Four Dark Horse 2025 World Series MVP Candidates

When the World Series begins this week, all eyes will be on designated hitter and pitcher Shohei Ohtani and first baseman Vladimir Guerrero Jr., who were both crowned MVP after their team's victories in the championship series and are the faces of the Dodgers and Blue Jays.

Ohtani is coming off arguably the greatest baseball game ever played, when he hit three home runs and pitched six scoreless innings while striking out 10 to lead his team back to the World Series. Guerrero Jr. is also heading to the World Series after an impressive performance in the American League championship series, where he recorded 10 hits, six runs, three home runs and three RBIs.

Ohtani and Guerrero Jr. are unsurprisingly the favorites to take home the World Series MVP award. Along with them, reigning World Series MVP Freddie Freeman, George Springer, Blake Snell, Teoscar Hernández, Mookie Betts, Alejandro Kirk, Daulton Varsho and Will Smith make up the rest of the top-10 favorites to win the award.

While a star often does claim the World Series MVP, sometimes an unexpected hero shines on the biggest stage and walks away with the award, whether it's Steve Pearce for the 2018 Red Sox or David Freese of the 2011 Cardinals.

Before the World Series begins, here's a look at four dark horse World Series MVP candidates, or who could become the Pearce or Freese of this year's World Series.

Tommy Edman, Dodgers INF

If Los Angeles's top stars have a quiet World Series, don't be surprised if Edman comes through during the series. Edman already has some experience winning an unexpected MVP award after becoming the Dodgers' NLCS MVP in 2024. In that six-game series, the midseason acquisition recorded 11 hits, five runs, a home run and 11 RBIs, including four RBIs in the final game to help clinch the series.

Edman has been strong this postseason once again, hitting .286 and recording 10 hits, three runs, two home runs and six RBIs through nine games, with half of those hits and RBIs coming during his team's NLCS victory over the Brewers.

Enrique "Kiké" Hernández, Dodgers INF

Outside of Edman, Enrique "Kiké" Hernández is another under-the-radar candidate that could claim the World Series MVP if Los Angeles wins the championship. Through 10 playoff games this year for the Dodgers, Hernández has batted .306 and put up 11 hits, seven and four RBIs. He has yet to hit his first home run this postseason.

Hernández has been known for his postseason heroics in the past—most notably when he sent Los Angeles to the World Series with a three-run home run performance in Game 5 of the 2017 NLCS.Hernández also boasts loads of experience on MLB's biggest stage. In four previous World Series appearances, he has combined for 11 hits, seven runs, one home run and six RBIs.

Ernie Clement, Blue Jays 3B

Ernie Clement is playing in the postseason for the first time in his career, but is second on Toronto in hits so far this postseason, tallying 18 hits along with 10 runs, one home run and seven RBIs while hitting .429 through 11 games. Over the course of the regular season, he finished fourth on the team in hits.

Clement has hit just a combined 10 home runs through the 2025 regular season and postseason. To have a shot at MVP, he'd likely need to either increase his typical home run total, or record a home run or two in a crucial part of the series.

Nathan Lukes, Blue Jays RF

Like Clement, Lukes is making his first World Series appearance in his first postseason. Lukes, who made his debut for the Blue Jays in 2023, is coming off a strong performance in the ALCS in which he recorded nine hits, three runs and two RBIs. He's batting .333 this postseason, and recorded hits in six of the seven games during the ALCS.

Similar to Clement, Lukes likely would need a crucially-timed home run or to increase his usual amount for a series shot at winning the World Series MVP, but if the stars don't pull through, he'd be a sneaky candidate to claim the award.