Steve Pearce wins World Series MVP

The Red Sox won the whole damn thing on Sunday, and one of the most interesting questions after the final out was recorded was to whom the MVP would be rewarded. Boston had plenty of worthy candidates who stepped up in this five-game victory over the Dodgers, but the award ended up going to clutch bat. Just like with Jackie Bradley Jr. in the ALCS, Steve Pearce wasn’t a nonstop hit machine in this series. In fact, he didn’t even start every game. But he got his chances to do damage in important spots, and he did it time and time again. He was rewarded with a big ol’ trophy and a new truck to boot.

Pearce’s signature performance surely came in that Game Four when the Red Sox stole a game with a miraculous comeback, and really they won the series right there. After they finished that win, there was no way they were going to lose. It would have been surprising if they even had to play again at Fenway. Anyway, Pearce hit the huge, game-tying home run off one of the greatest closers of the last 20 years, and then he added some insurance with a bases-clearing double in the ninth. Given Craig Kimbrel’s performance in the bottom of the ninth, that insurance was huge. Then, in Game Five, Pearce gave Boston a huge two-run homer in the first and then added a dagger shot at the end. David Price and Nathan Eovaldi had some great performances and would have been worthy winners, but Pearce deserved this as much as anyone.