# World Series Most Valuable Player Award

The Willie Mays World Series Most Valuable Player (MVP) Award is given to the Major League Baseball (MLB) player deemed to have the most impact on his team's performance in the World Series, which is the final round of the MLB postseason. The award was first presented in 1955 by Sport magazine, but since 1985 has been officially presented by MLB. The winner is determined during the final game of the World Series by a committee of reporters and officials present at the game.
On September 29, 2017, the award was renamed in honor of Willie Mays in remembrance of the 63rd anniversary of The Catch, which occurred the year before the award's debut; Mays never won the award himself.

## Car and trophy

The award winner has traditionally received a new car. Johnny Podres, the inaugural winner in 1955, received a Chevrolet Corvette. The 1977 winner, Reggie Jackson, received a Ford Thunderbird, while the 1983 winner, Rick Dempsey, received a Pontiac Firebird. Frank Viola, the 1987 MVP, received a Volvo 740.
Since 2004, General Motors had provided the vehicle. Examples include David Ortiz (2013 MVP) receiving a 2014 Chevrolet Silverado High Country, Ben Zobrist (2016 MVP) receiving a 2017 Chevrolet Camaro SS Convertible 50th Anniversary Edition, and Corey Seager (2020 MVP) receiving a 2021 Chevrolet Tahoe Z71.
A trophy has also been presented to the award winner since at least the late 1970s. In 1985, Major League Baseball (MLB) took over as the official award presenter from Sport magazine, although for a few years, MLB and Sport each presented different trophies to the winner. Trophies given to award winners include:
* A wooden base supporting a metallic baseball inside a hoop; in use by 1978, and last presented in 1984.
* A tall wooden base with a metallic baseball on top, surrounded by a number of metallic flags; first presented in 1985, and last presented in 1988. The text on this trophy read "Sport Magazine's World Series Most Valuable Player Award".
* A metallic bowl on a wooden base; in use by 1987, apparently the MLB-awarded trophy.
* A trapezoidal wooden base, which included the MLB logo, topped by a metallic baseball; first awarded in 1988.
* A pyramid-shaped trophy with a dark base, clear body, and baseball on top; in use by 1995.
* A scaled-down variant of the Commissioner's Trophy with a single large metallic pennant; last presented in 2017.
* A wooden pedestal topped by a bronze sculpture of Willie Mays making "The Catch" in the 1954 World Series; in use since 2018.

## Winners

Key :
| Year | Links to an article about the corresponding World Series |
| Other awards | Player also won, in the same season: ASG: All-Star Game MVP Award CY: Cy Young Award LCS: League Championship Series MVP Award MVP: Major League Baseball MVP Award |
| † | Inductee of the National Baseball Hall of Fame |
| ‡ | Player is still active in professional baseball |
| # | Player was a rookie that season |
| § | Member of losing team in the World Series |
| ^ | Multiple award winners in the same World Series |
| (#) | Number of times winning World Series MVP at that point (if more than one) |
| Year | Player | Team | Position | Selected statistics | Other awards | Ref. |
| 1955 | Johnny Podres | Brooklyn Dodgers | Starting pitcher | 2–0 record over 2 games started; both were complete games; 1 shutout 2 earned runs allowed over 18 innings pitched 10 strikeouts | | |
| 1956 | Don Larsen | New York Yankees | Starting pitcher | 1–0 record over 2 games started; perfect game in Game 5 7 strikeouts Pitched first no-hitter in World Series history | | |
| 1957 | Lew Burdette | Milwaukee Braves | Starting pitcher | 3–0 record over 3 games started; all were complete games; 2 shutouts 2 earned runs allowed over 27 innings pitched 13 strikeouts | | |
| 1958 | Bob Turley | New York Yankees | Pitcher | 2–1 record and 1 save over 4 appearances (2 starts); 1 shutout 5 earned runs allowed over 16+1⁄3 innings pitched 13 strikeouts | CY | |
| 1959 | Larry Sherry$^#$ | Los Angeles Dodgers | Relief pitcher | 2–0 record and 2 saves over 4 appearances 1 earned run allowed over 12+2⁄3 innings pitched 5 strikeouts | | |
| 1960 | Bobby Richardson | New York Yankees$^§$ | Second baseman | .367 batting average 1 grand slam 12 runs batted in | | |
| 1961 | Whitey Ford$^†$ | New York Yankees | Starting pitcher | 2–0 record over 2 games started; 1 shutout 14 scoreless innings pitched 7 strikeouts | CY | |
| 1962 | Ralph Terry | New York Yankees | Starting pitcher | 2–1 record over 3 games started; 2 complete games- 1 shutout 5 earned runs allowed over 25 innings pitched 16 strikeouts | | |
| 1963 | Sandy Koufax$^†$ | Los Angeles Dodgers | Starting pitcher | 2–0 record over 2 games started; both were complete games 3 earned runs allowed over 18 innings pitched 23 strikeouts | CY MVP | |
| 1964 | Bob Gibson$^†$ | St. Louis Cardinals | Starting pitcher | 2–1 record over 3 games started; 2 complete games 27 innings pitched 31 strikeouts | | |
| 1965 | Sandy Koufax$^†$ (2) | Los Angeles Dodgers | Starting pitcher | 2–1 record over 3 games started; 2 shutouts 1 earned run allowed over 24 innings pitched 29 strikeouts | CY | |
| 1966 | Frank Robinson$^†$ | Baltimore Orioles | Outfielder | .286 batting average 2 home runs 3 runs batted in | MVP | |
| 1967 | Bob Gibson$^†$ (2) | St. Louis Cardinals | Starting pitcher | 3–0 record over 3 games started; all were complete games; 1 shutout 3 earned runs allowed over 27 innings pitched 26 strikeouts | | |
| 1968 | Mickey Lolich | Detroit Tigers | Starting pitcher | 3–0 record over 3 games started; all were complete games 5 earned runs allowed over 27 innings pitched 21 strikeouts | | |
| 1969 | Donn Clendenon | New York Mets | First baseman | .357 batting average 3 home runs 4 runs batted in | | |
| 1970 | Brooks Robinson$^†$ | Baltimore Orioles | Third baseman | .429 batting average 2 home runs 6 runs batted in | | |
| 1971 | Roberto Clemente$^†$ | Pittsburgh Pirates | Outfielder | .414 batting average 2 home runs 4 runs batted in | | |
| 1972 | Gene Tenace | Oakland Athletics | Catcher | .348 batting average 4 home runs 9 runs batted in | | |
| 1973 | Reggie Jackson$^†$ | Oakland Athletics | Outfielder | .310 batting average 1 home run 6 runs batted in | MVP | |
| 1974 | Rollie Fingers$^†$ | Oakland Athletics | Relief pitcher | 1–0 record and 2 saves over 4 appearances 2 earned runs allowed over 9+1⁄3 innings pitched 6 strikeouts | | |
| 1975 | Pete Rose | Cincinnati Reds | Third baseman | .370 batting average 10 hits 2 runs batted in | | |
| 1976 | Johnny Bench$^†$ | Cincinnati Reds | Catcher | .533 batting average 2 home runs 6 runs batted in | | |
| 1977 | Reggie Jackson$^†$ (2) | New York Yankees | Outfielder | .450 batting average 5 home runs (3 in Game 6) 8 runs batted in | | |
| 1978 | Bucky Dent | New York Yankees | Shortstop | .417 batting average 10 hits 7 runs batted in | | |
| 1979 | Willie Stargell$^†$ | Pittsburgh Pirates | First baseman | .400 batting average 7 extra-base hits 7 runs batted in | LCS MVP | |
| 1980 | Mike Schmidt$^†$ | Philadelphia Phillies | Third baseman | .381 batting average 2 home runs 7 runs batted in | MVP | |
| 1981^ | Ron Cey | Los Angeles Dodgers | Third baseman | .350 batting average 1 home run 6 runs batted in | | |
| 1981^ | Pedro Guerrero | Los Angeles Dodgers | Outfielder | .333 batting average 4 extra-base hits 7 runs batted in | | |
| 1981^ | Steve Yeager | Los Angeles Dodgers | Catcher | .286 batting average 2 home runs 4 runs batted in | | |
| 1982 | Darrell Porter | St. Louis Cardinals | Catcher | .286 batting average 1 home run 5 runs batted in | LCS | |
| 1983 | Rick Dempsey | Baltimore Orioles | Catcher | .385 batting average 5 hits; all were extra-base hits- (4 doubles and 1 home run) 2 runs batted in | | |
| 1984 | Alan Trammell$^†$ | Detroit Tigers | Shortstop | .450 batting average 2 home runs 6 runs batted in | | |
| 1985 | Bret Saberhagen | Kansas City Royals | Starting pitcher | 2–0 record over 2 games started; both were complete games- 1 shutout 1 earned run allowed over 18 innings pitched 10 strikeouts | CY | |
| 1986 | Ray Knight | New York Mets | Third baseman | .391 batting average Series-winning home run in 7th inning of Game 7 5 runs batted in | | |
| 1987 | Frank Viola | Minnesota Twins | Starting pitcher | 2–1 record over 3 games started 8 earned runs allowed over 19+1⁄3 innings pitched 16 strikeouts | | |
| 1988 | Orel Hershiser | Los Angeles Dodgers | Starting pitcher | 2–0 record over 2 games started; both were complete games- 1 shutout 1.000 batting average; 2 doubles; 2.667 OPS 17 strikeouts | CY LCS | |
| 1989 | Dave Stewart | Oakland Athletics | Starting pitcher | 2–0 record over 2 games started; 1 shutout 3 earned runs allowed over 16 innings pitched 14 strikeouts | | |
| 1990 | José Rijo | Cincinnati Reds | Starting pitcher | 2–0 record over 2 games started 1 earned run allowed over 15+1⁄3 innings pitched 14 strikeouts | | |
| 1991 | Jack Morris$^†$ | Minnesota Twins | Starting pitcher | 2–0 record over 3 games started; 10-inning shutout in Game 7 3 earned runs allowed over 23 innings pitched 15 strikeouts | | |
| 1992 | Pat Borders | Toronto Blue Jays | Catcher | .450 batting average 1 home run 3 runs batted in | | |
| 1993 | Paul Molitor$^†$ | Toronto Blue Jays | Designated hitter, first baseman, third baseman | .500 batting average 12 hits; 6 extra-base hits 8 runs batted in/10 runs scored | | |
| 1994 | Series canceled due to player's strike | Series canceled due to player's strike | Series canceled due to player's strike | Series canceled due to player's strike | Series canceled due to player's strike | Series canceled due to player's strike |
| 1995 | Tom Glavine$^†$ | Atlanta Braves | Starting pitcher | 2–0 record over 2 games started 2 earned runs allowed over 14 innings pitched 11 strikeouts | | |
| 1996 | John Wetteland | New York Yankees | Relief pitcher | 4 saves over 5 appearances 1 earned run allowed over 4+1⁄3 innings pitched 6 strikeouts | | |
| 1997 | Liván Hernández$^#$ | Florida Marlins | Starting pitcher | 2–0 record over 2 games started 13+2⁄3 innings pitched 7 strikeouts | LCS | |
| 1998 | Scott Brosius | New York Yankees | Third baseman | .471 batting average 2 home runs in Game 3 6 runs batted in | | |
| 1999 | Mariano Rivera$^†$ | New York Yankees | Relief pitcher | 1–0 record and 2 saves in 3 appearances 4+2⁄3 scoreless innings pitched 3 strikeouts | | |
| 2000 | Derek Jeter$^†$ | New York Yankees | Shortstop | .409 batting average 2 home runs/ 19 total bases 6 runs scored | ASG | |
| 2001^ | Randy Johnson$^†$ | Arizona Diamondbacks | Pitcher | 3–0 record over 3 appearances (2 starts); 1 shutout 2 earned runs allowed over 17+1⁄3 innings pitched 19 strikeouts | CY | |
| 2001^ | Curt Schilling | Arizona Diamondbacks | Starting pitcher | 1–0 record over 3 games started 4 earned runs allowed over 21+1⁄3 innings pitched 26 strikeouts | | |
| 2002 | Troy Glaus | Anaheim Angels | Third baseman | .385 batting average 3 home runs 8 runs batted in | | |
| 2003 | Josh Beckett | Florida Marlins | Starting pitcher | 1–1 record over 2 games started; 1 shutout 2 earned runs allowed over 16+1⁄3 innings pitched 19 strikeouts | | |
| 2004 | Manny Ramirez | Boston Red Sox | Outfielder | .412 batting average 1 home run 4 runs batted in | | |
| 2005 | Jermaine Dye | Chicago White Sox | Outfielder | .438 batting average 1 home run 3 runs batted in | | |
| 2006 | David Eckstein | St. Louis Cardinals | Shortstop | .364 batting average 8 hits 4 runs batted in | | |
| 2007 | Mike Lowell | Boston Red Sox | Third baseman | .400 batting average 1 home run 4 runs batted in | | |
| 2008 | Cole Hamels | Philadelphia Phillies | Starting pitcher | 1–0 record over 2 games started 4 earned runs allowed over 13 innings pitched 8 strikeouts | LCS | |
| 2009 | Hideki Matsui | New York Yankees | Designated hitter | .615 batting average 3 home runs 8 runs batted in | | |
| 2010 | Edgar Rentería | San Francisco Giants | Shortstop | .412 batting average 2 home runs 6 runs batted in | | |
| 2011 | David Freese | St. Louis Cardinals | Third baseman | .348 batting average Game tying triple in the 9th and Walk-off home run in 11th inning of Game 6 7 runs batted in | LCS | |
| 2012 | Pablo Sandoval | San Francisco Giants | Third baseman | .500 batting average 3 home runs in Game 1 4 runs batted in | | |
| 2013 | David Ortiz$^†$ | Boston Red Sox | Designated hitter | .688 batting average 2 home runs / 4 intentional walks 6 runs batted in | | |
| 2014 | Madison Bumgarner | San Francisco Giants | Starting pitcher | 2–0 record and 1 save over 3 appearances (2 starts); 1 shutout 1 earned run allowed over 21 innings pitched 17 strikeouts | LCS | |
| 2015 | Salvador Pérez$^‡$ | Kansas City Royals | Catcher | .364 batting average 51 innings caught in 5 games played 3 runs scored | | |
| 2016 | Ben Zobrist | Chicago Cubs | Outfielder | .357 batting average 10 hits, including go-ahead RBI double in 10th inning of Game 7 5 runs scored | | |
| 2017 | George Springer$^‡$ | Houston Astros | Outfielder | .379 batting average 5 home runs, 7 runs batted in 8 runs scored, 11 hits | | |
| 2018 | Steve Pearce | Boston Red Sox | First baseman | .333 batting average 3 home runs, 8 runs batted in 1.167 slugging percentage | | |
| 2019 | Stephen Strasburg | Washington Nationals | Starting pitcher | 2–0 record over 2 games started 4 earned runs allowed over 14 innings pitched 14 strikeouts | | |
| 2020 | Corey Seager$^‡$ | Los Angeles Dodgers | Shortstop | .400 batting average 2 home runs 5 runs batted in | LCS | |
| 2021 | Jorge Soler$^‡$ | Atlanta Braves | Outfielder, designated hitter | .300 batting average 3 go-ahead home runs 6 runs batted in | | |
| 2022 | Jeremy Peña$^#$$^‡$ | Houston Astros | Shortstop | .400 batting average 10 hits, including a go-ahead home run in the fourth inning of Game 5 1.023 on-base plus slugging | LCS | |
| 2023 | Corey Seager$^‡$ (2) | Texas Rangers | Shortstop | 3 home runs, including a game-tying home run in the ninth inning of Game 1 6 runs batted in 1.137 on-base plus slugging | | |
| 2024 | Freddie Freeman$^‡$ | Los Angeles Dodgers | First baseman | .300 batting average 4 home runs, including a game-winning grand slam in the tenth inning of Game 1 12 runs batted in | | |

### Winners by team and by position

From 1955 through 2024, a total of 70 seasons, there have been 69 editions of the World Series played – there was no World Series in 1994. In 67 editions, a single MVP was named; in 1981, three MVPs were named; and in 2001, two MVPs were named. Thus, there have been a total of 72 MVPs.
The position at which players have won the most MVPs is pitcher, 29 times. Four of those winners were exclusively relief pitchers, the most recent being Mariano Rivera in 1999. Twelve of the first 14 MVPs were pitchers. From 1969 through 1986, the prevalence of pitcher MVPs declined, as only two pitchers won the award during this period. From 1987 through 1991, all of the MVPs were pitchers. Since 1995, 30 years ago, pitchers have won the award nine times, the most recent being Stephen Strasburg in 2019.
The most uncommon position for an MVP is second baseman, with only Bobby Richardson in 1960 winning at the position. Richardson is also the only MVP to be named from a losing World Series team.
Of the 30 current MLB franchises, 24 have had at least one MVP. The six that have not are the Cleveland Guardians, Colorado Rockies, Milwaukee Brewers, San Diego Padres, Seattle Mariners, and Tampa Bay Rays. Of those six franchises, five have never won a World Series, and Cleveland last won in 1948, prior to the MVP award being established.
Winners by team :
| Team | Total |
| New York Yankees | 12 |
| Los Angeles/Brooklyn Dodgers | 10 |
| St. Louis Cardinals | 5 |
| Boston Red Sox | 4 |
| Oakland Athletics | 4 |
| Baltimore Orioles | 3 |
| Cincinnati Reds | 3 |
| Atlanta/Milwaukee Braves | 3 |
| San Francisco Giants | 3 |
| Arizona Diamondbacks | 2 |
| Detroit Tigers | 2 |
| Miami/Florida Marlins | 2 |
| Houston Astros | 2 |
| Kansas City Royals | 2 |
| Minnesota Twins | 2 |
| New York Mets | 2 |
| Philadelphia Phillies | 2 |
| Pittsburgh Pirates | 2 |
| Toronto Blue Jays | 2 |
| Los Angeles/Anaheim Angels | 1 |
| Chicago Cubs | 1 |
| Chicago White Sox | 1 |
| Texas Rangers | 1 |
| Washington Nationals | 1 |
Winners by position :
| Position | Total |
| Pitcher | 29 |
| Third baseman | 10 |
| Outfielder | 10 |
| Shortstop | 8 |
| Catcher | 7 |
| First baseman | 4 |
| Designated hitter | 3 |
| Second baseman | 1 |

## Notable accomplishments

Four players have won the award twice: Sandy Koufax (1963, 1965), Bob Gibson (1964, 1967), Reggie Jackson (1973, 1977), and Corey Seager (2020, 2023). Jackson and Seager are the only players to have won the award with two different teams, while Seager is the first player to win the award in both leagues.
A total of 12 players born outside of the United States have been named World Series MVP, with Pedro Guerrero, a native of the Dominican Republic, being the first to win it in 1981. Of players born outside the U.S., the Dominican Republic has produced the most World Series MVP winners, with five. Venezuela and Cuba have produced two each, and Japan, Colombia, and Panama have each produced one. California-born Freddie Freeman, the 2024 MVP, holds dual citizenship in both the U.S. and Canada.

### Pitchers

* Johnny Podres won the inaugural award in 1955, with the Brooklyn Dodgers. Podres, with a 9–10 win–loss record during the regular season, beat the Yankees twice in the series; both victories were complete games.
* Don Larsen won the 1956 award after pitching the only no-hitter in World Series history, in the fifth game of the series; the no-hitter was also a perfect game.
* Bruce Hurst of the Boston Red Sox had been voted MVP of the 1986 World Series during Game 6, before the New York Mets staged a comeback and went on to win in seven games, with Ray Knight being named the MVP.
* 1989 winner Dave Stewart was the first pitcher to win two games each in a League Championship Series and a World Series in the same postseason.
* 1996 winner John Wetteland set a World Series record with four saves.
* The 2001 co-MVPs, Randy Johnson and Curt Schilling, combined for all four of Arizona's wins in the Series.
* Stephen Strasburg, the 2019 winner, is the only first overall selection in a Major League Baseball draft to win the award.

### Position players

* Bobby Richardson, winner of the 1960 award, had 12 runs batted in, a World Series record.
* 1977 winner Reggie Jackson hit three home runs in the Series' deciding game, taking the nickname "Mr. October", as October is the primary month of the MLB postseason. Jackson had a total of five home runs in the series, a World Series record.
* Willie Stargell won the 1979 award at the age of 39, and remains the oldest player to be named World Series MVP.
* Hideki Matsui, the 2009 winner, batted in six runs in the sixth game of the 2009 World Series, tying Richardson's record for most runs batted in for a single World Series game. Matsui became the first Japanese-born player to win the award and the first player to win it as a full-time designated hitter. He is also the only player named both a World Series MVP and a Japan Series MVP.

### Other awards

Six pitchers have won the Cy Young Award and the World Series MVP in the same season: Bob Turley (1958), Whitey Ford (1961), Koufax (1963, 1965), Bret Saberhagen (1985), Orel Hershiser (1988), and Johnson (2001). The Cy Young Award was initiated in 1956, as one award for all of MLB; it has been awarded in both leagues since 1967.
Nine players have been named both a League Championship Series MVP and the World Series MVP in the same postseason: Willie Stargell (1979), Darrell Porter (1982), Orel Hershiser (1988), Liván Hernández (1997), Cole Hamels (2008), David Freese (2011), Madison Bumgarner (2014), Corey Seager (2020), and Jeremy Peña (2022). The LCS MVP was first awarded in 1977 for the National League and in 1980 for the American League.
To date, only one World Series MVP has also won the Major League Baseball All-Star Game Most Valuable Player Award in the same season: Derek Jeter in 2000. An All-Star Game MVP has been named since 1962.
Five players have received both a Major League Baseball Most Valuable Player Award and the World Series MVP Award in the same season: Sandy Koufax (1963), Frank Robinson (1966), Reggie Jackson (1973), Willie Stargell (1979), and Mike Schmidt (1980). The MLB MVP has been awarded to a player in each league since 1931.
Three players have won a World Series MVP plus two of the above awards in the same season:
* Sandy Koufax – MLB MVP, Cy Young, and World Series MVP in 1963
* Willie Stargell – MLB MVP, LCS MVP, and World Series MVP in 1979
* Orel Hershiser – Cy Young, LCS MVP, and World Series MVP in 1988