Top eight candidates for 2015 World Series MVP

The most valuable player of the World Series isn’t always an expected name. Sometimes, the one who wins MVP honors isn’t the team’s best player, so much as the one who came through in that moment. David Freese and Edgar Renteria may not be the names immediately associated with the 2011 Cardinals or 2010 Giants, but they were the MVPs of those World Series.

Will a similarly unexpected player emerge to be the difference in this year’s Fall Classic. Or will a star assert himself in this year’s series and affirm his greatness, such as Madison Bumgarner did for San Francisco last year? The Mets arguably have more star power and headline names, but the Royals have been in this situation before and have several guys who could step up in key moments.

When the World Series is finally decided, one of these eight names is likely to be holding up an individual award to go with that championship trophy in a champagne-drenched clubhouse.

Daniel Murphy, Mets
This is the easy one, right? Murphy has been an improbable postseason dynamo, putting up numbers that stack him alongside sluggers like Barry Bonds, Carlos Beltran and Nelson Cruz. He’s the one Mets hitter that no team wants to face right now. Pitch him low and inside, and he golfs it out with a quick, short swing. Throw gas up in the strike zone and he extends his arms to launch the ball out of the park.

Given his success thus far through the postseason — .421 average, 1.462 OPS, seven homers, 11 RBI — it’s possible that the Royals won’t give Murphy a chance to continue his heroics. But he’s also the Mets’ only consistent offensive threat, which may mean Kansas City pitchers will risk pitching to him with the bases empty. Can Murphy maintain his timing and production after a five-day layoff?

Lorenzo Cain, Royals
Had Kansas City beaten the Giants in last year’s World Series, Cain would likely have been the MVP, batting .308 with an .785 OPS and providing consistently outstanding defense in center field. It was a surprise when he didn’t get to a ball hit between the outfield gaps.

Cain hasn’t been quite as productive during this postseason, especially from a power standpoint, compiling a .275/.375/.375 triple-slash average. But if he regularly takes extra-base hits away from the Mets, and can be a disruptive on-base and basestealing threat against a pitching staff that don’t do a great job of holding runners, that could be the difference in this series.

Yoenis Cespedes, Mets
Cespedes made a tremendous impact for the Mets’ offense upon joining the team after the trade deadline. Batting .287 with a .942 OPS, 17 homers, 44 RBI and four stolen bases, the outfielder spurred NL MVP talk despite playing in only 57 games with New York. Of course, we’re talking about the postseason now and with a .265 average and .756 OPS, Cespedes hasn’t been quite as dynamic.

With a sore shoulder that’s required a cortisone shot, he obviously won’t be playing at full strength. But if the Royals pitch around Murphy, Cespedes is the guy hitting behind him and will have plenty of opportunity to get big hits and drive in runs. If he comes through, it’s easy to see him earning MVP honors.

Wade Davis, Royals
Kansas City starting pitchers have not distinguished themselves thus far through the postseason and that doesn’t figure to change during the World Series. And considering that the Royals’ offense isn’t likely to score early on against the Mets’ formidable trio of hard-throwing arms, these games could very likely be decided in the late innings. That gives K.C. the advantage with their outstanding bullpen.

Luke Hochevar, Kelvin Herrera and Davis will each probably pitch pivotal innings in several ballgames, and it’s possible Herrera will more high-leverage situations. But as the closer, Davis should be there at the end and if he racks up a few saves, he’ll have a stat which voters can point to when the series is completed. Davis has not allowed a run during this postseason, while striking out 10 batters in 6.2 innings and notching three saves.

Jeurys Familia, Mets
For all the talk about the Mets’ starting pitching, their bullpen is a potential weak spot — especially lined up against the Royals’ relief corps. Manager Terry Collins doesn’t seem to trust any of his other relievers right now, other than maybe Bartolo Colon in a long relief situation. Familia has certainly been the best option, allowing no runs in his eight postseason appearances and only two hits in 9.2 innings.

Collins will almost certainly call upon Familia more than once to pitch multiple innings and get four to six outs at the end of a ballgame. Whether or not he can match zeroes with Davis in late innings may end up being what decides this series.

Alcides Escobar, Royals
Kansas City’s shortstop probably wouldn’t be your first choice as a standout player in a championship series. But Escobar has been outstanding during the postseason, compiling a .386/.408/.545 triple-slash average. Not only is he getting on base, but he’s hitting for extra bases, aggressively pushing the defense on the basepaths.

The Blue Jays could not get Escobar out in the ALCS, as he batted .478 with a 1.134 OPS. Hitting leadoff could be even more important when the World Series moves to the National League park, as a pinch-hitter batting for the pitcher could get on base, giving Escobar a chance to drive runs in, rather than just set the table for the Royals’ middle-of-the-order run producers.

Additionally, his defense at shortstop gives Kansas City an advantage in the field when key plays need to be made in the field. Getting to those balls in the hole or turning double plays in high-leverage situations could get Royals pitchers out of plenty of jams, making up for any lack of strikeout power.

Jacob deGrom, Mets
As we saw last year with Bumgarner, one starting pitcher absolutely can be the difference between victory and defeat in the World Series. The Mets have an overpowering trio, any one of which could nab MVP honors. But deGrom is pitching the best of them all, compiling a 1.80 ERA with 27 strikeouts in 20 innings during his three postseason starts.

The right-hander shook off early struggles in his past two starts, eventually lasting at least six innings. He’ll have seven days of rest going into his Game 2 start and figures to pitch at least twice if the series goes past five games. That might prevent him from making three appearances, as Bumgarner did last year. But depending on how the series progresses and what deGrom’s pitching schedule allows, perhaps he could be as impactful over multiple games and become the third starting pitcher to earn World Series MVP honors in eight years.

Eric Hosmer, Royals
The Royals’ first baseman hasn’t had a very good postseason, batting .222 with a .545 OPS. But he was outstanding during last year’s playoffs (.351/.439/.544), demonstrating that he doesn’t shirk from the big moment, even if he struggled in the World Series.

With Kendrys Morales having to sit out when the World Series is played at Citi Field, it falls upon Hosmer to be the middle-of-the-order run producer that the Royals need. As stated above, maybe that player will be Cain. But if he gets on base, someone has to drive him in and that could very well be the guy who bats him behind in the lineup. Hosmer batted .310 with an .885 OPS and 14 home runs against right-handed pitching during the regular season, which is mostly what he’ll face since the Mets don’t have great lefty relievers.

Hosmer is arguably the face of these Royals during their past two years of championship contention and has the opportunity to make himself a postseason and franchise legend with an impressive World Series.