Retour
Everyone loves free Taco Bell, but we won't get any out of the World Series this year.
That's actually been the case since 2023.
Taco Bell used to have its "Steal a Base, Steal a Taco" promotion, which granted fans a free taco (often a Doritos Locos Taco) if a player from one of the two teams competing in the World Series stole a base.
The last time the promotion was active, the Arizona Diamondbacks and Texas Rangers were competing in the World Series in 2023. Taco Bell was an official partner of MLB, but the long-running sponsorship between the two partners ended, halting the free taco offer.
The promotion remains dormant for the 2026 World Series between the Tampa Bay Rays and Milwaukee Brewers.
The "Steal a Base, Steal a Taco" promotion began with the 2007 World Series between the Boston Red Sox and Colorado Rockies. The promotion did not happen every year after that; it took a short break from 2009-2011.
Los Angeles Dodgers standout Mookie Betts is the only player who was responsible for activating the taco promotion twice. He stole a base while with the Red Sox in 2018 and again as a member of the Dodgers during the 2020 World Series.
For more than a decade, every World Series yielded a winner, a loser, an MVP and — when Taco Bell had its "Steal a Base, Steal a Taco" promotion starting in 2007 — a "Taco Hero."
Here's a look at those heroes:
Diamondbacks second baseman Ketel Marte stole the first base of the 2023 World Series in Game 1 against the Texas Rangers. Marte stole second base easily off Rangers pitcher Nathan Eovaldi in the top of the third inning in the Diamondbacks' 6-5 loss to the Rangers. The Rangers won the series 4-1.
Philadelphia Phillies outfielder Kyle Schwarber stole the first base of the World Series in Game 1 against the Houston Astros. He reached first base on an infield single off Astros reliever Bryan Abreu in the top of the seventh inning with everything tied up, 5-5. Schwarber, who was nursing a knee injury at the time, then stole second base to move into scoring position in the Phillies' 6-5 win over the Astros.
The Astros won the World Series 4-2.
America won free tacos only three batters into the 2021 World Series. Albies used his speed to beat out an infield single in the top of the first inning of Game 1 vs. the Houston Astros, then promptly stole second in the Braves' 6-2 win. The Braves won the World Series 4-2.
In honor of the 10th "Taco Hero," the base that Albies stole was memorialized in Cooperstown.
The Dodgers outfielder became the first two-time honoree when he stole second base in the fifth inning of Game 1 in his team's 8-3 win over the Tampa Bay Rays in 2020, two years after his steal in the 2018 World Series triggered the freebie.
The Dodgers went on to win the World Series 4-2.
Turner reached base with a single on the second pitch of Game 1, and then immediately stole second to earn everyone a free Doritos Locos Taco. The Nationals won 5-4. The Nationals went on to win the series in seven games.
"My mom was asking me to win free tacos," Turner said postgame, jokingly adding, "I didn't want to get yelled at so I figured I'd steal the base."
In the bottom of the first inning of Game 1 of the World Series in 2018, Betts led off with a single up the middle, then stole second base on the very next pitch. The Red Sox won 8-4 in Game 1 and won the World Series in five games.
Outfielder Cameron Maybin singled in the 11th-inning of Game 2 of the World Series against the Dodgers. The single also set him up to steal second in the Astros' 7-6 win. Maybin ended up scoring the go-ahead run when George Springer followed him with a homer to right field in extra innings.
Houston won the Fall Classic in seven games.
The shortstop stole a base in the bottom of the first inning in Cleveland's 6-0 win over the Chicago Cubs in Game 1 of the World Series at Progressive Field. It even caught the attention of then-President Barack Obama.
The Cubs won the World Series in seven games.
The Royals outfielder stole second base in the bottom of the sixth inning of his team’s 5-4 win over the New York Mets in Game 1 of the World Series. That year, however, America got free Taco Bell A.M. Crunchwraps, corresponding with Taco Bell's "Steal a Base, Steal a Breakfast" promotion. The Royals won the series, 4-1.
"Who wants Taco Bell?" Cain said afterwards. "It's on me."
Pagán stole a base in the eighth inning of the Giants' 2-0 win over the Detroit Tigers in Game 2 of the World Series at AT&T Park. Pagan not only won America free tacos, but he helped serve them at a Taco Bell location. The Giants swept the Tigers in the World Series.
Bartlett stole second base in the bottom of the fifth inning in the Rays' 3-2 loss to the Phillies in Game 1 of the World Series. The Rays lost the World Series to the Phillies, 4-1.
The Red Sox outfielder was the first "Taco Hero" with a steal of second base in Game 2 of the 2007 World Series against the Colorado Rockies. Boston won the game 2-1 and went on to sweep the Fall Classic.