Cubs-Indians Game 7: Breaking down the top World Series MVP candidates
Game 7 will help decide the World Series MVP race, of course
By
Mike Axisa
•
2 min read
CLEVELAND -- One way or the other, the 2016 baseball season will come to an end Wednesday night. The Chicago Cubs and Cleveland Indians, two teams with long-suffering fan bases, will play Game 7 of the World Series at Progressive Field. Here's how you can watch Game 7.
The Indians took a seemingly comfortable 3-1 series lead over the Cubs, but Chicago has rallied to tie the series 3-3 with a nail-biter of a win in Game 5 and a blowout in Game 6. This has been a very entertaining series, that's for sure. The entire postseason has been entertaining, really. We've seen a lot of close, thrilling games.
Game 7 will also go a long way to deciding this year's World Series Most Valuable Player. Each team has several good candidates right now, but a big hit or a dominant pitching performance in Game 7 could sway the MVP vote. Here are the best World Series MVP candidates from each club.
Chicago Cubs
With the team's season on the line, Cubs manager Joe Maddon has been very aggressive with closer Aroldis Chapman, using him for an eight-out save in Game 5, then for four more outs in Game 6. He'll be available in Game 7 too, no doubt about it. Chapman has struck out nine and allowed just one run in 6 1/3 innings in the series.
Jon Lester is in the World Series MVP conversation despite taking the loss in Game 1. He allowed three runs in 5 2/3 innings that game. Lester rebounded to fire six strong innings in Game 5 and he will be available in relief in Game 7. His best chance for World Series MVP honors involves slamming the door with multiple shutout innings Wednesday night.
Through six World Series games Anthony Rizzo has gone 8 for 22 (.364) with three doubles, a home run, and 4 RBI. He also has more walks (three) than strikeouts (two). That's the Rizzo we're used to seeing, the perennial NL MVP candidate.
Very quietly, Ben Zobrist has gone 9 for 23 (.391) with a double and a triple so far in the World Series. He's also scored four runs. Zobrist seems to have nothing but quality at-bats game after game, plus he's a quality defender wherever the Cubs play him.
Honorable Mention: Kris Bryant, Kyle Schwarber
Cleveland Indians
Despite hurting his ankle during the team's ALCS celebration -- "It's getting better every day," said Kipnis on Monday -- Jason Kipnis has gone 8 for 26 (.308) with two home runs and 4 RBI in the World Series so far. He's also played a solid second base even while banged up.
If Corey Kluber comes out and dominates in Game 7 the way he did in Games 1 and 4, and the Indians actually win the World Series, Kluber will be the MVP. Take it to the bank. He's allowed one run through 12 innings so far while striking out 15. Kluber will be on short rest for the second straight start in Game 7.
Cleveland's dynamic young shortstop Francisco Lindor has gone 8 for 22 (.364) in the World Series so far and has driven in a pair of runs. He's also saved a few hits and runs in the field with his glovework. You can't take your eyes off Lindor. He's become a household name this postseason.
Andrew Miller, the ALCS MVP, has actually allowed a run in the World Series. He served up a solo home run to Dexter Fowler in Game 4. Aside from that, Miller has struck out eight batters in 5 1/3 dominant innings so far. Should he come out and manhandle the Cubs for two or even three innings in Game 7, he could steal the award away from Kluber.
Honorable Mention: Cody Allen, Jose Ramirez
