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 as the SPORT Magazine Award, but is now decided during the final game of the Series by a committee of reporters and officials present at the game.

On September 29, 2017, it 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.

Pitchers have been named Series MVP twenty-nine (29) times; four of them were relief pitchers. Twelve of the first fourteen World Series MVPs were won by pitchers; from 1969 until 1986, the proportion of pitcher MVPs declined—Rollie Fingers (1974) and Bret Saberhagen (1985) were the only two pitchers to win the award in this period. From 1987 until 1991, all of the World Series MVPs were pitchers, and, since 1995, pitchers have won the award nine times. The most recent pitcher to win the award is Stephen Strasburg, who won in 2019.

Trophy

Up until 2017, the World Series MVP trophy was similar to the Commissioner's Trophy, albeit scaled down and with a single large gold-plated flag. After being renamed to Willie Mays World Series MVP Award for the 2018 edition and onward, the trophy is a wooden pedestal topped by a bronze sculpture of Willie Mays making the iconic catch in the 1954 World Series.

General Motors has provided a vehicle to the World Series MVP winner for 14 straight seasons through 2018. Since 2019, Disney Parks, Products and Experiences has sponsored the award.

Winners

Key

Year	Links to the article about that corresponding World Series
†	Member of the National Baseball Hall of Fame and Museum
‡	Active player
#	Indicates rookie
*	Indicates player also won the LCS MVP Award in the same postseason
§	Indicates losing team in the World Series
^	Indicates multiple award winners in the same World Series
(#)	Indicates number of times winning World Series MVP at that point (if he won multiple times)

Year	Player	Team	Position	Selected statistics	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; 1 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
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
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
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
1966	Frank Robinson	Baltimore Orioles	Outfielder	.286 batting average 2 home runs 3 runs batted in
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
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
1980	Mike Schmidt	Philadelphia Phillies	Third baseman	.381 batting average 2 home runs 7 runs batted in
1981^	Ron Cey	Los Angeles Dodgers	Third baseman	.350 batting average 1 home run 6 runs batted in
	Pedro Guerrero		Outfielder	.333 batting average 4 extra-base hits 7 runs batted in
	Steve Yeager		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
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
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
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 cancelled 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
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
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
	Curt Schilling		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
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
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
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
2021	Jorge Soler	Atlanta Braves	Right fielder, 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
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