Nov. 1: World Series Game 7 — The greatest game ever played
Oct. 27: World Series Game 3 — An 18-inning marathon
Oct. 20: ALCS Game 7 — Springer’s pennant-winning blast
Whether you love postseason thrillers or incredible individual performances, 2025 delivered something for every type of baseball fan.
As the year comes to the end, we asked our MLB experts to pick the one game from any point in the season that they’ll remember forever. Of course, in a year that concluded with arguably the most epic World Series finale in the history of the sport, we had to come up with one rule to spread out the selections — each game could only be chosen once.
From the top games of that dramatic Fall Classic to amazing regular-season achievements, here are the best moments from one of the best years in MLB history.
None of the 51 million people who watched Game 7 of the World Series will ever forget it as long as they live. And objectively, we’ve never seen a championship hang in the balance so many times in a single night. Using championship win probability added (cWPA), nine plays swung the World Series by at least 15% — two more than the previous record of seven during Game 7 in 1924.
Freeman walks it off with a HR in marathon 18-inning Game 3
My scoresheet from the game was an unmitigated disaster. The game itself — comprising 18 innings, 609 pitches and 399 minutes — was a beautiful mess, an encapsulation of how wonderful and unique this sport can be.
And, ultimately, it was a night best remembered for the 12 outs recorded by a journeyman, previously unknown reliever named Will Klein, who was added to the Dodgers’ roster as an emergency fill-in for Alex Vesia and continually pushed himself to keep going, with nobody left behind him. It was the type of night only baseball could provide. — Alden Gonzalez
Blue Jays advance to World Series behind Springer’s clutch HR
In most other years, Game 7 of the American League Championship Series would find itself atop the list of best games in October. And though the 2025 World Series ensured that wasn’t the case, it would be foolish to sleep on the rollicking affair to decide the AL pennant.
The situation: The Mariners were up one game in the standings with eight to play and led the Astros 6-4 in the bottom of the ninth, but the Astros had loaded the bases with one out. Carlos Correa hit a little blooper to right-center field. It was clear Julio Rodriguez wasn’t going to get there, the score would be tied, the Astros would win, the division would be tied — and the Astros would undoubtedly win the next day and then take the division.
Out of nowhere, Robles came flying in like Superman to make a spectacular play and doubled the runner off second base. The Mariners beat the Astros the next day as well to sweep the series, part of an incredible stretch of 17 wins in 18 games. The mighty Astros were vanquished. The AL West title belonged to Seattle for the first time since 2001. With one catch, everything — including a World Series dream — seemed possible. — David Schoenfield
Sometimes, it’s not a game but a performance that lingers in the mind. The four words — “The Nick Kurtz Game” — are going to be understood by baseball fans without any additional context for a very long time. Like “the Mark Whiten Game” or “the Kerry Wood Game.”
Tarik Skubal’s start against the Texas Rangers was typical of his work in recent years: no walks and 11 strikeouts over 6⅔ innings, just one run allowed. But what stood out in that Sunday night game was how much fun he had in laughing at his own inability to get out Corey Seager, who is 8-for-12 against him.
Seager blistered a double and single and then lined out, and at one point, Skubal raised his arms as if to ask: What do I have to do to get this guy out? He has had similar moments in his career with Salvador Perez, Aaron Judge and other great players. I can’t think of another example of a star pitcher who so consistently mixes total dominance and constant self-deprecation in the same in-game soup. — Buster Olney
Leagues across the board have struggled to keep their All-Star games relevant over the years with players declining to participate and effort levels questioned. MLB arguably has the best one of the major leagues, but it struck gold in Atlanta this summer with an unprecedented swing-off that generated drama rarely seen in these exhibitions anymore.
Fans loved the theater. Players loved the competition. It made for great entertainment, and that’s the point. — Jorge Castillo
The last pitch, Tarik Skubal’s 94th in a complete-game shutout against the Guardians on May 25, was the only one you needed to see. It covered the 60 feet, 6 inches at 102.6 mph, the fastest strikeout pitch recorded by a starter since they started recording such things in 2008. It was his 13th strikeout of the game, the most ever in what is known as a Maddux: a complete-game shutout with fewer than 100 pitches.
When it was over, Skubal stood out there smiling and pounding his fist into his glove. In that moment, his face bore the same look as every one of us who watched: amazement. — Tim Keown
play1:17Freeman walks it off with a HR in marathon 18-inning Game 3Freddie Freeman sends Los Angeles into a frenzy as he launches a walk-off home run in the bottom of the 18th inning.
play1:09Blue Jays advance to World Series behind Springer’s clutch HRGeorge Springer’s go-ahead home run helps the Blue Jays defeat the Mariners to reach their first World Series since 1993.
play1:28Shohei Ohtani’s 3-homer night sends Dodgers to World SeriesShohei Ohtani becomes the third player with a three-home run game in a league championship series-clinching game; each of his Game 4 homers exceeded 400 feet.
play1:10Kyle Schwarber crushes 4 HRs vs. BravesKyle Schwarber helps power the Phillies with four home runs vs. the Braves.
play1:24Nick Kurtz makes history with 4-HR gameNick Kurtz is the first rookie and 20th player in MLB history to hit four home runs in a game.
play1:03Schwarber, NL win ASG in home run swing-offKyle Schwarber hits a home run hat trick as Jonathan Aranda can’t connect, and the NL wins the All-Star Game.
Dodgers repeat as World Series champs after instant classic Game 7 (2:21)Will Smith hits the go-ahead home run in extras as the Dodgers take down the Blue Jays to win their second straight World Series. (2:21)
Freeman walks it off with a HR in marathon 18-inning Game 3Freddie Freeman sends Los Angeles into a frenzy as he launches a walk-off home run in the bottom of the 18th inning.
Freddie Freeman sends Los Angeles into a frenzy as he launches a walk-off home run in the bottom of the 18th inning.
Blue Jays advance to World Series behind Springer’s clutch HRGeorge Springer’s go-ahead home run helps the Blue Jays defeat the Mariners to reach their first World Series since 1993.
George Springer’s go-ahead home run helps the Blue Jays defeat the Mariners to reach their first World Series since 1993.
Shohei Ohtani’s 3-homer night sends Dodgers to World SeriesShohei Ohtani becomes the third player with a three-home run game in a league championship series-clinching game; each of his Game 4 homers exceeded 400 feet.
Shohei Ohtani becomes the third player with a three-home run game in a league championship series-clinching game; each of his Game 4 homers exceeded 400 feet.
Kyle Schwarber crushes 4 HRs vs. BravesKyle Schwarber helps power the Phillies with four home runs vs. the Braves.
Nick Kurtz makes history with 4-HR gameNick Kurtz is the first rookie and 20th player in MLB history to hit four home runs in a game.
Schwarber, NL win ASG in home run swing-offKyle Schwarber hits a home run hat trick as Jonathan Aranda can’t connect, and the NL wins the All-Star Game.
Kyle Schwarber hits a home run hat trick as Jonathan Aranda can’t connect, and the NL wins the All-Star Game.