walking is typically slower than running and other gaits. Walking is defined as an "inverted pendulum" gait in which the body vaults over ...
s off Rainey and an infield single off Daniel Hudson
Daniel Claiborne Hudson (born March 9, 1987) is an American former professional baseball pitcher who played 16 seasons of Major League Baseball (MLB) from 2009 to 2024. Hudson was drafted by the Chicago White Sox in the fifth round of the 2008 M ...
, but Hudson struck out Yordan Alvarez to prevent any more scoring. In the bottom of the eighth inning, pinch hitter
In baseball, a pinch hitter (PH) is a substitute batter. Batters can be substituted at any time while the ball is dead (not in active play); the manager may use any player who has not yet entered the game as a substitute. Unlike basketball, A ...
Kyle Tucker singled, advanced to second on a fly ball by Aledmys Díaz, and Springer batted in another run with a double, pulling the Astros to within one run, 5–4. Sean Doolittle, the Nationals' fifth pitcher of the game, got the final out of the eighth inning and retired the side in order in the bottom of the ninth, concluding matters when Carlos Correa lined out to Víctor Robles to preserve the win. Doolittle earned his second save of the postseason and the underdog
An underdog is a person or group in a competition, usually in sports and creative works, who is largely expected to lose. The party, team, or individual expected to win is called the favorite or wikt:top dog, top dog. In the case where an under ...
s took the series lead, marking the first time in franchise history that the Nationals won a World Series game.
Game 2
Gymnast and Houston native Simone Biles
Simone Arianne Biles Owens ( Biles; born March 14, 1997) is an American Artistic gymnastics, artistic gymnast. Her 11 Olympic medals and 30 World Championship medals make her the most decorated gymnast in history. She is widely regarded as one ...
threw out the ceremonial first pitch of Game2. The starting pitchers were Stephen Strasburg
Stephen James Strasburg (; born July 20, 1988) is an American former professional baseball pitcher who spent his entire 13-year Major League Baseball (MLB) career with the Washington Nationals. He is a three-time Major League Baseball All-Star G ...
for the Nationals and Justin Verlander
Justin Brooks Verlander ( ; born February 20, 1983) is an American professional baseball pitcher for the San Francisco Giants of Major League Baseball (MLB). He has previously played in MLB for the Detroit Tigers, Houston Astros, and New York M ...
for the Astros. After a walk and a single to start the game, Anthony Rendon
Anthony Michael Rendon (, ; born June 6, 1990) is an American baseball third baseman for the Los Angeles Angels of Major League Baseball (MLB). He has previously played for the Washington Nationals and was a member of the Nationals' 2019 World S ...
batted in two runs with a double. Alex Bregman
Alexander David Bregman (born March 30, 1994) is an American professional baseball third baseman for the Boston Red Sox of Major League Baseball (MLB). He has previously played in MLB for the Houston Astros.
As a high school sophomore at Albu ...
tied the game with a two-run home run in the bottom of the first. In the top of the second inning, Verlander recorded the 200th postseason strikeout of his career, surpassing John Smoltz
John Andrew Smoltz (born May 15, 1967), nicknamed "Smoltzie" and "Marmaduke", is an American former baseball pitcher who played 21 seasons in Major League Baseball from 1988 to 2009, all but the last year with the Atlanta Braves. An eight-time Ma ...
(whose career spanned 1988–2009) and setting a new MLB record.
Leading off the top of the seventh, Kurt Suzuki hit a home run to put the Nationals ahead, 3–2. Verlander exited one batter later; he was charged with four runs on seven hits while striking out six batters, and was later assessed the loss. Washington scored five more runs in the seventh off Ryan Pressly, extending their lead to 8–2. With a six-run lead, Strasburg was removed before the bottom of the seventh, having held the Astros to two runs on seven hits while striking out seven. In the eighth inning, a two-run home run by Adam Eaton plus a run batted in
A run batted in or runs batted in (RBI) is a statistic in baseball and softball that credits a batter for making a play that allows a run to be scored (except in certain situations such as when an error is made on the play). For example, if th ...
(RBI) by Asdrúbal Cabrera
Asdrúbal José Cabrera (; born November 13, 1985) is a Venezuelan-American former professional baseball infielder. He has played in Major League Baseball (MLB) for the Cleveland Indians, Washington Nationals, Tampa Bay Rays, New York Mets, Phila ...
extended the Nationals' lead to nine runs. A ninth-inning home run by Michael A. Taylor off Chris Devenski pushed the lead to 12–2. Astro Martín Maldonado hit a home run in the bottom of the ninth off relief pitcher Javy Guerra, but there was no further scoring as the Nationals completed their eighth consecutive playoff win.
Game 3
This was the first World Series game played in Washington D.C. since October 7, 1933, which was the clinching Game5 of the New York Giants
The New York Giants are a professional American football team based in the New York metropolitan area. The Giants compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member of the National Football Conference (NFC) NFC East, East division. The ...
' win over the Washington Senators. Chad Cordero of the 2005 Nationals threw out the ceremonial first pitch to former teammate Brian Schneider; former astronaut Buzz Aldrin
Buzz Aldrin ( ; born Edwin Eugene Aldrin Jr.; January 20, 1930) is an American former astronaut, engineer and fighter pilot. He made three extravehicular activity, spacewalks as pilot of the 1966 Gemini 12 mission, and was the Lunar Module Eag ...
also threw a ceremonial pitch. Aníbal Sánchez
Aníbal Alejandro Sánchez Jr. (; born February 27, 1984) is a Venezuelan former professional baseball pitcher. He made his Major League Baseball (MLB) debut in 2006 with the Miami Marlins, Florida Marlins and also played for the Detroit Tigers, ...
started for the Nationals, while Zack Greinke
Donald Zackary Greinke ( ; born October 21, 1983) is an American professional baseball pitcher who is a free agent. Greinke last played for the Kansas City Royals, with whom he played across two stints, from his 2004 debut to 2010, and from 202 ...
started for the Astros. In the second inning, Josh Reddick batted in Carlos Correa as Houston scored the game's first run. In the third inning, Jose Altuve doubled and advanced to third on an error
An error (from the Latin , meaning 'to wander'Oxford English Dictionary, s.v. “error (n.), Etymology,” September 2023, .) is an inaccurate or incorrect action, thought, or judgement.
In statistics, "error" refers to the difference between t ...
, then scored on an infield single by Michael Brantley, giving the Astros a 2–0 lead. The Nationals loaded the bases with two outs in the bottom of the third, but were unable to score. In the bottom of the fourth, Ryan Zimmerman
Ryan Wallace Zimmerman (born September 28, 1984) is an American former professional baseball infielder who spent his entire 17-year Major League Baseball (MLB) career with the Washington Nationals. Zimmerman graduated from Floyd E. Kellam High S ...
walked then was driven in by a triple by Víctor Robles, cutting the Astros' lead to 2–1.
Houston restored its two-run lead in the top of the fifth, as Altuve doubled and was then batted in by Brantley. Greinke left with two outs in the bottom of the fifth, having allowed one run on seven hits while striking out six batters. The Astros extended their lead to 4–1 in the top of the sixth, as Robinson Chirinos hit a home run off the left field foul pole
Foul may refer to:
__NOTOC__ In sports
* Foul (sports), an unfair or illegal act during a sports competition, including:
** Foul (association football), in football (soccer)
** Professional foul, in football (soccer) or rugby
** Foul (basketba ...
netting. Sánchez lasted until one out in the top of the sixth, having allowed four runs on 10 hits while striking out four. With no additional scoring through the middle of the ninth, the Astros brought in closer Roberto Osuna to pitch the bottom of the ninth. Osuna allowed a one-out single to Adam Eaton, but otherwise retired the Nationals; Juan Soto struck out looking to end the Nationals’ eight-game playoff winning streak. Osuna earned his second save this postseason, as Houston narrowed Washington's lead in the series to 2–1. This became the first World Series to begin with three games won by the road team since 1996
1996 was designated as:
* International Year for the Eradication of Poverty
Events January
* January 8 – A Zairean cargo plane crashes into a crowded market in the center of the capital city of the Democratic Republic of the Congo ...
, when the first five games were won by the road team.
Game 4
The ceremonial first pitch was thrown out by a Nationals Youth Baseball Academy scholar-athlete.[ Patrick Corbin started for the Nationals and José Urquidy started for the Astros. The Astros scored early, recording two runs in the first inning on four consecutive singles with one out.] Robinson Chirinos hit a two-run home run in the fourth inning, extending Houston's lead to 4–0. Urquidy exited after five innings, having held the Nationals scoreless, retiring nine straight batters before being removed.
Washington scored a run in the bottom of the sixth, when Gerardo Parra scored on a Juan Soto ground out with the bases loaded and one out. Corbin pitched six innings, allowing four runs on seven hits while striking out five. After his exit, the Nationals bullpen allowed the bases to become loaded before a grand slam by Alex Bregman
Alexander David Bregman (born March 30, 1994) is an American professional baseball third baseman for the Boston Red Sox of Major League Baseball (MLB). He has previously played in MLB for the Houston Astros.
As a high school sophomore at Albu ...
off Fernando Rodney in the seventh inning extended Houston's lead to 8–1. It was the 20th ever World Series grand slam and first since Addison Russell hit one in Game6 of the 2016 World Series
The 2016 World Series was the championship series of Major League Baseball's (MLB) 2016 season. The 112th edition of the World Series, it was a best-of-seven playoff between the National League (NL) champion Chicago Cubs and the American Leag ...
. With no further scoring, the Astros evened the series, 2–2, ensuring a sixth game in Houston. This was the fifth time a World Series started with the road team winning the first four games, the most recent occurrence having been 1996
1996 was designated as:
* International Year for the Eradication of Poverty
Events January
* January 8 – A Zairean cargo plane crashes into a crowded market in the center of the capital city of the Democratic Republic of the Congo ...
.
Game 5
The ceremonial first pitch was thrown out by chef José Andrés. The starting pitchers were Gerrit Cole
Gerrit Alan Cole (born September 8, 1990) is an American professional baseball pitcher for the New York Yankees of Major League Baseball (MLB). He has previously played in MLB for the Pittsburgh Pirates and Houston Astros. Cole played for the bas ...
for Houston and Joe Ross for Washington. Max Scherzer
Maxwell Martin Scherzer (born July 27, 1984), nicknamed "Mad Max", is an American professional baseball pitcher for the Toronto Blue Jays of Major League Baseball (MLB). He has previously played in MLB for the Arizona Diamondbacks, Detroit Tige ...
was scheduled to start for Washington, but was scratched about three hours before the game for neck spasms.
A two-run home run by Yordan Alvarez in the top of the second inning gave the Astros an early lead. In the top of the fourth, Carlos Correa hit another two-run home run, extending Houston's lead to 4–0. Ross pitched for five innings, allowing four runs on five hits while striking out one batter. Juan Soto narrowed the lead to 4–1 with a home run in the bottom of the seventh. Yuli Gurriel batted in a run in the top of the eighth to restore the four-run lead. Cole left after seven innings, having held the Nationals to one run on three hits while striking out nine. George Springer's two-run home run in the top of the ninth stretched Houston's lead to 7–1. With Ryan Pressly ending the game by allowing no baserunners in the bottom of the ninth, the Astros moved to within a victory of their second title in three years. This became the third World Series—along with and —to have the road team win the first five games.
Home plate umpire
An umpire is an official in a variety of sports and competition, responsible for enforcing the rules of the sport, including sportsmanship decisions such as ejection.
The term derives from the Old French , , and , : (as evidenced in cricke ...
Lance Barksdale
Robert Lance Barksdale (born March 8, 1967) is an American umpire in Major League Baseball (MLB). He began umpiring in the major leagues in 2000 and joined the full-time major league staff in 2006.
Barksdale wears #23, which was previously wor ...
's strike zone
In baseball, the strike zone is the area of space through which a pitch must pass in order to be called a strike even if the batter does not swing. The strike zone is defined as the volume of space above home plate and between the batter's kne ...
during the game drew attention, with some sports journalists, including Jeff Passan, increasing their appeals to MLB for a computerized strike zone. Two women in the crowd flashed their bare chests during the game—briefly visible on television—in an attempt to raise awareness for their website, claiming proceeds from the site "will be going to women with breast cancer".[ Along with a third woman, they were removed from the game and were banned from all MLB stadiums "indefinitely".] U.S. President
The president of the United States (POTUS) is the head of state and head of government of the United States. The president directs the Federal government of the United States#Executive branch, executive branch of the Federal government of t ...
Donald Trump
Donald John Trump (born June 14, 1946) is an American politician, media personality, and businessman who is the 47th president of the United States. A member of the Republican Party (United States), Republican Party, he served as the 45 ...
was booed and "chants of 'Lock him up!' broke out in some sections" when he and wife Melania were introduced after the third inning during the regular serviceperson recognition segment. This led to some discussion in the media of the civility required of the event and the larger political discourse taking place. This was not the first time at a World Series that a President was booed; at the 1931 World Series
The 1931 World Series featured the two-time defending champion Philadelphia Athletics and the St. Louis Cardinals. The Cardinals beat the Athletics in seven games, a rematch and reversal of fortunes of the previous World Series.
The same two ...
, taking place during Prohibition
Prohibition is the act or practice of forbidding something by law; more particularly the term refers to the banning of the manufacture, storage (whether in barrels or in bottles), transportation, sale, possession, and consumption of alcoholic b ...
, fans in Philadelphia had chanted at Herbert Hoover
Herbert Clark Hoover (August 10, 1874 – October 20, 1964) was the 31st president of the United States, serving from 1929 to 1933. A wealthy mining engineer before his presidency, Hoover led the wartime Commission for Relief in Belgium and ...
, "We want beer! We want beer!"
Game 6
The ceremonial first pitch was thrown by Hakeem Olajuwon
Hakeem Abdul Olajuwon ( ; ; born January 21, 1963), nicknamed "the Dream", is a Nigerian and American former professional basketball player. From 1984 to 2002, he played Center (basketball), center in the National Basketball Association (NB ...
to Clyde Drexler
Clyde Austin Drexler (born June 22, 1962) is an American former professional basketball player who currently works as the commissioner of the Big3 3-on-3 basketball league. Nicknamed "Clyde the Glide", he played 15 seasons in the National Bask ...
, both of whom played college basketball
College basketball is basketball that is played by teams of Student athlete, student-athletes at universities and colleges. In the Higher education in the United States, United States, colleges and universities are governed by collegiate athle ...
for the Houston Cougars
The Houston Cougars are the athletic teams representing the University of Houston. Informally, the Houston Cougars have also been referred to as the Coogs, UH, or simply Houston. Houston's nickname was suggested by early physical education inst ...
and later won the 1995 NBA Finals
The 1995 NBA Finals was the championship series of the National Basketball Association's (NBA) 1994–95 season, and the conclusion of the season's playoffs. The series pitted the Eastern Conference champion Orlando Magic against the defen ...
with the Houston Rockets
The Houston Rockets are an American professional basketball team based in Houston. The Rockets compete in the National Basketball Association (NBA) as a member of the Southwest Division (NBA), Southwest Division of the Western Conference (NBA) ...
. Starting pitchers were Justin Verlander
Justin Brooks Verlander ( ; born February 20, 1983) is an American professional baseball pitcher for the San Francisco Giants of Major League Baseball (MLB). He has previously played in MLB for the Detroit Tigers, Houston Astros, and New York M ...
for Houston and Stephen Strasburg
Stephen James Strasburg (; born July 20, 1988) is an American former professional baseball pitcher who spent his entire 13-year Major League Baseball (MLB) career with the Washington Nationals. He is a three-time Major League Baseball All-Star G ...
for Washington, the same as in Game2.
Anthony Rendon
Anthony Michael Rendon (, ; born June 6, 1990) is an American baseball third baseman for the Los Angeles Angels of Major League Baseball (MLB). He has previously played for the Washington Nationals and was a member of the Nationals' 2019 World S ...
batted in a run in the top of the first, giving the Nationals an early 1–0 lead. A sacrifice fly
In baseball, a sacrifice fly (sometimes abbreviated to sac fly) is defined by Rule 9.08(d):
"Score a sacrifice fly when, before two are out, the batter hits a ball in flight handled by an outfielder or an infielder running in the outfield in fair o ...
by Jose Altuve and a home run by Alex Bregman
Alexander David Bregman (born March 30, 1994) is an American professional baseball third baseman for the Boston Red Sox of Major League Baseball (MLB). He has previously played in MLB for the Houston Astros.
As a high school sophomore at Albu ...
in the bottom of the first gave Houston a 2–1 lead.[ Bregman carried his bat to first base after homering, which some media members considered disrespectful.] Fifth-inning home runs by Adam Eaton and Juan Soto gave the Nationals a 3–2 lead. Soto also carried his bat to first base after homering, mimicking Bregman.[ Post-game, both managers voiced displeasure with the bat-carrying; Bregman apologized and said he was at fault.
Verlander exited after five innings, having allowed three runs on five hits while striking out three batters.] In the top of the seventh inning, Trea Turner
Trea Vance Turner (born June 30, 1993) is an American professional baseball shortstop for the Philadelphia Phillies of Major League Baseball (MLB). He has previously played for the Washington Nationals and Los Angeles Dodgers. At the internation ...
was controversially called out for interference
Interference is the act of interfering, invading, or poaching. Interference may also refer to:
Communications
* Interference (communication), anything which alters, modifies, or disrupts a message
* Adjacent-channel interference, caused by extra ...
on a play at first base, which Washington manager Dave Martinez
David Martinez (born September 26, 1964) is an American professional baseball coach and former outfielder who is the manager for the Washington Nationals of Major League Baseball (MLB). He previously served as the bench coach for the Tampa Bay ...
furiously took issue with, leading to his ejection.[ It was the first time a manager had been ejected from a World Series game since Bobby Cox in 1996. Later that inning, a two-out, two-run home run by Rendon off Will Harris—who had not allowed an ]earned run
In baseball, an earned run is any run that was fully enabled by the offensive team's production in the face of competent play from the defensive team. Conversely, an unearned run is a run that would not have been scored without the aid of an erro ...
in the postseason—increased Washington's lead to 5–2. Rendon batted in two more runs in the top of the ninth with a double off Chris Devenski, extending the Nationals' lead to 7–2. Strasburg left with one out in the bottom of the ninth, having held the Astros to two runs on five hits while striking out seven.[ Sean Doolittle relieved Strasburg, and allowed a two-out double to Carlos Correa, but nothing further, and the Nationals evened the series to force a deciding seventh game. This was the first instance in MLB, ]NBA
The National Basketball Association (NBA) is a professional basketball league in North America composed of 30 teams (29 in the United States and 1 in Canada). The NBA is one of the major professional sports leagues in the United States and Ca ...
, or NHL
The National Hockey League (NHL; , ''LNH'') is a professional ice hockey league in North America composed of 32 teams25 in the United States and 7 in Canada. The NHL is one of the major professional sports leagues in the United States and Cana ...
history when the road team won the first six games of a best-of-seven series.[
]
Interference call and Martinez ejection
In the top of the seventh inning, the Nationals had a 3–2 lead with a runner, Yan Gomes, on first base with no outs when batter Trea Turner hit a swinging bunt to the third base side of the pitcher's mound
A baseball field, also called a ball field or baseball diamond, is the field upon which the game of baseball is played. The term can also be used as a metonym for a baseball park. The term sandlot is sometimes used, although this usually refer ...
. Astros pitcher Brad Peacock fielded the ball and threw it to first base; the ball was not caught by first baseman Yuli Gurriel and rolled into foul territory beyond the base, apparently giving the Nationals runners on second and third with no outs.[ However, Turner was called out by home plate umpire ]Sam Holbrook
Samuel Woodford Holbrook (born July 7, 1965) is an American retired Major League Baseball umpire. He made his MLB debut in 1996 and was promoted to crew chief in 2017. Holbrook worked the World Series in 2010, 2016, and 2019. He retired followin ...
for interference, negating the play and requiring Gomes to return to first base.[ While initial reports and television commentary indicated the call was for running outside the runner's lane, MLB's chief baseball officer, ]Joe Torre
Joseph Paul Torre Jr. (; born July 18, 1940) is an American professional baseball Senior management, executive and former player, Manager (baseball), manager, and television color commentator. He has served as a special assistant to the Commiss ...
, clarified after the game that Turner had interfered with Gurriel's attempt to catch the ball, stating that Turner "did run to the fair side of the 45-foot line, but really the violation was when he kept Gurriel from being able to catch the ball at first base."[ The call led to a delay of nearly minutes while umpires confirmed their interpretation of the rules (the decision itself was a judgment call not reviewable via MLB instant replay).][ The call was argued by Nationals manager Dave Martinez when it was first made and again, more intensely, during the ]seventh-inning stretch
In baseball in the United States and Canada, the seventh-inning stretch (also known as the Lucky 7 in Japan and South Korea) is a long-standing tradition that takes place between the halves of the seventh inning of a game. Fans generally stand up ...
, resulting in his ejection by Holbrook. It was the first ejection in a World Series since , when Atlanta Braves
The Atlanta Braves are an American professional baseball team based in the Atlanta metropolitan area. The Braves compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the National League (baseball), National League (NL) National League Eas ...
manager Bobby Cox
Robert Joe Cox (born May 21, 1941) is an American former professional baseball third baseman and manager in Major League Baseball (MLB). Cox played for the New York Yankees and managed the Atlanta Braves and Toronto Blue Jays. He is a member of ...
had been ejected.
Game 7
This was the 40th time a World Series reached its deciding Game 7. The starting pitchers were Washington's Max Scherzer
Maxwell Martin Scherzer (born July 27, 1984), nicknamed "Mad Max", is an American professional baseball pitcher for the Toronto Blue Jays of Major League Baseball (MLB). He has previously played in MLB for the Arizona Diamondbacks, Detroit Tige ...
, who won Game1, and Houston's Zack Greinke
Donald Zackary Greinke ( ; born October 21, 1983) is an American professional baseball pitcher who is a free agent. Greinke last played for the Kansas City Royals, with whom he played across two stints, from his 2004 debut to 2010, and from 202 ...
, who received a no decision
A no decision (sometimes written no-decision) is one of either of two sports statistics scenarios; one in baseball and softball, and the other in boxing and related combat sports.
Baseball and softball
A starting pitcher who leaves a game withou ...
in Game3, making this the first World Series Game7 started by two previous Cy Young Award
The Cy Young Award is given annually to the best pitchers in Major League Baseball (MLB), one each for the American League (AL) and National League (baseball), National League (NL). The award was introduced in 1956 by Commissioner of Baseball ( ...
winners. Ceremonial first pitches were thrown by former Astros Jeff Bagwell
Jeffrey Robert Bagwell (born May 27, 1968) is an American former professional baseball first baseman and coach who spent his entire 15-year Major League Baseball (MLB) playing career with the Houston Astros.
Originally a Boston Red Sox fourth- ...
and Craig Biggio
Craig Alan Biggio (; born December 14, 1965) is an American former baseball second baseman, outfielder, and catcher who played 20 seasons in Major League Baseball for the Houston Astros, from 1988 to 2007. A seven-time National League (baseball), ...
.
A home run by Yuli Gurriel in the bottom of the second inning gave the Astros an early 1–0 lead. Carlos Correa hit a two-out RBI single in the bottom of the fifth inning to extend the lead to 2–0. Scherzer pitched five innings, allowing two runs on seven hits while striking out three batters. Greinke had given up only one hit (a single) and had shut out the Nats over six innings before Anthony Rendon
Anthony Michael Rendon (, ; born June 6, 1990) is an American baseball third baseman for the Los Angeles Angels of Major League Baseball (MLB). He has previously played for the Washington Nationals and was a member of the Nationals' 2019 World S ...
's home run in the top of the seventh cut the Astros' lead to 2–1. Greinke walked Soto after Rendon's homer and was then replaced by Will Harris. Harris gave up a two-run home run to Howie Kendrick off the right field foul pole, giving the Nationals a 3–2 lead, which they never relinquished. Greinke was charged with two runs on two hits while striking out three in innings.[ Roberto Osuna pitched the eighth inning for Houston, when Juan Soto batted in Adam Eaton with two outs to give Washington a two-run lead. The Nationals extended their lead to 6–2 in the ninth inning, with two runs scoring on a one-out single by Eaton with the bases loaded. With Patrick Corbin having pitched three scoreless innings in relief for Washington, closer ]Daniel Hudson
Daniel Claiborne Hudson (born March 9, 1987) is an American former professional baseball pitcher who played 16 seasons of Major League Baseball (MLB) from 2009 to 2024. Hudson was drafted by the Chicago White Sox in the fifth round of the 2008 M ...
came in to pitch in a non-save situation in the bottom of the ninth and retired the side in order, as Michael Brantley struck out swinging to end the game, series, and baseball season, giving the Nationals franchise its first World Series title in 51 seasons, and the city's first since the Senators won in .
The Nationals' win marked the sixth straight year that a team clinched the World Series title via a win on the road, including four times that a Game7 was won by the visiting team. For the first time in major North American sports history, the visiting team won all seven games of a best-of-seven postseason series. In championship series of the NBA, NHL, and MLB contested during 2019, road teams compiled an overall 17–3 record. Additionally, the Nationals became the first team to win the World Series in their first appearance since 2002
The effects of the September 11 attacks of the previous year had a significant impact on the affairs of 2002. The war on terror was a major political focus. Without settled international law, several nations engaged in anti-terror operation ...
, when the Anaheim Angels accomplished the feat by defeating the San Francisco Giants
The San Francisco Giants are an American professional baseball team based in San Francisco. The Giants compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the National League (baseball), National League (NL) National League West, West Div ...
in seven games. During postgame ceremonies, Washington's Stephen Strasburg
Stephen James Strasburg (; born July 20, 1988) is an American former professional baseball pitcher who spent his entire 13-year Major League Baseball (MLB) career with the Washington Nationals. He is a three-time Major League Baseball All-Star G ...
was presented with the World Series Most Valuable Player Award
The Willie Mays World Series Most Valuable Player (MVP) Award is given to the Major League Baseball (MLB) player deemed to have the most impact on his team's performance in the World Series, which is the final round of the MLB postseason. The ...
, the first time a former No. 1 overall draft pick earned the award, and the first time a pitcher had won the award since Madison Bumgarner had won in 2014
The year 2014 was marked by the surge of the Western African Ebola epidemic, West African Ebola epidemic, which began in 2013, becoming the List of Ebola outbreaks, most widespread outbreak of the Ebola, Ebola virus in human history, resul ...
.
The Nationals’ upset of the Astros was ranked as the third biggest upset in World Series history by MLB.com.
Series statistics
2019 World Series (4–3): Washington Nationals
The Washington Nationals are an American professional baseball team based in Washington, D.C. The Nationals compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the National League (NL) East Division. They play their home games at Na ...
(NL) defeated Houston Astros
The Houston Astros are an American professional baseball team based in Houston. The Astros compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the American League (AL) American League West, West Division. They are one of two major leag ...
(AL).
The Nationals wore their alternate blue jersey
Jersey ( ; ), officially the Bailiwick of Jersey, is an autonomous and self-governing island territory of the British Islands. Although as a British Crown Dependency it is not a sovereign state, it has its own distinguishing civil and gov ...
s for all seven games.
Broadcasting
Television
The World Series was televised by Fox
Foxes are small-to-medium-sized omnivorous mammals belonging to several genera of the family Canidae. They have a flattened skull; upright, triangular ears; a pointed, slightly upturned snout; and a long, bushy tail ("brush").
Twelve species ...
for the 20th straight year. Joe Buck
Joseph Francis Buck (born April 25, 1969) is an American sportscaster for ESPN.
The son of sportscaster Jack Buck, he worked for Fox Sports from its 1994 inception through 2022, including roles as lead play-by-play announcer for Fox's Nati ...
called the games as play-by-play
In Broadcasting of sports events, sports broadcasting, a sports commentator (also known as a sports announcer or sportscaster) provides a real time (media), real-time live commentary of a game or event, traditionally delivered in the present t ...
announcer along with John Smoltz
John Andrew Smoltz (born May 15, 1967), nicknamed "Smoltzie" and "Marmaduke", is an American former baseball pitcher who played 21 seasons in Major League Baseball from 1988 to 2009, all but the last year with the Atlanta Braves. An eight-time Ma ...
as color commentator
A color commentator or expert commentator is a sports commentator who assists the main (play-by-play) commentator, typically by filling in when play is not in progress. The person may also be referred to as a summariser (outside North America) ...
and Ken Rosenthal and Tom Verducci
Thomas Verducci (born October 23, 1960) is an American sportswriter who writes for ''Sports Illustrated'' and its online magazine SI.com. He writes primarily about baseball. He is also a reporter and commentator for Fox Major League Baseball a ...
as field reporters. Kevin Burkhardt hosted the network's pregame shows, joined by analysts Frank Thomas, Alex Rodriguez
Alexander Emmanuel Rodriguez (born July 27, 1975), nicknamed "A-Rod", is an American former professional baseball shortstop, third baseman and designated hitter and current businessman. Rodriguez played 22 seasons in Major League Baseball (ML ...
and David Ortiz
David Américo Ortiz Arias (born November 18, 1975), nicknamed "Big Papi", is a Dominican Americans, Dominican-American former professional baseball designated hitter and first baseman who played 20 seasons in Major League Baseball from 1997 ...
. Fox Deportes
Fox Deportes (formerly Fox Sports en Español) is an American pay television network dedicated to broadcasting sports-related programming in Spanish, aimed at the Hispanic population in the United States. Launched in 1993, Fox Deportes, a divis ...
aired the series in Spanish
Spanish might refer to:
* Items from or related to Spain:
**Spaniards are a nation and ethnic group indigenous to Spain
**Spanish language, spoken in Spain and many countries in the Americas
**Spanish cuisine
**Spanish history
**Spanish culture
...
, with Rolando Nichols calling the play-by-play, Edgar Gonzalez as color commentator, and Carlos Álvarez as field reporter.
MLB International fed the series to broadcasters outside the United States, with Matt Vasgersian
Matt Vasgersian (né Vasgerdsian; '; September 28, 1967) is an American sportscaster and television host. Vasgersian is the alternative play-by-play announcer for the Los Angeles Angels, as well as a studio host for MLB Network and Major Leagu ...
providing play-by-play and Buck Martinez
John Albert "Buck" Martinez (born November 7, 1948) is an American former professional baseball catcher and manager, and is currently the television color commentator for the Toronto Blue Jays. He played 17 seasons in Major League Baseball (MLB) ...
as color commentator.
Ratings
Game1 had the second-lowest audience for any Game1 to date, with only the 2014 World Series having a smaller audience for the opener. Game2 had the lowest audience for any Game2 to date, a distinction previously held by the 2012 World Series. Game4 was the lowest rated World Series game ever, and had the second-smallest audience ever, with only Game3 of the 2008 World Series having a smaller audience. Game7 was the least-watched Game7 ever, falling below the seventh game of 2014. Overall, this World Series had the fourth-lowest average number of viewers, with only 2014, 2012, and 2008 being lower. Ratings spiked considerably for Game 7, and there were strong ratings in the Houston (42.7/63) and Washington, D.C. (31.8/53) markets, making it the most-viewed MLB game in Washington since 1998.
Radio
ESPN Radio
ESPN Radio, which is alternatively branded platform-agnostically as ESPN Audio, is an American sports radio network and extension of the ESPN television network. It was launched on January 1, 1992, under the banner "SportsRadio ESPN". The netw ...
broadcast the World Series for the 22nd straight year, with coverage presented by AutoZone. Dan Shulman
Daniel Shulman (born February 9, 1967) is a Canadian sportscaster with Sportsnet as well as the American network ESPN.
Shulman serves as the play-by-play announcer and the moderator for the Toronto Blue Jays telecasts on Sportsnet. Durin ...
served as play-by-play announcer, with Chris Singleton as color commentator and Buster Olney as field reporter. Marc Kestecher
Marc David Kestecher (born March 22, 1968) is an American Sports commentator, play-by-play announcer radio Sportscaster, sports and News presenter, news anchor.
Early life and education
He was raised in Guilderland, New York and graduated from S ...
and Kevin Winter hosted the pregame shows with reporter Tim Kurkjian. New Spanish-language radio network Unanimo Deportes, flagshipped at WMYM Miami
Miami is a East Coast of the United States, coastal city in the U.S. state of Florida and the county seat of Miami-Dade County, Florida, Miami-Dade County in South Florida. It is the core of the Miami metropolitan area, which, with a populat ...
, broadcast its first World Series with Beto Ferreiro and Orlando Hernández announcing.
Locally, both teams' flagship radio stations broadcast the series with their regular announcers. In Houston, KBME aired the series with Robert Ford and Steve Sparks announcing. In Washington, WJFK-FM
WJFK-FM (106.7 Hertz, MHz "106.7 The Fan") is a commercial radio, commercial radio station licensed to serve Manassas, Virginia, and serving the Washington metropolitan area. WJFK-FM airs a sports radio, sports radio format and is owned and opera ...
aired the series with Charlie Slowes and Dave Jageler calling the games. Per MLB rules, the teams' other radio affiliates may carry the series but must air the ESPN Radio broadcast.
Aftermath
Nationals
Following their World Series victory, the Nationals quickly lost many players from their championship team and fell to the bottom of the league. The Nationals let all-star third baseman Anthony Rendon
Anthony Michael Rendon (, ; born June 6, 1990) is an American baseball third baseman for the Los Angeles Angels of Major League Baseball (MLB). He has previously played for the Washington Nationals and was a member of the Nationals' 2019 World S ...
leave in free agency to the Los Angeles Angels in the offseason (the Angels also signed 2019 Nationals part-time catcher Kurt Suzuki). The COVID-19 pandemic
The COVID-19 pandemic (also known as the coronavirus pandemic and COVID pandemic), caused by severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2), began with an disease outbreak, outbreak of COVID-19 in Wuhan, China, in December ...
kept the Nationals from properly celebrating their 2019 championship the following season, as spectators were not allowed in the stands during the shortened season. They raised their championship banner in front of an empty Nationals Park on the first day of the 2020 season, and received their championship rings in the clubhouse rather than on the field in front of the fans. The Nationals finished tied for last in the NL East in 2020. Postseason hero Howie Kendrick retired at the end of the season.
Struggling at the trade deadline in 2021, the Nationals engaged in a large-scale selloff of top players, most of which had led them to the championship. The Nationals became the first team to trade three players who were All-Stars before the end of the season, which included starting pitcher Max Scherzer
Maxwell Martin Scherzer (born July 27, 1984), nicknamed "Mad Max", is an American professional baseball pitcher for the Toronto Blue Jays of Major League Baseball (MLB). He has previously played in MLB for the Arizona Diamondbacks, Detroit Tige ...
, outfielder Kyle Schwarber, and shortstop Trea Turner
Trea Vance Turner (born June 30, 1993) is an American professional baseball shortstop for the Philadelphia Phillies of Major League Baseball (MLB). He has previously played for the Washington Nationals and Los Angeles Dodgers. At the internation ...
. They also traded off important pieces from their World Series team, such as catcher Yan Gomes and reliever Daniel Hudson
Daniel Claiborne Hudson (born March 9, 1987) is an American former professional baseball pitcher who played 16 seasons of Major League Baseball (MLB) from 2009 to 2024. Hudson was drafted by the Chicago White Sox in the fifth round of the 2008 M ...
. They would trade superstar Juan Soto to San Diego the following trade deadline, and by the end of the 2022
The year began with another wave in the COVID-19 pandemic, with SARS-CoV-2 Omicron variant, Omicron spreading rapidly and becoming the dominant variant of the SARS-CoV-2 virus worldwide. Tracking a decrease in cases and deaths, 2022 saw ...
season, only a handful of players from the 2019 championship team were still with the club.
In addition, the Nationals rotation that many saw as the team's strength during their World Series run was not as effective going forward. Scherzer, although still dominant, struggled with lower body injuries until he was traded (along with Trea Turner) to the Los Angeles Dodgers at the 2021 trade deadline. In 2023, Scherzer would win his second World Series
The World Series is the annual championship series of Major League Baseball (MLB). It has been contested since between the champion teams of the American League (AL) and the National League (NL). The winning team, determined through a best- ...
ring with the Texas Rangers. Patrick Corbin led the National League in losses and earned runs given up in 2021
Like the year 2020, 2021 was also heavily defined by the COVID-19 pandemic, due to the emergence of multiple Variants of SARS-CoV-2, COVID-19 variants. The major global rollout of COVID-19 vaccines, which began at the end of 2020, continued ...
and 2022
The year began with another wave in the COVID-19 pandemic, with SARS-CoV-2 Omicron variant, Omicron spreading rapidly and becoming the dominant variant of the SARS-CoV-2 virus worldwide. Tracking a decrease in cases and deaths, 2022 saw ...
. Anibal Sanchez struggled mighty during the 2020 season; so much that he spent the 2021 season out of baseball entirely, only to return to Washington in 2022
The year began with another wave in the COVID-19 pandemic, with SARS-CoV-2 Omicron variant, Omicron spreading rapidly and becoming the dominant variant of the SARS-CoV-2 virus worldwide. Tracking a decrease in cases and deaths, 2022 saw ...
. Lastly, Stephen Strasburg
Stephen James Strasburg (; born July 20, 1988) is an American former professional baseball pitcher who spent his entire 13-year Major League Baseball (MLB) career with the Washington Nationals. He is a three-time Major League Baseball All-Star G ...
, Washington's MVP of the 2019 World Series, was rewarded with a lucrative seven-year contract with the Nationals after the World Series. Unfortunately, Strasburg continued to be plagued with injuries, only making a total of eight starts from 2020 to 2023. He threw just 528 pitches in the majors the rest of his career before retiring in 2024.
Astros
Speculation about sign stealing by the Astros had been rampant for a number of years. After being knocked out by the Nationals in the National League Division Series
In Major League Baseball, the National League Division Series (NLDS) determines which two teams from the National League will advance to the National League Championship Series. The Division Series consists of two best-of-five series, featuring e ...
, several Dodgers (the team the Astros beat in the 2017 World Series) reached out to Washington Nationals second baseman Brian Dozier, who had been with Los Angeles the previous year, to warn him that Houston was elaborately stealing signs. Many American League clubs also reached out to Washington to say the same, as well.
Shortly after the 2019 World Series concluded, on November 12, 2019, journalists Ken Rosenthal and Evan Drellich published a story in ''The Athletic
''The Athletic'' is a subscription-based sports journalism department of ''The New York Times''. It provides national and local coverage in 47 North American cities as well as the United Kingdom. ''The Athletic'' also covers national stories ...
'' detailing for the first time specific allegations that the Astros had engaged in illicit electronic sign stealing. MLB launched an investigation and found evidence that the Astros did engage in illegal electronic sign stealing in 2017 and 2018, but found no evidence that they used the scheme in 2019. Hours after MLB announced its sanctions, Astros owner Jim Crane
James Robert Crane (born January 17, 1954) is an American businessman from Houston, Texas. Crane is chairman and chief executive of Crane Capital Group, Crane Worldwide Logistics, and Crane Freight and Shipping. He is also the owner and chairman ...
fired general manager Jeff Luhnow and AJ Hinch. Crane said: "Neither of them started this but neither of them did anything about it". Veteran manager Dusty Baker
Johnnie B "Dusty" Baker Jr. (born June 15, 1949) is an American former professional baseball outfielder and Manager (baseball), manager in Major League Baseball (MLB). He played in MLB for 19 seasons, most notably with the Los Angeles Dodgers. D ...
was hired a few months later and stayed with the club until retiring in 2023.
After losing the 2019 World Series, the Astros have continued to be a top team, coming within one win of making the World Series
The World Series is the annual championship series of Major League Baseball (MLB). It has been contested since between the champion teams of the American League (AL) and the National League (NL). The winning team, determined through a best- ...
in the shortened 2020 season and returning to the World Series in 2021
Like the year 2020, 2021 was also heavily defined by the COVID-19 pandemic, due to the emergence of multiple Variants of SARS-CoV-2, COVID-19 variants. The major global rollout of COVID-19 vaccines, which began at the end of 2020, continued ...
, which they lost to the Atlanta Braves, and in 2022
The year began with another wave in the COVID-19 pandemic, with SARS-CoV-2 Omicron variant, Omicron spreading rapidly and becoming the dominant variant of the SARS-CoV-2 virus worldwide. Tracking a decrease in cases and deaths, 2022 saw ...
, when they defeated the Philadelphia Phillies. They were beaten by their in-state rival Texas Rangers in the 2023 ALCS, in which the visiting team won all seven games. In 2024, the Astros were defeated by the Detroit Tigers
The Detroit Tigers are an American professional baseball team based in Detroit. The Tigers compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the American League (AL) American League Central, Central Division. One of the AL's eight chart ...
in the 2024 American League Wild Card Series, which ended the teams streak of seven consecutive ALCS appearances. Many of the Astros top players from 2019 would leave the team by 2025. Gerrit Cole signed a nine-year contract with the New York Yankees
The New York Yankees are an American professional baseball team based in the Boroughs of New York City, New York City borough of the Bronx. The Yankees compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the American League (AL) Am ...
in 2020, George Springer signed a six-year contract with the Toronto Blue Jays
The Toronto Blue Jays are a Canadian professional baseball team based in Toronto. The Blue Jays compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the American League (AL) American League East, East Division. Since 1989, the team has p ...
in 2021, Justin Verlander signed a two-year contract with the New York Mets
The New York Mets are an American professional baseball team based in the Boroughs of New York City, New York City borough of Queens. The Mets compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the National League (baseball), National ...
in 2022, Carlos Correa signed a three-year contract with the Minnesota Twins
The Minnesota Twins are an American professional baseball team based in Minneapolis. The Twins compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the American League (AL) American League Central, Central Division. The team is named afte ...
in 2022, Michael Brantley retired in 2024, and Kyle Tucker and Ryan Pressley were traded to the Chicago Cubs
The Chicago Cubs are an American professional baseball team based in Chicago. The Cubs compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the National League (baseball), National League (NL) National League Central, Central Division. Th ...
in separate deals in 2024. Alex Bregman also signed a two-year deal with the Boston Red Sox
The Boston Red Sox are an American professional baseball team based in Boston. The Red Sox compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the American League (AL) American League East, East Division. Founded in as one of the Ameri ...
in 2025.
See also
* 2019 Japan Series
* 2019 Korean Series
Notes
References
Further reading
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External links
{{Houston Astros
World Series
World Series
The World Series is the annual championship series of Major League Baseball (MLB). It has been contested since between the champion teams of the American League (AL) and the National League (NL). The winning team, determined through a best- ...
World Series
The World Series is the annual championship series of Major League Baseball (MLB). It has been contested since between the champion teams of the American League (AL) and the National League (NL). The winning team, determined through a best- ...
Houston Astros postseason
Washington Nationals postseason
World Series
The World Series is the annual championship series of Major League Baseball (MLB). It has been contested since between the champion teams of the American League (AL) and the National League (NL). The winning team, determined through a best- ...
World Series
The World Series is the annual championship series of Major League Baseball (MLB). It has been contested since between the champion teams of the American League (AL) and the National League (NL). The winning team, determined through a best- ...
World Series
The World Series is the annual championship series of Major League Baseball (MLB). It has been contested since between the champion teams of the American League (AL) and the National League (NL). The winning team, determined through a best- ...
Baseball competitions in Washington, D.C.
Baseball competitions in Houston