I’m not sure the TV broadcast caught the moment, but after Javy Baez and Jon Lester were introduced as the co-MVPs of the NLCS and stepped onto the dais, Baez retreated to the back of the podium with the trophy while Lester answered some questions. Showing off the trophy to teammates and family, Baez leaned over the railing and tossed the trophy into the air, catching it before it fell to the ground below.
Baez showing off his great hands, having ridiculous fun, while Lester steadily answered questions about the team’s performance and what was to come. It was the perfect moment for the two to share on that stage.
[adinserter block=”1″]
The two were, of course, clearly the most deserving winners of the award, and I’d gone back and forth in my mind about which player should win the honor. Clearly, MLB was trying to make the same decision, before landing on the right one: they should both win it. Players last shared the honor all the way back in 1990 (Rob Dibble and Randy Myers, for the Reds (Cubs.com)).
Lester pitched 13.0 innings in the series, allowing just two earned runs. He struck out nine while allowing just nine hits and two walks.
Baez hit .318/.333/.500 in the NLCS while driving in five and scoring three times, stole home, and played his typically stellar defense.
As the duo was introduced as the winners of the MVP award, and the first question was to go to Baez, the crowd burst into a chant of “Ja-vy, Ja-vy,” as they had throughout the series when the Cubs’ second baseman stepped to the plate. And Ja-vy was loving it.
Watch the whole ceremony here:
Your browser does not support iframes.