The New York Yankees. Love them or hate them, you basically couldn't escape them in the late 2000s. If you’re asking who won the world series in 2009, the answer is the Bronx Bombers, but the "how" and the "why" are way more interesting than just a final score. It was the year of the "New" Yankee Stadium opening its doors to a chorus of home runs and high-priced expectations. It was also the year a guy nicknamed "Godzilla" turned into a literal nightmare for the Philadelphia Phillies.
They won. Number 27.
But honestly, looking back on it now, that 2009 championship feels like the end of an era. It was the last time the late George Steinbrenner saw his team hoist a trophy. It was a massive, expensive, $423 million spending spree in the offseason that actually—for once—worked exactly how it was supposed to. Most teams try to "buy" a championship and fail miserably. The 2009 Yankees are the rare case where the checkbook actually paved the way to a parade.
The Offseason That Changed Everything
You can't talk about who won the world series in 2009 without talking about the winter of 2008. The Yankees had missed the playoffs in 2008. For most teams, that’s a "back to the drawing board" year. For New York, it was a national emergency.
They went out and grabbed CC Sabathia, A.J. Burnett, and Mark Teixeira. They spent money like it was going out of style. Sabathia was the ace they desperately needed, a workhorse who felt like he could pitch every three days if you let him. Teixeira brought a Gold Glove to first base and a switch-hitting bat that made the lineup terrifying. It was a "Super Team" before that term became a dirty word in the NBA.
The Phillies, meanwhile, were the defending champs. They were gritty. They had Chase Utley, Jimmy Rollins, and a Ryan Howard who was still hitting moonshots into the seats. They weren't just some speed bump; they were a powerhouse looking to repeat, something that hadn't been done since the Yankees did it in 1998-2000.
Hideki Matsui and the Game 6 Legend
While names like Jeter, A-Rod, and Rivera get all the shine, the 2009 World Series belongs to Hideki Matsui. It's kinda wild when you think about it. He wasn't even playing the field for most of the series because it started in a National League park (Citizens Bank Park), and he was a designated hitter.
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When the series shifted back to the Bronx for Game 6, Matsui went absolutely nuclear.
He drove in six runs. Six. He tied a World Series record that had stood since Bobby Richardson did it in 1960. He homered off Pedro Martinez—yes, that Pedro Martinez—in the second inning. Then he hit a two-run single. Then he hit a two-run double. By the time the night was over, the Phillies were cooked. The Yankees won the clincher 7-3. Matsui was the easiest World Series MVP choice in history, even though he only started three of the six games.
It’s one of those performances that stays in your brain. A veteran, playing on two bad knees, just putting the entire city on his back for nine innings.
The Pedro Factor and the "Daddy" Narrative
Let's get real for a second about the drama. Baseball is better when there's a villain, or at least a really good rivalry. Pedro Martinez, the legendary Red Sox ace, was pitching for the Phillies in 2009. Years earlier, he’d famously called the Yankees his "daddy" after they got the best of him.
The New York fans never let him forget it.
Every time Pedro touched the ball in that series, the "Who's your daddy?" chants were deafening. It was peak New York sports culture—loud, slightly obnoxious, and incredibly high stakes. Pedro actually pitched pretty well in Game 2, but by Game 6, the magic was gone. He took the loss in the final game, and there was a poetic sense of closure for Yankees fans seeing their old nemesis on the mound while they celebrated.
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Why the Phillies Almost Pulled It Off
If you look at the box scores, this wasn't a blowout series. The Phillies took Game 1 behind a masterpiece from Cliff Lee. Lee was a left-handed surgeon on the mound that year. He made the Yankees' high-powered offense look like a high school JV squad for a night.
Chase Utley also had a historic series. He hit five home runs. Five! He tied Reggie Jackson's record for the most homers in a single World Series. If the Phillies had won, Utley would have been the MVP, no question. The series was 2-2 at one point, and Game 4 was a nail-biter that turned on a Johnny Damon double-steal.
Damon noticed the Phillies weren't covering third base during a shift. He ran. Then he kept running. It was a "heads-up" play that changed the momentum of the entire series. It’s those tiny details—the stuff that doesn't show up in a highlight reel of home runs—that actually decide who won the world series in 2009.
The Core Four’s Last Hurrah
This was the final ring for Derek Jeter, Mariano Rivera, Jorge Posada, and Andy Pettitte. The "Core Four."
Pettitte started and won the clinching games in the ALDS, the ALCS, and the World Series. Nobody does that. It's physically exhausting and mentally draining, but Andy just had that stare. Mariano Rivera did what he always did: he came in, threw a cut fastball that everyone knew was coming, and nobody could hit it anyway. He got the final out, a shallow fly ball to second base, and the pile-on began.
For Yankees fans, 2009 felt like a relief. They hadn't won since 2000. Nine years is an eternity in the Bronx. For the rest of the world, it was the return of the "Evil Empire."
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A Summary of the 2009 World Series Results
If you're looking for the quick-and-dirty facts of the series, here is how the six games actually shook out:
- Game 1: Phillies win 6-1. Cliff Lee dominates; Utley hits two homers.
- Game 2: Yankees win 3-1. A.J. Burnett pitches a gem; Matt Holliday (wait, no, it was Mark Teixeira) and Matsui homer.
- Game 3: Yankees win 8-5. This was the "Andy Pettitte" game where the bats finally woke up in Philly.
- Game 4: Yankees win 7-4. Johnny Damon's double-steal is the turning point in the 9th inning.
- Game 5: Phillies win 8-6. Chase Utley hits two more homers to keep Philly alive.
- Game 6: Yankees win 7-3. Matsui goes off with 6 RBIs, and the Yankees clinch the title.
What Most People Forget
People forget that Alex Rodriguez actually had a great postseason in 2009. Before that year, the narrative was that A-Rod "choked" in the playoffs. He was the guy who could hit 50 homers in the summer but turned into a pumpkin in October.
In 2009, he changed that. He hit clutch home runs against the Twins and the Angels just to get them to the World Series. While Matsui took the MVP trophy, A-Rod's performance was the engine that got them there. He finally got the "monkey off his back," as the sportswriters loved to say at the time.
Actionable Insights for Baseball Fans
Knowing who won the world series in 2009 is just the start. If you’re a student of the game or just a casual fan looking to appreciate that era more, here are a few things you should actually do:
- Watch the Game 6 Highlights: Specifically, look for Hideki Matsui’s swing. It was short, compact, and absolutely lethal. It's a clinic on how to handle pressure.
- Study the 2009 Yankees Roster: It’s a fascinating look at how to build a team. They had veterans like Jerry Hairston Jr. and Nick Swisher who provided "vibes" and depth, which is just as important as the $200 million stars.
- Compare Cliff Lee and CC Sabathia: Both were at the absolute peak of their powers in 2009. Sabathia used sheer power and a devastating slider; Lee used pinpoint control. It’s a great study in the two different ways to be a dominant "Ace."
- Revisit the "Double Steal": Go to YouTube and find Johnny Damon's steal of second and third on the same play. It’s a reminder that baseball IQ can win championships just as much as a 100-mph fastball.
The 2009 World Series wasn't just another year in the record books. It was the climax of a decade-long struggle for the most famous franchise in sports to get back to the top. It was the birth of a new stadium and the final celebration for a legendary group of homegrown players. Whether you were wearing pinstripes or booing from the bleachers, you have to admit: that 2009 team was a juggernaut that simply wouldn't be denied.
To dig deeper into the stats of this specific era, check out the official Baseball-Reference archives for the 2009 postseason. Seeing the advanced metrics of Matsui’s series vs. Utley’s series is a trip for any data nerd.