Milwaukee catcher William Contreras wins World Series MVP

William Contreras won the World Series Most Valuable Player award on Wednesday.

The Milwaukee Brewers catcher led his team to a 4-1 victory over the Tampa Bay Rays in Game 5 of the series.

Contreras is the eighth catcher in history to receive the honor. He joins a list that includes Gene Tenace, Johnny Bench, Steve Yeager, Darrell Porter, Rick Dempsey, Pat Borders, and Salvador Perez.

The 28-year-old batted .381 during the World Series. He also recorded four caught stealing attempts. Contreras won 10 of 13 appeals using the automated ball-and-strike system. He hit a go-ahead double in the final game to secure the title.

Manager Pat Murphy praised the catcher's aggressive defense. "It is our pit bull. You do not just walk up and pet it. There is a chance it will bite you," Murphy said.

Contreras credited his older brother Willson, a first baseman for the Boston Red Sox, for his success. "My brother is my role model. I do not have many friends. He is my friend," Contreras said. "If I have something to ask someone, I ask Willson."

The Venezuelan native also helped his country win its first World Baseball Classic in March. He joins Jackson Chourio and Antonio Senzatela as players to win both the World Baseball Classic and the World Series in the same year. "It means everything because it is the first time the guys from Venezuela win the Classic and the World Series," Contreras said. "It is history, history for my country. I love Venezuela. It is my country."

Contreras finished the regular season with a .270 batting average, 18 home runs, and a career high 94 runs batted in. He led the major leagues with 185 challenges and 105 reversals against the automated system. He went 22 for 33 in postseason challenges. "It is not magic," Contreras said. "I think it is the experience of playing every day all season long."