MLB Most Valuable Players facing off in the World Series

It would be awesome if we got to watch each season’s eventual Most Valuable Players meet in the World Series every year. But in this sport, it takes a lot more than the contributions of one special talent to win the pennant. Entering 2024, a World Series with two MVPs had occurred only six times in the Divisional Era (since 1969).

With a focus on pairings in the Divisional Era, here are the other World Series to include each league’s MVP since the current incarnation of the MVP Award was established in 1931.

2012: Miguel Cabrera (Tigers) and Buster Posey (Giants)
Besides being MVPs, Cabrera and Posey were also the first pair of batting champions to meet in the World Series since 1954. Each star homered in Game 4 — Cabrera went deep in the third inning before Posey put the Giants ahead in the sixth with a two-run dinger. That game eventually went into extras, and the Giants prevailed in 10 innings, 4-3, to complete a series sweep. Cabrera and Posey wound up right next to each other for the final pitch of the night as the former struck out looking, and the latter was behind the plate to secure San Francisco’s second World Series championship in three seasons.

1988: Jose Canseco (A’s) and Kirk Gibson (Dodgers)
Gibson had only one plate appearance in this series, but it is one of the most iconic in MLB postseason history. Fighting through a right knee injury, Gibson launched a pinch-hit walk-off homer over Canseco’s head and into the right-field seats to hoist the Dodgers to a Game 1 victory. Canseco, who hit an MLB-high 42 homers during the regular season, belted a grand slam in the series opener, but he went 0-for-18 with five K’s the rest of the way as the Dodgers prevailed in five games.

1980: George Brett (Royals) and Mike Schmidt (Phillies)
Two of the greatest third basemen in baseball history met while at the peak of their powers for the ‘80 World Series. Brett led MLB in each triple-slash category (.390/.454/.664), while Schmidt paced the sport with 48 homers and 342 total bases. And both future Hall of Famers shined on the big stage; Brett went 9-for-24 with a 1.090 OPS, and Schmidt went 8-for-21 with an 1.176 OPS. But it was the Phillies’ franchise player who delivered arguably the biggest knock. Schmidt’s two-run single in the third inning of Game 6 sent Veterans Stadium into a frenzy and set the tone for a 4-1 Philly victory in that series clincher.

1976: Thurman Munson (Yankees) and Joe Morgan (Reds)
Resistance was often futile against Cincinnati’s Big Red Machine of the 1970s. They completed their quest for back-to-back titles in ‘76 with an authoritative sweep of the Bronx Bombers, outscoring them 22-8. However, Munson did all he could on offense and defense. The Yanks’ captain had nine hits in 17 at-bats while the rest of New York’s lineup batted .178 (21-for-118). Morgan, who bashed a career-best 27 homers and led the Majors with a 1.020 OPS in the regular season, went yard in the first inning of Game 1. He finished the series with three extra-base hits, three runs, two RBIs and two stolen bases.

1975: Fred Lynn (Red Sox) and Joe Morgan (Reds)
This October classic is most remembered for Carlton Fisk waving his game-winning homer fair in the 12th inning of Game 6. But this series also had the fingerprints of the season’s two MVPs all over it. Lynn, the first rookie MVP in AL/NL history, made a game-saving catch in the ninth inning of Game 4 and then opened the scoring in that famous Game 6 with a three-run shot in the first inning. However, it was Morgan who came through with the series’ most important hit. With the game tied at 3 in the ninth inning of Game 7, the legendary second baseman dropped a two-out single in front of Lynn in center field to drive home what proved to be the series-winning run.

1970: Boog Powell (Orioles) and Johnny Bench (Reds)
The 22-year-old Bench got the Reds off to a good start in Game 1 with an RBI single in his first of 86 career World Series at-bats. Three innings later, the slugging Powell jump-started Baltimore with a two-run home run that seemed to turn the tide in the series. Both MVPs homered in Game 2, another Orioles win, before Baltimore romped in a 9-3 triumph in Game 3. By the time the O’s locked up the franchise’s second World Series title, Powell had racked up five hits, five RBIs and five walks in the five-game matchup. Bench went 4-for-19.

1968: Denny McLain (Tigers) and Bob Gibson (Cardinals)
1967: Carl Yastrzemski (Red Sox) and Orlando Cepeda (Cardinals)
1963: Elston Howard (Yankees) and Sandy Koufax (Dodgers)
1961: Roger Maris (Yankees) and Frank Robinson (Reds)
1960: Roger Maris (Yankees) and Dick Groat (Pirates)
1957: Mickey Mantle (Yankees) and Hank Aaron (Braves)
1956: Mickey Mantle (Yankees) and Don Newcombe (Dodgers)

1955: Yogi Berra (Yankees) and Roy Campanella (Dodgers)
1950: Phil Rizzuto (Yankees) and Jim Konstanty (Phillies)
1946: Ted Williams (Red Sox) and Stan Musial (Cardinals)
1945: Hal Newhouser (Tigers) and Phil Cavarretta (Cubs)
1943: Spud Chandler (Yankees) and Stan Musial (Cardinals)
1942: Joe Gordon (Yankees) and Mort Cooper (Cardinals)
1941: Joe DiMaggio (Yankees) and Dolph Camilli (Dodgers)
1940: Hank Greenberg (Tigers) and Frank McCormick (Reds)
1939: Joe DiMaggio (Yankees) and Bucky Walters (Reds)
1936: Lou Gehrig (Yankees) and Carl Hubbell (Giants)
1935: Hank Greenberg (Tigers) and Gabby Hartnett (Cubs)
1934: Mickey Cochrane (Tigers) and Dizzy Dean (Cardinals)
1931: Lefty Grove (Athletics) and Frankie Frisch (Cardinals)