Will Smith won’t win the World Series, for the first time since 2019

Will Smith won each of the last six World Series, but that streak will end this year, because nobody named Will Smith plays for the Milwaukee Brewers nor Tampa Bay Rays. The Dodgers catcher and the since-retired left-handed relief pitcher of the same name played for teams that won championships every season from 2020-25.

Those two players converged during the 2020 National League Championship Series, a few weeks before the first of those six straight championships.

Down three games to one in the NLCS that year, the Dodgers trailed the Atlanta Braves 2-1 in the sixth inning of Game 5. With Mookie Betts on second base and two outs, the lefty Smith was called in from the bullpen to face Max Muncy, who drew a six-pitch walk.

Will Smith the Dodgers catcher ran the count full himself, before hitting a three-run home run off Will Smith the pitcher to turn the game around, in what would be a 7-3 Dodgers win.

That home run by Smith was the only hit off his pitching namesake in seven tries. In the other matchups — 2019 when the lefty was with the Giants, and 2021-22 with the Braves — the catcher was hitless in six at-bats with three strikeouts against the pitcher.

The Dodgers won that 2020 NLCS over the Braves then snapped a 32-year championship drought by beating the Tampa Bay Rays in the World Series. One year later, Smith the reliever was on the Atlanta team that snapped a 26-year title drought.

Will Smiths’ World Series wins

• 2020 Dodgers: catcher
• 2021 Braves: lefty pitcher
• 2022 Astros: lefty pitcher
• 2023 Rangers: lefty pitcher
• 2024 Dodgers: catcher
• 2025 Dodgers: catcher

The Dodgers’ Will Smith punctuated the 2025 championship by hitting the series-winning home run in the 11th inning of Game 7, after setting a record by catching all 73 innings in the World Series.

It was a good run for the Will Smiths.