Ranking all 25 potential World Series matchups for 2017

Mike Oz

We’re down to 10. Ten teams have a chance to reach the 2017 World Series. Slowly, over the next month, that number will dwindle down until it’s just two teams. And then one. But right now, 10 teams are still alive and that gives us 25 possible World Series matchups.

Which would be the best? The most fun? The most interesting? The most dramatic? Which would be the worst? The most boring? That’s what we tried to figure out in this year’s installment of our annual tradition — ranking every potential World Series matchup. Last year when we did this, Boston Red Sox vs. the Chicago Cubs was the winner. This year? Not so much.

Our panel of Big League Stew bloggers ranked every possible World Series matchup. The Stew’s Chris Cwik, Mike Oz, Liz Roscher and Mark Townsend each had a ballot. We tallied the results and here they are, along with a quip about each potential series (some more serious than others). The individual rankings are at the bottom. Now feel free to debate amongst yourselves.

We all want to see if Clayton Kershaw can finally guide the Dodgers to a World Series. (AP)
We all want to see if Clayton Kershaw can finally guide the Dodgers to a World Series. (AP)

1. Indians vs. Dodgers: Two great teams. Two famous World Series droughts, though, the Indians’ is a little bit longer. Two much-talked about streaks this season — the Indians winning and the Dodgers losing. But we’ll take Clayton Kershaw vs. Corey Kluber in Game 1 of the World Series every year if given the option.

2. Indians vs. Cubs: Who doesn’t like a sequel when the original is a classic? After the Indians got so close last year – extra innings in Game 7 — this one would be a fun rematch.

3. Astros vs. Dodgers: They spent good stretches of the season looking like the best teams in the AL and NL, that’ll still play come October.

4. Yankees vs. Dodgers: Two titanic franchises. Clayton Kershaw vs. Aaron Judge? Yeeeeep. Yu Darvish vs. Masahiro Tanaka? That too.

5. Indians vs. Nationals: Loser gets Nyjer Morgan … and T-Plush.

Bryce Harper is waiting to get to the World Series. (Getty Images)
Bryce Harper is waiting to get to the World Series. (Getty Images)

6. Astros vs. Nationals: Between Bryce Harper, Carlos Correa and Stephen Strasburg, that’s a lot of No. 1 overall draft picks. And neither has won a World Series in franchise history, so that’s a great subplot.

7. Yankees vs. Cubs: You know which one the TV networks are pulling for.

8. Yankees vs. Nationals: Aaron Judge vs. Bryce Harper, enough said.

9. Red Sox vs. Cubs: The Theo Epstein World Series wouldn’t be a bad thing.

10. Indians vs. Diamondbacks: We’ll finally found out who won the Trevor Bauer trade.

11. Indians vs. Rockies: Key subplot: Is the Indians’ incredible pitching staff immune to Coors Field?

12. Red Sox vs. Dodgers: Loser gets Carl Crawford.

Can Aaron Judge power the Yankees all the way to the World Series? (AP)
Can Aaron Judge power the Yankees all the way to the World Series? (AP)

13. Yankees vs. Rockies: Aaron Judge in Coors Field, enough said.

14. Yankees vs. Diamondbacks: A 2001 World Series rematch.

15. Red Sox vs. Nationals: Chris Sale vs. Max Scherzer? Yeah, we’ll take that.

16. Astros vs. Cubs: “Hey, remember when we used to be in the same division?”

17. Astros vs. Diamondbacks: aka The Revenge of J.D. Martinez, who was once DFA’d by the Astros and has 29 homers in 62 games since being traded to the D-backs this summer.

J.D. Martinez has helped propel the Diamondbacks to the postseason. (AP)
J.D. Martinez has helped propel the Diamondbacks to the postseason. (AP)

18. Astros vs. Rockies: Battle of the beverages — Minute Maid vs. Coors. All fans under 21 must root for the Astros.

19. Twins vs. Rockies: Pop quiz, who could name the Game 3 starting pitchers?

20. Red Sox vs. Rockies: Yeeaaaah, let’s party like it’s 2007. Crank up “Party Like a Rockstar!”

21. Red Sox vs. Diamondbacks: Loser gets Curt Schilling.

22. Twins vs. Cubs: Aside from Chicago-Cleveland, this might be the closest thing we have to a “regional” series this year. No Orioles-Nats. No Royals-Cardinals. No L.A. series, Bay Area series or NYC series.

23. Twins vs. Dodgers: Worth a note, Bartolo Colon was 13-3 with a 1.96 ERA as a minor leaguer in 1995, the year Dodgers rookie phenom Cody Bellinger was born.

24. Twins vs. Nationals: We would finally know who won the Matt Capps trade.

25. Twins vs. Diamondbacks: It’s almost unfair that this finished last, but it’s also sort of fitting. Combined, the 2016 versions of the Twins and Diamondbacks lost 196 games. To see them in the postseason a year later is actually kinda cool. To see them in the World Series? That would be insane.

INDIVIDUAL RANKINGS
Here’s how our four bloggers ranked each of the 25 possible World Series:

(Yahoo Sports)
(Yahoo Sports)

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Mike Oz is the editor of Big League Stew on Yahoo Sports. Have a tip? Email him at mikeozstew@yahoo.com or follow him on Twitter!

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