
The MLB World Series, commonly called the "Fall Classic," represents the highest achievement in Major League Baseball, where the champions from the American League (AL) and National League (NL) face off for the prestigious championship title. Founded in 1903, this event has evolved into a beloved American tradition that captivates millions of fans every October.
Since its inception in 1903, it has pitted AL and NL champion teams against each other. The World Series champion is determined through a best-of-seven playoff series, with the winning team receiving the Commissioner's Trophy. The New York Yankees hold the record for most championships, boasting 27 titles from 40 appearances. Following them are the St. Louis Cardinals with 11 championships from 19 appearances. The Yankees were particularly notable during the mid-20th century when they achieved five consecutive titles from 1949 to 1953, an unmatched accomplishment in baseball history.
MLB World Series MVPs by Position
The World Series MVP Award, established in 1955, has been awarded to players from various positions. Pitchers, in particular, have dominated the award’s history, with more than half of the recipients being either starting pitchers or relief pitchers. Key highlights include Sandy Koufax and Bob Gibson, who each won the award twice for their dominant performances in the 1960s.
Notable position players such as Brooks Robinson, Derek Jeter, and Reggie Jackson have also made their mark with performances that helped their teams to World Series victories.
Year | Player | Team | Position |
1955 | Johnny Podres | Brooklyn Dodgers | Starting pitcher |
1956 | Don Larsen | New York Yankees | Starting pitcher |
1957 | Lew Burdette | Milwaukee Braves | Starting pitcher |
1958 | Bob Turley | New York Yankees | Pitcher |
1959 | Larry Sherry | Los Angeles Dodgers | Relief pitcher |
1960 | Bobby Richardson | New York Yankees | Second baseman |
1961 | Whitey Ford | New York Yankees | Starting pitcher |
1962 | Ralph Terry | New York Yankees | Starting pitcher |
1963 | Sandy Koufax | Los Angeles Dodgers | Starting pitcher |
1964 | Bob Gibson | St. Louis Cardinals | Starting pitcher |
1965 | Sandy Koufax | Los Angeles Dodgers | Starting pitcher |
1966 | Frank Robinson | Baltimore Orioles | Outfielder |
1967 | Bob Gibson | St. Louis Cardinals | Starting pitcher |
1968 | Mickey Lolich | Detroit Tigers | Starting pitcher |
1969 | Donn Clendenon | New York Mets | First baseman |
1970 | Brooks Robinson | Baltimore Orioles | Third baseman |
1971 | Roberto Clemente | Pittsburgh Pirates | Outfielder |
1972 | Gene Tenace | Oakland Athletics | Catcher |
1973 | Reggie Jackson | Oakland Athletics | Outfielder |
1974 | Rollie Fingers | Oakland Athletics | Relief pitcher |
1975 | Pete Rose | Cincinnati Reds | Third baseman |
1976 | Johnny Bench | Cincinnati Reds | Catcher |
1977 | Reggie Jackson | New York Yankees | Outfielder |
1978 | Bucky Dent | New York Yankees | Shortstop |
1979 | Willie Stargell | Pittsburgh Pirates | First baseman |
1980 | Mike Schmidt | Philadelphia Phillies | Third baseman |
1981 | Ron Cey, Pedro Guerrero, Steve Yeager | Los Angeles Dodgers | Third baseman, Outfielder, Catcher |
1982 | Darrell Porter | St. Louis Cardinals | Catcher |
1983 | Rick Dempsey | Baltimore Orioles | Catcher |
1984 | Alan Trammell | Detroit Tigers | Shortstop |
1985 | Bret Saberhagen | Kansas City Royals | Starting pitcher |
1986 | Ray Knight | New York Mets | Third baseman |
1987 | Frank Viola | Minnesota Twins | Starting pitcher |
1988 | Orel Hershiser | Los Angeles Dodgers | Starting pitcher |
1989 | Dave Stewart | Oakland Athletics | Starting pitcher |
1990 | José Rijo | Cincinnati Reds | Starting pitcher |
1991 | Jack Morris | Minnesota Twins | Starting pitcher |
1992 | Pat Borders | Toronto Blue Jays | Catcher |
1993 | Paul Molitor | Toronto Blue Jays | Designated hitter, 1B, 3B |
1994 | Series cancelled due to player's strike | - | - |
1995 | Tom Glavine | Atlanta Braves | Starting pitcher |
1996 | John Wetteland | New York Yankees | Relief pitcher |
1997 | Liván Hernández | Florida Marlins | Starting pitcher |
1998 | Scott Brosius | New York Yankees | Third baseman |
1999 | Mariano Rivera | New York Yankees | Relief pitcher |
2000 | Derek Jeter | New York Yankees | Shortstop |
2001 | Randy Johnson, Curt Schilling | Arizona Diamondbacks | Pitcher, Starting pitcher |
2002 | Troy Glaus | Anaheim Angels | Third baseman |
2003 | Josh Beckett | Florida Marlins | Starting pitcher |
2004 | Manny Ramirez | Boston Red Sox | Outfielder |
2005 | Jermaine Dye | Chicago White Sox | Outfielder |
2006 | David Eckstein | St. Louis Cardinals | Shortstop |
2007 | Mike Lowell | Boston Red Sox | Third baseman |
2008 | Cole Hamels | Philadelphia Phillies | Starting pitcher |
2009 | Hideki Matsui | New York Yankees | Designated hitter |
2010 | Edgar Rentería | San Francisco Giants | Shortstop |
2011 | David Freese | St. Louis Cardinals | Third baseman |
2012 | Pablo Sandoval | San Francisco Giants | Third baseman |
2013 | David Ortiz | Boston Red Sox | Designated hitter |
2014 | Madison Bumgarner | San Francisco Giants | Starting pitcher |
2015 | Salvador Pérez | Kansas City Royals | Catcher |
2016 | Ben Zobrist | Chicago Cubs | Outfielder |
2017 | George Springer | Houston Astros | Outfielder |
2018 | Steve Pearce | Boston Red Sox | First baseman |
2019 | Stephen Strasburg | Washington Nationals | Starting pitcher |
2020 | Corey Seager | Los Angeles Dodgers | Shortstop |
2021 | Jorge Soler | Atlanta Braves | Right fielder, Designated hitter |
2022 | Jeremy Peña | Houston Astros | Shortstop |
2023 | Corey Seager | Texas Rangers | Shortstop |
Most MLB World Series MVP Winners
Only a few elite players have won the MLB World Series MVP award multiple times. The players with the most World Series MVP awards are:
Sandy Koufax – Known for his dominant pitching, Koufax helped the Dodgers clinch the World Series titles in 1963 and 1965, earning MVP honors both times with his performances on the mound.
Bob Gibson – Gibson's pitching led the Cardinals to World Series victories in 1964 and 1967, where he was named MVP each time.
Reggie Jackson – "Mr. October" showcased his power-hitting prowess by winning World Series MVP awards in 1973 and 1977.
Corey Seager – Seager became one of the few to win multiple MVPs after leading the Dodgers to victory in 2020 and repeating his MVP feat in 2023 with the Texas Rangers.
FAQs on MLB World Series
A. The New York Yankees have won the most World Series titles. They have 27 championships as of 2024.
A. The first World Series was won by the Boston Americans. They are now known as the Boston Red Sox and defeated the Pittsburgh Pirates in 1903.
A. The first World Series MVP award was given to Johnny Podres of the Brooklyn Dodgers in 1955.
A. Yes. Several non-American players have won the award, including Hideki Matsui from Japan in 2009 and Jorge Soler from Cuba in 2021.