Ranking every World Series winners in history

By Staff | Nov 3, 2015

UNITED STATES - OCTOBER 05: Brooklyn Dodgers president Walter O'Malley and his manager, Walter Alston, exchange hugs and grins after bringing Brooklyn its first World Series championship in history. Flock did it the hard way, winning the final game in Yankee Stadium. (Photo by NY Daily News Archive via Getty Images) /

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NEW YORK, NY – NOVEMBER 01: Salvador Perez No. 13 of the Kansas City Royals celebrates in the clubhouse as Kansas City Royals owner David D. Glass (L) holds the Commissioner’s Trophy after the Kansas City Royals defeat the New York Mets to win Game Five of the 2015 World Series at Citi Field on November 1, 2015 in the Flushing neighborhood of the Queens borough of New York City. The Kansas City Royals defeated the New York Mets with a score of 7 to 2 to win the World Series. (Photo by Al Bello/Getty Images) /

72. 2015 Kansas City Royals

95-67, AL Central Champions, Won World Series 4-1 Over New York Mets

The team itself may not rank among the very best World Series Champions of all-time, but the 2015 Kansas City Royals did something no other team in the history of the Fall Classic has done. On three separate occasions, the Royals trailed the New York Mets in the eighth inning or later, and three times Kansas City fought back to win – including the series clincher in Game 5.

Featuring a largely homegrown roster that is rare in Major League Baseball today, the Royals cruised to the American League Central Division title with a 95-67 record – the best record in the AL.

Eric Hosmer (.297/.363/.459, 18 HR, 93 RBI), Mike Moustakas (.284/.348/.470, 22 HR, 82 RBI), Alex Gordon (.271/.377/.432, 13 HR, 48 RBI) and World Series MVP Salvador Perez (.260/.280/.426, 21 HR, 70 RBI), as well as Christian Colon (who recorded the World Series-winning RBI in the 12th inning of Game 5 in his only postseason at bat) all began their professional careers in the Kansas City organization and formed the nucleus of a speedy, contact-hitting, strong defensive club that ranked second in baseball in batting average (.269) and struck out fewer times than any other team in baseball (973).

A strong pitching staff headlined by starters Edinson Volquez (13-9, 3.55) and Yordano Ventura (13-8, 4.08) and strengthened by a terrific bullpen including Greg Holland (3.83, 32 saves), Kelvin Herrera (2.71), Ryan Madson (2.13) and the practically unhittable Wade Davis (8-1, 0.94, 17 saves) posted a 3.73 ERA that ranked third in the AL and allowed 155 home runs, which was the second fewest in the league.

The road to a second consecutive pennant was difficult, though the Royals survived the ALDS with a 3-2 series victory over the Houston Astros and beat the powerful Toronto Blue Jays 4-2 in the ALCS to advance to the World Series. Then, in dramatic fashion, the Royals captured the second World Championship in franchise history and the first since 1985.

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