William Contreras Named World Series MVP After Historic Performance

Milwaukee Brewers catcher William Contreras has been named the World Series MVP, capping off a dominant performance that saw him achieve a historical feat not accomplished since 1938. Contreras was instrumental in the Brewers' 4-1 series victory over the Tampa Bay Rays.

During the series, Contreras not only excelled at the plate, hitting .381 with four RBIs, but also made history behind it. He stole a base and threw out four runners attempting to steal, including American League stolen base leader Chandler Simpson. This performance makes him the first catcher since Bill Dickey of the New York Yankees in 1938 to steal a base and throw out the opposing team's leading base stealer in a World Series-winning campaign, according to OptaSTATS.

Contreras, 28, was a pivotal presence throughout the series, anchoring the Brewers' pitching staff, which limited the Rays to just 11 runs over five games. He also demonstrated prowess with the automated ball-strike (ABS) system, successfully challenging 10 of 13 calls.

"He's our pit bull. You don’t just walk up and pet him. There’s a chance you get nipped," said manager Pat Murphy about Contreras.

Contreras is now among an elite group of eight catchers to win the World Series MVP award, joining names like Gene Tenace, Johnny Bench, and Salvador Perez. Since his acquisition from the Atlanta Braves in 2022, Contreras has been a key offensive player for the Brewers, hitting .270 with 18 home runs and 94 RBIs in the regular season before elevating his game in the postseason.

"I don’t want to offend any of the other catchers in the league. The last thing I want to do is offend any of them," Contreras said through a translator. "But sitting up here today, champion of the world, I feel like I’m the best catcher in the league. Again, that’s no disrespect to any of them. That’s the last thing I want to do. But today I feel like I’m the best catcher in the world."