A Look at Virginia’s MLB World Series History

CHARLOTTESVILLE, Va. – Former Virginia National Champions Pavin Smith (2015-17) and Josh Sborz (2013-15) will square off in the 2023 World Series when the Arizona Diamondbacks and Texas Rangers square off on Friday (Oct. 27). Not officially on the postseason roster, Jake McCarthy (2016-18) will also be in the Diamondbacks dugout.

Smith or Sborz is set to join an exclusive club of players to win both a College World Series and an MLB World Series. Only 20 players in the history of college baseball have accomplished the feat. Smith and Sborz were teammates on Virginia’s 2015 National Championship team, the first in program history. Sborz was named the 2015 College World Series Most Outstanding Player and is looking to become the third-ever CWS MOP to win a title as a player at the major league level.

Virginia World Series Facts

• UVA has been represented in the World Series in all but two years since 2016.
• Seven different Cavaliers have been on a team that has won a World Series title.
• 12 Cavaliers have been on teams that have reached the World Series.
• 10 members of UVA’s 2015 National Championship squad have played in the big leagues, Sborz and Smith are the first to reach the MLB World Series.
• Hall of Famer Eppa Rixey was the first Cavalier to appear in a World Series pitching for the Cincinnati Reds in 1915, eventually losing to Babe Ruth’s 1915 Red Sox, the first of Ruth’s seven career World Championships.

Take a look at how former Cavaliers have fared in the Fall Classic through the years.

FOUR-TIME WORLD SERIES CHAMP

Javier Lopez owns four World Series rings for his time with the 2007 Boston Red Sox and the San Francisco Giants during their string of titles in 2010, 2012 and 2014. From 2014-17, Lopez held the distinction of the active player with the most World Series rings.

WORLD CHAMPION TEAMMATES

Sean Doolittle and Ryan Zimmerman teamed up to win the 2019 World Series with the Washington Nationals. They are the only former Cavaliers to win a World Championship as teammates. Zimmerman plated Washington’s first-ever World Series run with a solo homer in the second inning of game one.

Doolittle appeared in three World Series games and did not allow a run over three innings pitched. He was credited with the save in Washington’s 5-4 game one win.

A FALL CLASSIC REGULAR

No former Cavalier has played in more World Series games than Chris Taylor (2010-12). The Virginia Beach native played in three World Series with the Los Angeles Dodgers and won it all with the club 2020. Taylor who sent UVA to the College World Series in 2011 with a walk-off single in the ninth inning against UC Irvine, has played in 18 MLB World Series games. His knack for coming through in the clutch in the postseason carried over to his pro career. He had an incredible over-the-shoulder catch in game seven of the 2019 NLCS, hit three home runs in a game in the 2021 NLCS and hit a walk-off homer in game one of the 2021 Wild Card Game against the Cardinals.

THE FIRST TO WIN IT

Derek Fisher became the first Cavalier to play and win a World Series while he was a member of the Houston Astros in 2017. Fisher scored the game-winning run in game five, scoring from second base on an Alex Bregman single in the 10^th inning.

GUYER IN THE CLUTCH

The first Cavalier to play for current head coach Brian O’Connor and appear in a World Series game was Brandon Guyer. He had an RBI double off of Aroldis Chapman in the eighth inning of game seven in the 2016 World Series. It ignited a three-run Cleveland rally but the Cubs scored two 10^th inning runs to win their first title since 1908.

 Cavaliers on MLB World Series Teams

World Series Winners are BOLD