This is the fifth straight season with a new matchup If it sounds familiar to say that we've never had this World Series matchup before, that's because we've been able to say it rather frequently in recent years.
Last year was the first-ever Astros-Phillies bout in the Fall Classic, just like 2021 was the first between the Astros and the Braves, 2020 was the first between the Rays and Dodgers and 2019 was the first between the Nationals and Astros. The 2018 duel between the Dodgers and Red Sox was the second between the two franchises, though the first time was 1916 when the Dodgers were actually the Brooklyn Robins. In 2017, it was a fresh pairing, just like 2016 and 2015 and 2014.