For the first time in franchise history, the Milwaukee Brewers are World Series champions, and All-Star catcher William Contreras has been named World Series MVP. Contreras went 8 for 21 (.381) with four runs batted in and struck out only once across the five-game series. Behind the plate, he went 10 for 14 on ABS challenges and threw out four of nine basestealers.
"I don't have words to say for how I'm feeling," Contreras said through an interpreter after Game 5. "I'm just appreciative of my teammates, appreciative of (manager Pat) Murphy. I want to thank all of them."
Contreras became the 27th player in history to record multiple hits in each of the first three games of a World Series, including a three-hit performance in Game 3. In Game 1, he collected two hits and threw out two basestealers, showcasing his all-around impact.
"This team's not what it is without this guy," ace reliever Aaron Ashby said after Game 5. "He wants to compete every day. He's our bulldog and we love this dude."
Contreras faced strong competition for the award. Ashby threw 5 ⅔ scoreless innings in the series, Jackson Chourio batted 11 for 24 (.458), and rookie shortstop Cooper Pratt went 8 for 19 (.421) with a hit in four consecutive at-bats spanning Games 4 and 5.
The Brewers acquired Contreras in the three-team Sean Murphy trade with the Atlanta Braves and Oakland Athletics in December 2022, a deal that has proven to be a heist for Milwaukee. Contreras has since emerged as one of baseball's best catchers, earning two All-Star selections with the Brewers. He is the first catcher to win World Series MVP since Salvador Perez with the 2015 Kansas City Royals.
