The 2025 Fall Classic is set with the defending champions Los Angeles Dodgers facing off against the Toronto Blue Jays. Toronto heads to its first World Series since 1993, while Los Angeles is heading to its fifth since 2017. With star power on both sides, it is easy to find plenty of World Series MVP candidates. However, there are also some veterans and relatively unknown players that can etch their name in the history books with an MVP. Here are three players from each squad that can take home the MVP award.
Toronto Blue Jays
Vladamir Guerrero Jr.
The first baseman has been mashing all postseason, already tallying 6 home runs. The slugger took home ALCS MVP after recording at least 1 hit in the past 5 games, including a 4-4 performance in Toronto’s pivotal game three win. Even more impressive, Guerrero Jr. has only struck out three times in 11 games these playoffs. If he can keep his strikeout numbers down and show up in the clutch moments, he can very well repeat his ALCS feat in the World Series.
George Springer
The UConn great had one of the biggest swings in Blue Jays history in their game seven win over Seattle. Springer deposited a pitch into the leftfield bleachers to give Toronto a 4-3 lead late in the game. Even disregarding that massive hit, Springer has been excellent for this entire season. The New Britain, Conn., native is the favorite to win Comeback Player of the Year after struggling for the past two seasons in Toronto. Against Seattle, Springer had 3 home runs and 7 RBIs out of the leadoff spot.
His postseason history with the Houston Astros must also be considered when looking for MVP candidates. He won World Series MVP with Houston in 2017, hitting 5 home runs during the series including four straight games with a homer. His hot bat could make history once again in October.
Ernie Clement
After an underrated regular season, Clement has put himself on people’s radar with a stellar postseason so far. Clement torched the New York Yankees for 9 hits in 4 games and then followed that up with a six-game hitting streak against Seattle. When Los Angeles and Toronto faced off in August, the infielder belted 2 home runs against the Dodgers. Clement has a chance to cap off a wonderful season with his name on a list with some of the greatest to ever play the game.
Los Angeles Dodgers
Shohei Ohtani
The NLCS MVP and soon-to-be four-time regular season MVP had one of the best performances in the history of professional sports for Los Angeles in its game four victory over the Milwaukee Brewers, where he hit three home runs while simultaneously striking out 10 batters over six innings of shutout baseball. Despite “struggling” for his standards this postseason, Ohtani is poised to break out at any time like we saw last Friday. The Japanese star will be leading off for the defending champs while also toeing the rubber in at least one start. There is no stopping him from putting on a slugfest against a Toronto pitching staff that has been solid but very hittable.
Freddie Freeman
The reigning World Series MVP is back and no longer dealing with a nagging injury like he was last year. Freeman has not made a massive impact this postseason, but he did set the tone by hitting a home run to break the 0-0 tie in game one of the NLCS. The two-time World Series champion hit four home runs in last year’s fall classic, including his iconic walk off grand slam in game one. He has recorded a hit in all 11 World Series games that he has played in with both Atlanta and Los Angeles. If Freeman gets a shot at immortality once again, he could win his second-straight World Series MVP.
Clayton Kershaw
One of the worst postseason pitchers ever has a chance to go out on a high note in his final series of baseball ever. The last time we saw Kershaw pitch was when he got shelled by the Philadelphia Phillies in game three of the NLDS, where the future Hall of Famer gave up four earned runs in just two innings of relief. There is no way that is the final time we watch one of the greatest pitchers of this generation pitch, right? Kershaw’s best postseason came in 2020 when he won his first World Series. Can he ride off into the sunset with a Hall of Fame-level performance, or will he be remembered in infamy?