It has been a while since MLB has seen a true dynasty. Sure, the Astros have been to the World Series four times in the past six years, which is an impressive feat. But at best, those four trips will produce two rings. At worst, it would be just one.
Winning the World Series is one of the most difficult achievements in North American sports. It requires enduring a grueling, 162-game regular season and then surviving in the playoffs against the best of the best teams. Since 2000, the Red Sox and Giants are the only two teams to have won multiple rings in any five-year span (both have done it twice). And even in a five-year span, there’s always plenty of turnover.
But in baseball history, there have been several dynasties. The Yankees account for most of those, with multiple World Series rings during multiple decades. The Red Sox had an early run of dominance in the Fall Classic. The Athletics and Reds were frequent World Series participants in the 1970s.
MORE: Which team has the most World Series titles in MLB history?
For players to win a bunch of rings, it takes being part of a dynasty. And it’s no surprise that just about all the all-time leaders in rings have been part of them. For this list of MLB players with the most World Series title, we are looking at players who appeared on a team’s roster in the year that team won the World Series.
Who has the most rings in MLB history?
It should be no surprise that the list is filled mostly by Yankees. Eddie Collins is the only player with more than five rings to have never played for the Bronx Bombers.
No player won more rings while active than Yogi Berra, who totaled 10 during his playing days. As if that wasn’t enough, he added three more as a coach, one with the Mets and two more with the Yankees.
That core group of ’90s and ’00s Yankees that featured Derek Jeter, Mariano Rivera, Jorge Posada and Andy Pettite? They are just behind this list of players, as that quartet each finished their MLB careers with five.
The active leaders on this list are Madison Bumgarner and Sergio Romo, who each have three from their time with the Giants.
| Player | Team | Rings | Years |
|---|---|---|---|
| Yogi Berra | Yankees | 10 | 1947, 1949-53, 1956, 1958, 1961-62 |
| Joe DiMaggio | Yankees | 9 | 1936-39, 1941, 1947, 1949-51 |
| Bill Dickey | Yankees | 8 | 1932, 1936-39, 1941, 1943 |
| Phil Rizzuto | Yankees | 8 | 1941, 1947, 1949-53 |
| Frankie Crosetti | Yankees | 8 | 1932, 1936-39, 1941, 1943, 1947 |
| Lou Gehrig | Yankees | 8 | 1927-28, 1932, 1936-38 |
| Hank Bauer | Yankees | 7 | 1949-53, 1956, 1958 |
| Mickey Mantle | Yankees | 7 | 1951-53, 1956, 1958, 1961-62 |
| Babe Ruth | Red Sox, Yankees | 7 | 1915-16, 1918, 1923, 1927, 1928, 1932 |
| Johnny Murphy | Yankees | 7 | 1932, 1936-39, 1941, 1943 |
| Tommy Henrich | Yankees | 7 | 1937-39, 1941, 1947, 1949, 1950 |
| Herb Pennock | Athletics, Red Sox, Yankees | 7 | 1913, 1915, 1916, 1923, 1927, 1928, 1932 |
| Whitey Ford | Yankees | 6 | 1950, 1953, 1956, 1958, 1961-62 |
| Vic Raschi | Yankees | 6 | 1947, 1949-53 |
| Allie Reynolds | Yankees | 6 | 1947, 1949-53 |
| Red Ruffing | Yankees | 6 | 1932, 1936-39, 1941 |
| Joe Collins | Yankees | 6 | 1949-53, 1956 |
| Lefty Gomez | Yankees | 6 | 1932, 1936-39, 1941 |
| Jerry Coleman | Yankees | 6 | 1949-53, 1956 |
| Eddie Collins | Athletics, White Sox | 6 | 1910-11, 1913, 1917, 1929-30 |
| Spud Chandler | Yankees | 6 | 1937-39, 1941, 1943, 1947 |
| Charlie Keller | Yankees | 6 | 1939, 1941, 1943, 1947, 1949, 1952 |
| Tommy Byrne | Yankees | 6 | 1943, 1947, 1949-51, 1956 |
| Ralph Houk | Yankees | 6 | 1947, 1949-53 |
| Bob Cerv | Yankees | 6 | 1951-53, 1956, 1961-62 |
| Charlie Silvera | Yankees | 6 | 1948-53, 1956 |
(Data from Baseball Reference)
Most games played without a World Series appearance
Now we get to a more unfortunate distinction. While some players seemingly found themselves playing for a World Series every year (almost always with the Yankees), plenty of other players never appeared in a World Series despite having lengthy careers.
A list of the players who have played in at least 2,000 MLB regular-season games without appearing in the World Series.
| Player | Years active | Games played | Seasons played |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rafael Palmeiro | 1986-2005 | 2,831 | 20 |
| Ken Griffey Jr. | 1989-2010 | 2,671 | 22 |
| Ichiro Suzuki | 2001-19 | 2,653 | 19 |
| Andre Dawson | 1976-96 | 2,627 | 21 |
| Ernie Banks | 1953-71 | 2,528 | 19 |
| Julio Franco | 1982-2007 | 2,527 | 23 |
| Billy Williams | 1959-76 | 2,488 | 18 |
| Rod Carew | 1967-85 | 2,469 | 19 |
| Bobby Abreu | 1996-2014 | 2,425 | 18 |
| Luke Appling | 1930-50 | 2,422 | 20 |
| Mickey Vernon | 1939-60 | 2,409 | 20 |
| Buddy Bell | 1972-89 | 2,405 | 18 |
| Torii Hunter | 1997-2015 | 2,372 | 19 |
| Sammy Sosa | 1989-2007 | 2,354 | 18 |
| Jose Cruz | 1970-88 | 2,353 | 19 |
| Brian Downing | 1973-92 | 2,344 | 20 |
| Frank Thomas | 1990-2008 | 2,322 | 19 |
| BJ Surhoff | 1987-2005 | 2,313 | 19 |
| Chris Speier | 1971-89 | 2,260 | 19 |
| Andres Galarraga | 1985-2004 | 2257 | 19 |
| Ron Santo | 1960-74 | 2,243 | 15 |
| Tim Wallach | 1980-96 | 2,212 | 17 |
| Joe Torre | 1960-77 | 2,209 | 18 |
| Tony Taylor | 1958-76 | 2,195 | 19 |
| Aramis Ramirez | 1998-2015 | 2,194 | 18 |
| Dale Murphy | 1976-93 | 2,180 | 18 |
| Miguel Tejada | 1997-2013 | 2,171 | 16 |
| Ryne Sandberg | 1981-97 | 2,164 | 16 |
| Toby Harrah | 1969-86 | 2,155 | 17 |
| Nick Markakis | 2006-20 | 2,154 | 15 |
| Harry Heilmann | 1914-32 | 2,147 | 17 |
| Eddie Yost | 1944-62 | 2,109 | 18 |
| Royce Clayton | 1991-2007 | 2,108 | 17 |
| Carlos Lee | 1999-2012 | 2,099 | 14 |
| Roy McMillan | 1951-66 | 2,093 | 16 |
| Jason Kendall | 1996-2010 | 2,085 | 15 |
| Don Kessinger | 1964-79 | 2,078 | 16 |
| Edgar Martinez | 1987-2004 | 2,055 | 18 |
| George Sisler | 1915-30 | 2,055 | 15 |
| Carlos Delgado | 1993-2009 | 2,035 | 17 |
| Bobby Grich | 1970-86 | 2,008 | 17 |
| Cy Williams | 1912-30 | 2,002 | 19 |
| Adam Dunn | 2001-14 | 2,001 | 14 |
| Ellis Burks | 1987-2004 | 2,000 | 18 |
(Data from Baseball Reference)