▲ Milwaukee Brewers catcher William Contreras
Venezuelan-born major league brothers Willson Contreras (34, Boston Red Sox) and William Contreras (28, Milwaukee Brewers) have reached the pinnacle of Major League Baseball (MLB) by winning the World Series (best-of-seven) 10 years apart.
Younger brother William Contreras started as the cleanup hitter and catcher in Game 5 of the World Series against the Tampa Bay Rays held on the 29th (KST) at Tropicana Field in St. Petersburg, Florida, recording 1 hit, 1 RBI, and 1 run in 4 at-bats to lead his team to a 4-1 victory.
Milwaukee claimed its first championship in franchise history with a 4-1 series lead, and Contreras, who delivered stellar performances on both offense and defense, was named the series Most Valuable Player (MVP).
Throughout this World Series, Contreras requested the Automated Ball-Strike System (ABS) challenge 13 times and succeeded on 10 of them.
He also showcased his defensive prowess by gunning down 4 out of 9 stolen base attempts by the opposing team.
At the plate, he led his team to the championship by batting 0.381 with an OPS (on-base plus slugging) of 0.864 and 4 RBIs across 5 games.
He was announced as the MVP winner during the trophy presentation ceremony on the field after the game.
With the flag of his native Venezuela draped over his shoulders, Contreras shed tears, saying, "This means everything to me. I'm glad to give such a great gift to my country."
After the event, he met his older brother Willson Contreras, who visited the stadium, and shed tears once again.
The older brother, who watched the game from the stands, came down to the field to tightly embrace his younger brother, and the two brothers shed hot tears while holding each other.
A unique story lay behind the brothers' tears.
Their parents, William Contreras Sr. and Olga Castillo, had a difficult life in Venezuela.
Their father worked as a driver at his uncle's company, and their mother helped support the family as a school custodian.
Willson said in a past interview, "Our parents made tremendous sacrifices so that we brothers could achieve our dream of becoming baseball players," adding, "They stopped at nothing to put food on the family table."
He also burst into tears, saying, "The happiest moment of my life was when I told my parents they could stop working after I debuted in MLB."
Younger brother William similarly said in a 2024 interview, "I remember training in Venezuela with my brother using balls made of bundled paper and tape," adding, "We learned diligence from our parents, which is how we were able to succeed like this."
Starting out in impoverished conditions, the brothers grew into premier sluggers representing MLB.
Older brother Willson debuted in the big leagues in 2016 and experienced a World Series championship that same year with the Chicago Cubs.
A four-time All-Star, Willson has recorded a 0.260 batting average, 190 home runs, and 629 RBIs in 1,208 career MLB games, and he maintained his formidable hitting skills even after transitioning to an infielder last year.
During this year's regular season, he appeared in 130 games, batting 0.275 with 27 home runs and 81 RBIs, helping his team reach the postseason.
Younger brother William has been selected to 3 All-Star teams and won 2 Silver Slugger awards since making his big league debut in the 2020 season.
In 2021, just his second year in the majors, he experienced a World Series title with his team at the time, the Atlanta Braves, though he did not appear in a single game during the series.
However, five years later, he captured not only a regular starting spot in the World Series but also the series MVP honors.
The two brothers have stood tall as the main protagonists of World Series championships 10 years apart.
The brothers were also both selected for the Venezuelan national team at the World Baseball Classic (WBC) held in February of this year, contributing to its success.
Meanwhile, William is the first catcher to be named World Series MVP since Salvador Perez, who led Kansas City to the title in 2015.
Perez is also of Venezuelan descent and helped lead the team to victory alongside the Contreras brothers wearing the Venezuelan uniform at the 2026 WBC.
(Photo: AP, Yonhap News)
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