Is a Will Smith the key to winning the World Series?

Forget advanced analytics, draft capital and payroll flexibility – apparently all you need is Will Smith to win the World Series.

Since the Los Angeles Dodgers defeated the New York Yankees in five games on Wednesday night, a team with a player named Will Smith on its active roster has won the Fall Classic five years in a row, as the Talkin' Baseball podcast pointed out. The Dodgers accomplished the feat in 2020 and 2024 with catcher Will Smith, while the Atlanta Braves, Houston Astros and Texas Rangers swapped backup Will Smith from 2021-23.

What's even stranger about this statistic is that your Will Smith doesn't necessarily have to excel in the World Series to win. While Will Smith, the pitcher, posted a respectable 3.38 ERA in his three World Series, Will Smith, the catcher, hit just .143 with 13 strikeouts in 46 Fall Classic plate appearances, although he also added two home runs .

While Will Smith, the catcher, is locked up with the Dodgers for a while, Will Smith, the pitcher, is a free agent in 2025. Just a heads up.