PLAY BALL! The 20 Best Baseball Movies of All Time

Baseball has always been more than just a sport. It’s a game of strategy, patience, heartbreak, and triumph—a poetic blend of skill and luck, of inches and seconds.

It’s a game where legends are made and dreams are crushed, where underdogs rise, and the impossible becomes possible.

Baseball is also cinematic gold, perfectly suited to stories about perseverance, redemption, and the human spirit.

In honor of the outstanding new baseball movie Eephus, I’ve put together my definitive list of the Top 20 Best Baseball Movies of All Time. Now, before we get into the rankings, let’s go over a few ground rules (pun intended).

First off, no documentaries.

As much as I love films like The Battered Bastards of Baseball, Ken Burns’ Baseball, and Fastball, this list is dedicated to narrative films—movies that use baseball as a backdrop for great storytelling. That means real-life baseball figures might show up in fictionalized accounts, but pure documentaries aren’t included.

Secondly, these aren’t just movies that happen to feature baseball; they’re movies that understand baseball. They get the details right—the way the game is played, the culture surrounding it, the mythology that makes baseball so special.

They capture the magic of the sport, whether through realistic depictions of the game or using baseball as a powerful metaphor. If a movie features actors who can’t swing a bat or throw a ball convincingly? That’s an automatic deduction.

Now, I’ll admit—this is a very personal list. There are baseball movies that many people consider classics that are nowhere to be found here. Why? Because I hate them.

That’s right. No The Natural—I can’t stand it. No A League of Their Own—I think it’s one of the worst movies of the ‘90s. No Fever Pitch—I wouldn’t wish that on my worst enemy. And before you ask—no Sandlot. I know people love it, I know it’s nostalgic for a lot of folks, but I don’t think it’s a good baseball movie, and I am not including it.

I also didn’t bother listing the truly terrible baseball movies that have been inflicted upon audiences over the years. You won’t see Brewster’s Millions, Mr. Destiny, The Benchwarmers, or the abomination that is Ed, featuring Matt LeBlanc and a baseball-playing chimpanzee.

I won’t waste time on The Fan with Robert De Niro and Wesley Snipes, or The Slugger’s Wife, where Michael O’Keefe somehow plays a professional baseball player despite looking like he’s never swung a bat in his life.

And yes, I know people have a soft spot for Rookie of the Year and Angels in the Outfield, but not me. They’re out.

What you will find here are my 20 favorite baseball movies, ranked in order of preference. These are the films that best capture the soul of baseball—the joy, the heartbreak, the comedy, the drama, and the unshakable hold that this sport has on those who love it.

So, grab some peanuts, Cracker Jacks, and a cold beer—it’s time to step up to the plate.

The 20 Best Baseball Movies of All Time

(in order of preference)

1. THE BAD NEWS BEARS (1976)

This isn’t just the best baseball movie ever made—it’s one of the greatest movies of the ‘70s. Period. Michael Ritchie’s brilliant direction, Bill Lancaster’s razor-sharp script, and Walter Matthau’s iconic performance as the washed-up, beer-guzzling, foul-mouthed coach make this an absolute classic. The kids—led by Tatum O’Neal and a young Jackie Earle Haley—are all fantastic. The film is hilarious, sharp, and a satirical masterpiece that you could never get away with today. The baseball scenes are terrific, the use of music is perfect, and it still holds up. Avoid the sequels and the 2005 remake, but the original? Unbeatable.

2. FIELD OF DREAMS (1989)

Yeah, it’s sentimental. Yeah, it’s manipulative. And I love every second of it. Phil Alden Robinson’s adaptation of W.P. Kinsella’s Shoeless Joe is a heartfelt fantasy that speaks to the power of baseball as a link between generations. Kevin Costner became a superstar with this film, Ray Liotta is haunting as Shoeless Joe Jackson, and James Earl Jones delivers one of the greatest monologues in movie history about baseball’s enduring magic. If you don’t tear up at “Hey Dad, wanna have a catch?”, I don’t know what to tell you.

3. EVERYBODY WANTS SOME!! (2016)

Richard Linklater’s spiritual sequel to Dazed and Confused is a wildly underrated baseball movie. It follows a group of college baseball players in Texas during the early ‘80s, capturing that era with Linklater’s signature laid-back style. The cast—including Blake Jenner, Zoey Deutch, Glenn Powell, and Wyatt Russell—is excellent, and the baseball scenes are authentic. Criminally overlooked at the box office, this is one of Linklater’s best films and a great baseball movie that deserves more love.

4. THE PRIDE OF THE YANKEES (1942)

Gary Cooper delivers an all-time great performance as Lou Gehrig in this classic biopic, which was released just a year after Gehrig’s tragic death. The baseball scenes hold up, even with Cooper being right-handed and having to learn to bat lefty for the role. And that farewell speech? Devastating. It’s a beautiful film that still resonates today.

5. THE ROOKIE (2002)

Dennis Quaid gives one of his best performances ever as real-life pitcher Jim Morris, who made his MLB debut at the age of 35. The baseball scenes are great, the story is inspiring, and the movie is genuinely moving. It’s one of the more underrated sports movies of the last 20 years, and Quaid absolutely nails it as a guy who never gave up on his dream.

6. EIGHT MEN OUT (1988)

John Sayles’ fantastic retelling of the 1919 Black Sox scandal is both a baseball movie and a brilliant historical drama. With an incredible cast including John Cusack, Charlie Sheen, and David Strathairn, this film captures the era perfectly. It’s a fascinating look at corruption in baseball and remains one of the smartest sports movies ever made.

7. MONEYBALL (2011)

A movie about baseball statistics shouldn’t be this compelling, but thanks to Aaron Sorkin’s sharp script and Brad Pitt’s charismatic performance as Billy Beane, Moneyball is a home run. It’s one of the best behind-the-scenes sports movies ever made and a great showcase of how baseball is a game of numbers and heart.

8. BANG THE DRUM SLOWLY (1973)

A powerful, emotional film about the friendship between a star pitcher (Michael Moriarty) and his dying catcher (a young Robert De Niro). It’s one of De Niro’s earliest performances, and he’s phenomenal. A beautifully acted, deeply moving film that also gets baseball right.

9. 61* (2001)

Billy Crystal’s passion project about Roger Maris and Mickey Mantle’s pursuit of Babe Ruth’s home run record in 1961 is one of the best HBO sports films ever made. Barry Pepper is fantastic as Maris, Thomas Jane is a perfect Mantle, and the baseball scenes are top-notch.

10. THE BINGO LONG TRAVELING ALL-STARS & MOTOR KINGS (1976)

A funny, poignant film about a team of Negro League players starring Billy Dee Williams, James Earl Jones, and Richard Pryor. The baseball scenes are great, the story is important, the performances are fantastic, and it's hugely entertaining.

11. BULL DURHAM (1988)

Yes, I know this is a fan favorite. Kevin Costner is great as veteran minor-league catcher Crash Davis, and the baseball dialogue is fantastic. My issue? The romance between Costner and Susan Sarandon doesn’t work as well as the baseball stuff. Still, a great movie with a lot of memorable moments.