World Series MVP Winners of the 2010s Quiz

Answer: Edgar Renteria

Edgar Renteria hit game-winning home runs in games 2 and 5 of the 2010 World Series, leading the Giants to a 5-game victory over the Texas Rangers. It was the Giants' first World Series championship since the Willie Mays-led team of 1954. He had a stellar 16-year major league career as a slick-fielding shortstop, beginning with the 1996 Florida Marlins and ending with the 2011 Cincinnati Reds.

Answer: David Freese

ESPN once named the 2011 World Series as the fifth greatest of all time. This is primarily due to the dramatic Game 6, in which the Cardinals were twice within one strike of losing the Series to the Texas Rangers, only to come back both times and tie the game. David Freese was at the center of this drama, tying the game in the ninth inning with a triple, and then winning the game in the 11th inning with a walk-off home run.

The Cards then went on to win the seventh game and the Series the next day in their home park. Freese had a torrid postseason for the Cardinals in 2011, also winning the MVP in the National League Championship Series for his .545 batting average and three home runs.

Answer: Pablo Sandoval

The 2012 World Series was a dull affair, as the Giants swept the Detroit Tigers in four games. Pablo Sandoval started the Series off with a bang, hitting home runs in his first three plate appearances in Game 1, joining Babe Ruth, Reggie Jackson, and Albert Pujols as the only players to hit three homers in a World Series game.

He batted .500 for the Series, giving the Giants' third baseman a well-deserved MVP.

Answer: David Ortiz

David Ortiz dominated the 2013 World Series, as the Red Sox dispatched the Cardinals in six games. Ortiz hit an otherworldly .688, with two homers, four intentional walks, and six RBIs. He had an outstanding 20-year career, the last 14 with the Red Sox.

His 38 homers in his final season of 2016 was at the time the most ever by a player in his final season, and he led the league in doubles, RBIs, slugging percentage, and OPS.

Answer: Madison Bumgarner

Madison Bumgarner won games one and five as a starting pitcher, and then came back on two days rest to pitch five shutout innings in relief in game seven, giving the Giants a hard-fought win over the Kansas City Royals.

Answer: Salvador Perez

Salvador Perez hit .364 in the Royals five-game win over the New York Mets. In addition, Perez caught 51 of the 52 innings, all except for the 12th inning of game five, when he had singled and then was replaced by a pinch runner.

Answer: Ben Zobrist

This was the Series in which the Cubs broke the 108-year drought since their last World Series title in 1908. The MVP went to Ben Zobrist, who hit .357, including a go-ahead RBI double in the 10th inning of game seven.

Answer: George Springer

The Astros won their first-ever World Series title in 2017 when they defeated the Dodgers in seven games, a win which became tainted two years later when a sign-stealing scandal came to light. George Springer won the MVP by hitting .379 with five home runs.

Answer: Steve Pearce

The 2018 Red Sox won their fourth World Series title of the 21st century, the 2004 Sox having broken the 86-year-long Curse of the Bambino. The MVP was Steve Pearce, who hit .333 with three home runs.

Answer: Steven Strasburg

Steven Strasburg was perhaps the most ballyhooed player of the 2010s. He was picked first overall in the 2009 draft by the Nationals, and he was expected to be the pitching ace who would lead them to future greatness. It took until the last year of the decade, but the Nationals finally reached the promised land in 2019 when they beat the Astros in seven games. Strasburg was named the MVP for winning the two games that he started.

He had an injury-plagued 13-year career, all with the Nationals. He pitched more than 150 innings in only five years, though he did lead the league in innings pitched in 2009.

His last year was 2022, in which he pitched in only one game.