William Contreras adds World Series MVP Trophy to 2026 bounty
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Juan Beltran, Contributor
- October 29, 2026
William Contreras becomes third Venezuelan named World Series MVP
Before a single pitch was thrown Wednesday night at Tropicana Field, Milwaukee Brewers manager Pat Murphy told William Contreras that he would be the World Series Most Valuable Player. That’s how much Murphy thought of the veteran Venezuelan catcher’s contributions to a team that received MVP-like play from several young stars on the way to the franchise’s first title.
Murphy’s prediction proved true. After the Brewers beat the Tampa Bay Rays 4-1 in Game 5, Contreras was named the Willie Mays World Series MVP.
Contreras, who guided Venezuela to its first World Baseball Classic title in March, became the third Venezuelan to be named World Series MVP. He followed Pablo Sandoval (2012) and Salvador Perez (2015).
“I’m proud of everything: hitting, ABS, blocking, throwing to the base, everything,” Contreras said after the Brewers won the best-of-seven Fall Classic four games to one. “I feel great. 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. 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.”
William Contreras won’t get an argument from his manager.
Proud boss
At the time of the prediction, Murphy admittedly didn’t even know who voted for the Willie Mays World Series MVP. Murphy, however, knows baseball. He knows that Contreras masterfully led the Brewers’ pitching staff, stifled the Rays’ running game, and also found time to be an offensive force.
“I knew they were watching baseball and they know baseball,” Murphy said of the media who voted for the World Series MVP Award. “I knew those people recognized what that kid did for us. There was no doubt in my mind. Yeah, he’s special.
“And he’s learning, you know what I mean? He’s still a young player. He’s learning. Yeah, I’m excited about his future, that he built a belief system that he knows, ‘I’m a good player. I don’t need to prove anything to anybody anymore.’”
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As if his pitching and defense weren’t impressive enough in the 122nd Fall Classic, Contreras hit .381 (8-for-21) during the World Series. He had four RBIs, two walks and even stole a base during the Fall Classic while scoring twice.
Strike zone awareness
He posted a .435 on-base percentage, a .429 slugging percentage and a .864 OPS. Contreras’ mastery of the strike zone also was on the display while he finished 10-for-13 on Automated Balls-Strike challenges when he disagreed with the home plate umpires’ calls.
Moreover, he won a third of his ABS challenges defensively this postseason, going 22-for-33.
“It’s not magic,” he says of the ABS challenges. “I think it’s the experience of playing every day throughout the season.”
Contreras won the World Series a decade after his older brother Willson Contreras helped the Cubs win the 2016 World Series. Willson was in attendance at Tropicana Field wearing his brother’s jersey.
William Contreras, a native of Puerto Cabello, Venezuela, is only the eighth catcher to win the World Series MVP Award. He finishes the 2026 baseball calendar with the WBC, World Series and World Series MVP trophies.
Another for Venezuela
Until this year, Venezuela had never won a WBC title, and the Brewers hadn’t won a Fall Classic. With Contreras playing a starring role, the Brewers and Venezuela are world champions.
“Very blessed year,” Contreras said. “I think (it was) a year that we have to give God a lot of thanks for everything he’s been able (to grant). We worked very hard for this from the very beginning in spring training up until now. This is something, like I said, we just worked really hard for. To be able to achieve it, it’s special.”
For the record, the major trophies are heading to Venezuela.
“Yeah, definitely. I think I was going to find one way or another to bring that trophy home with me for sure,” he said. “Very happy we’re able to share this with the people in Milwaukee. Obviously now we’ll be written in history with them and get to celebrate this with them.”
Juan Beltran
Contributor
Juan Beltran, who immigrated to the United States from El Salvador at 5 years old, is an experienced broadcast journalist
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