On Monday night at Dodger Stadium, Scherzer will try to reach back into the time machine once again, for just a little bit more October magic. He is starting Game 3 of the World Series at Dodger Stadium, looking to pitch Toronto back into the series lead and within two wins of the franchise’s first championship in 32 years.
It won’t be easy, but if Scherzer can notch his second consecutive victory, he would become the second-oldest pitcher (at 41 years and 92 days) to ever earn a World Series win as a starter, and just the third to ever accomplish that feat in his 40s.
Here is a look at the current top 10 in this category, heading into Scherzer’s outing. (Note: Each pitcher is only listed once, though we’ve made note of the pitchers who had two qualifying wins in the same series.)
1. Kenny Rogers, 2006 Tigers (41 years, 346 days)
Game 2 vs. Cardinals
This was Detroit’s only win in the series, as St. Louis took each of the next three games to claim the title. The left-hander’s brilliant outing (eight scoreless innings, just two hits allowed) also was not without controversy. A conspicuous, brownish smudge on Rogers’ pitching hand, which was captured by TV cameras early in the game, drew significant attention. Rogers insisted it was just a combination of dirt and rosin, as opposed to a foreign substance, and the umpires asked him to remove it. Either way, on this night, the Cardinals couldn’t get to Rogers, who went on to pitch through his age-43 season in 2008.
2. Curt Schilling, 2007 Red Sox (40 years, 345 days)
Game 2 vs. Rockies
Schilling was already close to turning 38 when he beat the Cardinals in Game 2 of the 2004 World Series, but three years later, he topped himself. Just a few weeks shy of his 41st birthday, the righty held Colorado in check at Fenway Park, allowing one run in 5 1/3 innings. That sent the Sox on to Coors Field with a 2-0 lead, and they completed the sweep a few days later.
3. Early Wynn, 1959 White Sox (39 years, 268 days)
Game 1 vs. Dodgers
A member of the Four Decade Club, Wynn spent 23 seasons in the Majors and won exactly 300 regular season games. The righty lost his World Series debut for Cleveland in 1954, at a mere 34 years old, but got another chance in ‘59. It hardly could have started more auspiciously, as Wynn tossed seven scoreless innings as the White Sox blew out the Dodgers, 11-0, in Game 1. Alas, Los Angeles knocked Wynn around — and beat Chicago — in both Game 4 and the Game 6 clincher.
4. Justin Verlander, 2022 Astros (39 years, 256 days)
Game 5 at Phillies
Verlander missed all of the 2021 season while rehabbing from Tommy John surgery, then returned at age 39 and was about as dominant as ever, posting a 1.75 ERA and winning his third AL Cy Young Award. In the World Series against Philadelphia, Verlander allowed five runs in Houston’s Game 1 loss, then began Game 5 by giving up a leadoff homer to Kyle Schwarber on the second pitch he threw. He also loaded the bases in the second inning, but somehow, Verlander found his footing, gutting his way through the fifth without allowing another run and earning the victory. Two days later, the Astros closed out their second World Series title.
5. Grover Alexander, 1926 Cardinals (39 years, 225 days)
Game 6 at Yankees
The Hall of Fame righty, also sometimes known as “Pete,” won 373 regular season games and three more in the World Series. Two of those came in 1926, when he spun complete game victories at Yankee Stadium — against Babe Ruth, Lou Gehrig and crew — in Games 2 and 6. The very next day after his Game 6 victory, Alexander entered with two outs in the seventh, the bases loaded and St. Louis nursing a 3-2 lead. He proceeded to record the final seven outs for the save (though saves weren’t an official stat at the time), in a game that, against all odds, ended with Ruth being caught trying to steal second base.
6. Sal Maglie, 1956 Dodgers (39 years, 160 days)
Game 1 vs. Yankees
This was the only World Series victory for Maglie, who pitched in just 13 Major League games before his age-33 season. He went the distance against the Yankees at Brooklyn’s Ebbets Field, allowing three runs, two of which came on Mickey Mantle’s first-inning homer. Maglie pitched well again in Game 5 at Yankee Stadium (eight innings, two runs) but took a hard-luck loss before the Dodgers ultimately lost the series in seven games.
7. Roger Clemens, 2001 Yankees (39 years, 87 days)
Game 3 vs. Diamondbacks
During his Yankees tenure, Clemens won World Series games at age 37 (1999), 38 (2000) and 39 (2001). In 2001, he prevented Arizona from taking a 3-0 series lead by allowing just one run over seven innings in the Bronx. He then dealt again in Game 7 in Phoenix (6 1/3 innings, one run), but the D-backs famously rallied against Mariano Rivera in the ninth inning and walked off for the title. Clemens would go on to start two more World Series games, at ages 41 (2003 Yankees) and 43 (2005 Astros) but didn’t win either time.
8. Tommy John, 1981 Yankees (38 years, 152 days)
Game 2 vs. Dodgers
Six years after missing all of the 1975 season due to the groundbreaking surgery that would come to bear his name, John tossed seven scoreless innings against the Dodgers to give the Yankees a 2-0 World Series lead. However, Los Angeles would win the next four games, and the title, despite John pitching effectively twice more, including once in relief.
9. Randy Johnson, 2001 Diamondbacks (38 years, 54 days)
Game 6 vs. Yankees
Over 22 seasons in his Hall of Fame career, Johnson only got one shot at the World Series. Needless to say, he made the most of it. In Game 2, he overpowered the Yankees for a three-hit, 11-K shutout. He wasn’t quite as dominant in Game 6 (seven innings, two runs, seven K’s), but it was more than enough in a 15-2 victory. One night later, in Game 7, Johnson locked down the series by recording the final four outs in the aforementioned walk-off victory.
10. Burleigh Grimes, 1931 Cardinals (38 years, 53 days)
Game 7 at Athletics
Grimes, a great spitball artist in his day, notched two of his three World Series victories in 1931. In Game 3, he went the distance in Philadelphia, outdueling fellow Hall of Famer Lefty Grove in a two-run complete game. In Game 7, Grimes nearly finished the job himself but allowed a two-run single that cut his lead to 4-2 with two outs in the ninth inning. Bill Hallahan got the final out, though, and Grimes the victory.
