Chicago Cubs: Ben Zobrist earns World Series MVP in first year with Cubs

Updated Mar. 4, 2020 4:23 p.m. ET

Fansided, Richard Kagan/FanSided via Cubbies Crib

Chicago Cubs’ utilityman, Zobrist has a strong faith in God. Last November at the Grant Park Rally, he spoke to the gathering about his love for baseball. He had just won a ring with the Kansas City Royals and was now a free-agent.

Ben Zobrist

2B/OF, Chicago Cubs

He said he prayed to be a member of the Chicago Cubs. His agent and Cubs Executive Theo Epstein later worked out a deal.

Zobrist, known as a “super utility player”– had great skills, making contact with the ball, and had an impressive on-base percentage of .386. When you needed a knock, Zobrist, a switch-hitter, often came through.

That was the case during the NLDS vs. the San Francisco Giants in Game 4. Ben sparked a four-run Cubs’ ninth inning rally with a base hit to right field, scoring Kris Bryant from second.

Zobrist would later score on pinch-hitter, Willson Contreras’ game-tying two-run single.

Then in the critical Game 7 of the World Series, in the top of the tenth inning, Zobrist hit a RBI double to drive in Albert Amora, Jr. with the go-ahead run.

Adrenaline Rush

Later on the “Conan” talk show, he admitted that he had a kind of outer-body experience at the plate when he got his now famous base hit.

Zobrist batted .272, hit 18 home runs and drove in 76 runs, all at the age of 35.

In the spring of 2016, when the Chicago Cubs caught fire, Zobrist was hot too. He was named National League Player of the Week on May 9th. He hit .406 with six homers, and 25 RBI in May when the Cubbies had rushed out to a memorable start of the season.

Also, Zobrist hit for power. Hitting home runs, driving in runs, he seemed like a great acquisition for Chicago. He played second base until Javier Baez came on later in the season, making a few outfield appearances.

Zobrist tailed off somewhat in the second half of season. But he warmed up at the end of the season approached. He only batted .188 against the Giants, but his single in Game 4 was a big one. Following the NLDS, Ben managed to only hit .150 against the Dodgers.

In the World Series, he batted .357 with 10 hits in 28 at-bats. Known as a professional hitter, Zobrist stepped it up and was named Most Valuable Player. Ben Zobrist had an excellent year with the Chicago Cubs and his name will go down in the record books.