Red Sox first basemen Steve Pearce captures World Series MVP
Steve Pearce, the most surprising hero for the Boston Red Sox this postseason, won the World Series MVP on Sunday after hitting two homers in game 5 which sealed the deal for the Red Sox.
If you would have said that Steve Pearce would have been the most productive hitter for the Boston Red Sox in the playoffs, many people would have said that you’re crazy. But that’s why postseason baseball is so unique. The most unlikely players find their way into stardom. In this case, it was Pearce.
The Red Sox slugger had an unreal World Series for Boston, hitting .333 with three homers and eight RBI’s in the series.
The 35-year old veteran hit a bases-clearing double and a homer in Game 4 en route to a four-run comeback as the Red Sox won 9-6. In Game 5, Pearce took Clayton Kershaw deep for a two-run shot in the first inning, then hit a solo bomb in the eighth inning off Pedro Baez. Pearce was hands down the reason that Boston won Game 4 and 5, driving in seven runs in just two games.
A feel-good story
Pearce was a mid-season acquisition from the Toronto Blue Jays in July. He shared the duties at first base with Mitch Moreland for most of the year since coming over from Toronto but earned his spot in the postseason with his productivity at the plate.
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Funny enough, Pearce was actually drafted by the Red Sox in the 10th round back in 2004 but chose not to sign. He was drafted a total of three times and finally signed in 2005 after the Pittsburgh Pirates nabbed him in the eighth round. Pearce grew up in Lakeland, Florida, but his father was born and raised in Boston. So from a young age, Pearce was a huge Red Sox fan.
Eight teams later and twelve years into his big league career, Pearce has just won a World Series title with the team he admired as a youngster. I could only imagine how ecstatic his father must be seeing his son play on baseball’s biggest stage and win a World Series MVP for his favorite team.
He deserves a future with Boston
As of today, Pearce is a free agent. But after his performance in the playoffs and especially the World Series, I really don’t see how Boston couldn’t offer him a contract. He was their most consistent hitter all October and came through when it mattered most. His short, compact swing was a nightmare for the entire Dodgers pitching staff in this series.
It’s crazy to think that just six months ago, Pearce was playing for a Blue Jays team that was in the middle of a rebuild. Then just like that, he was traded to a contender in the heart of the season.
Next. Red Sox win 2018 World Series. dark
Now he’s heading home with a World Series ring and a World Series MVP trophy. Baseball. You’ve gotta love it.