series, his manager Tony La Russa said he had "never met a player or person of higher quality." Stewart was the starting pitcher in Game one of the 1988 World Series against the Dodgers. Prior to the game, he told Dodgers' second baseman Steve Sax that he was going to hit him in the neck during the game. He came close, drilling Sax in the left shoulder and glaring at him. He allowed three runs in eight innings and was in line for the win before Kirk Gibson's walk-off homer off closer Dennis Eckersley gave the game to the Dodgers. Working on three days rest, Stewart wasn't as good in Game four, allowing four runs (only two earned) and leaving the game with one out in the sixth to pick up the loss. The Dodgers finished off their championship with a win in Game five. In 1989, Stewart was 21–9 with a 3.32 ERA in 36 starts. His manager, La Russa, was also the manager of the American League team at the All-Star Game and picked Stewart to start for the AL team over fan favorite Nolan Ryan. He allowed two runs to score in his one inning of work in the game. He finished second in the voting for the American League Cy Young Award to Kansas City Royals pitcher Bret Saberhagen. In the 1989 American League Championship Series, Stewart won both of the games he pitched with a 2.81 ERA. In the World Series, Stewart pitched a complete game shutout in the first game against the San Francisco Giants. The series was interrupted when an earthquake struck the Bay Area just prior to the start of Game 3. When the series resumed, 10 days later, Stewart started game three for the A's, and picked up his second win of the series when he allowed three runs in seven innings. The A's swept the series in four games and Stewart was selected as the MVP of the series going 2–0 with a 1.69 ERA. Stewart signed a new two-year $7 million contract extension with the Athletics after the season. This was the largest contract in baseball at the time. In 1990, Stewart was 22–11 (his fourth straight 20-win season and tied for 2nd in the majors) with a 2.56 ERA in 36 starts. He led the league in innings pitched (267), complete games (11) and shutouts (4) while being