In 2014, Sports Illustrated put then-rookie George Springer on the cover of an issue predicting the Houston Astros would win the 2017 World Series.

Not only did that come to fruition with Houston's 5-1 victory over the Los Angeles Dodgers in Wednesday's Game 7 at Dodger Stadium, but the cover athlete was also named the World Series MVP.

Springer started the early onslaught for the Astros in Game 7 with a leadoff double before he came around on Cody Bellinger's throwing error on Alex Bregman's grounder. The outfielder was far from done, drilling a two-run homer in the second to put Houston ahead 5-0 and force the Dodgers to play unsuccessful catch-up the rest of the way.

The long ball also ended Los Angeles starter Yu Darvish's night and was the exclamation point on Springer's incredible Fall Classic.

According to Jake Kaplan of the Houston Chronicle, Springer's home run made him the only player in MLB history to hit one in four straight games in the same World Series. MLB Stat of the Day noted it also gave Springer the record for extra-base hits (eight) and total bases (29) and tied him with Reggie Jackson and Chase Utley for the most homers (five) in a World Series.

The MVP award and clutch home runs marked a drastic turnaround from how Springer started the World Series.

He struck out in all four of his plate appearances in Houston's 3-1 loss in Game 1 and looked lost as the Dodgers seized control of the series. However, the magic started in Game 2 when his two-run homer in the 11th inning spearheaded his team's dramatic 7-6 victory and tied the series heading back to Houston.

Springer also homered in Games 4, 5 and 6. The one he hit in the sixth inning of Game 4 ended Alex Wood's no-hitter and gave Houston a temporary 1-0 lead before ultimately losing. His Game 5 blast tied the contest in the seventh before the Astros won, 13-12.

Jose Altuve and Carlos Correa receive plenty of deserved attention when it comes to the Astros' young core, but Springer helped anchor the offense and outfield defense all season. He finished the regular season with a .283/.367/.522 slash line with 34 home runs and 85 RBI and was responsible for five total defensive runs saved above average in center field this season, per FanGraphs.

If he wasn't already, Springer is now a household name after shining on the biggest stage the sport has to offer and parlaying a career season into playoff heroics.

Springer, who is just 28 years old, is now forever a postseason legend after arguably the greatest offensive World Series performance in baseball history.