Winning the World Series is every baseball player's goal.
To win it three years in a row with three different teams? That's the dream -- and that's what Texas Rangers pitcher Will Smith accomplished on Wednesday.
Smith, 34, hoisted the Commissioner's Trophy in 2021 as a member of the Atlanta Braves. The lefty reliever was traded to the Houston Astros the following August, where he won a second consecutive title. Then, in March 2023, he signed a one-year deal with the Rangers -- and you know how that story ended.
"It's pretty cool," Smith told NBC Dallas-Fort Worth's Newy Scruggs after Texas' Game 5 win. "This is what you play for. But to do it with this group of guys, and what we had to battle through all year, is just awesome."
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Smith is the first player in MLB, NFL, NBA or NHL history to win three titles with three different teams in a span of three years. He was just the third player to appear in three straight Fall Classics with three different clubs, joining Don Baylor (1986 Red Sox, 1987 Twins, 1988 A's) and Eric Hinske (2007 Red Sox, 2008 Rays, 2009 Yankees). Baylor won one ring, while Hinske won two.
"Each team was a little bit different in their own way," Smith said. "We've got a quirky group of guys. They're fun to be around. It's fun to come to work every day. It's fun to win with these guys."
Smith played a key role for the Rangers this season, posting a team-high 22 saves with a 4.40 ERA in 60 relief appearances. He pitched in two World Series games, allowing two earned runs in 1.1 innings of work.
Now set to hit free agency, the 11-year veteran knows he has leverage in any negotiation.
"We got a nice bargaining chip," Smith said with a laugh.
