When the Los Angeles Dodgers were eliminated on Thursday, the baseball world noted a quirky milestone: the 2026 World Series will be the first since 2019 without a player named Will Smith on the champion’s roster. From 2020 through 2025, two different Will Smiths helped three clubs capture baseball’s ultimate prize.
How the “Will Smith” streak began
In 2020, catcher Will Smith was a key piece of the Dodgers’ championship squad, providing solid defense and timely hitting behind a dominant pitching staff. The following season, reliever Will Smith carried the name forward, earning a World Series ring with the Atlanta Braves as they defeated the Houston Astros in a dramatic seven‑game series.
Three teams, three titles
At the 2021 trade deadline, the Houston Astros acquired the Braves’ reliever Will Smith to strengthen their bullpen. The move paid off when Houston captured the 2022 World Series, giving the name its third consecutive championship appearance. After the season, the Astros declined his club option, and Smith entered free agency.
Smith signed with the Texas Rangers for the 2023 campaign and achieved a rare feat: winning a World Series with a third different franchise when the Rangers upset the Arizona Diamondbacks in the Fall Classic.
Back to the Dodgers and the streak’s end
Following the 2023 triumph, Smith joined the Kansas City Royals, who were eliminated early in the ALDS by the New York Yankees. Meanwhile, the Dodgers reclaimed the name when catcher Will Smith helped Los Angeles win back‑to‑back titles in 2024 and 2025.
However, the reliever Will Smith has not appeared in the major leagues since 2024. When the Milwaukee Brewers swept the Dodgers in the 2026 National League Division Series, the streak that had linked a “Will Smith” to every World Series champion for six straight seasons finally came to a close.
What’s next for the name?
Some fans have joked that Oscar‑winning actor Will Smith might be signed to the eventual champion’s roster, but that scenario remains firmly in the realm of fantasy. For now, the baseball community can celebrate a unique statistical footnote while looking ahead to the upcoming Fall Classic, which will feature a new set of heroes.
Whether the next champion will feature a player named Will Smith remains to be seen, but the end of this particular streak underscores how even the most unlikely patterns can emerge in America’s pastime.
Original reporting: Fox News (HLL/CB) — read the source article.
