Last week we covered who has the edge in the NL MVP race for this season, and it seems to be a three-player race between Kris Bryant, Nolan Arenado and Daniel Murphy. Things in the AL, however, aren’t nearly as complicated. There’s a clear front-runner for the Award and at this point, we would need a tragedy for the favorite not to win the silverware.
Everybody talks about David Ortiz and how the veteran slugger deserved the award. Yes, he’s having a great season and he’s 40 years old. Not to mention Ortiz will also retire at the end of the season. Winning the MVP would be the best way to end an illustrious career. However, he’s not at the top of the list simply because one player deserves it more. Which are in the mix to win the AL MVP this year?
David Ortiz (Boston Red Sox): The 40-year-old slugger is having one of his best seasons in 2016. That says a lot of how good he’s been. Ortiz is slashing an impressive .313/.400/.628 with 25 HR and 87 RBI. His OPS of 1,029 leads the Majors by a wide margin. He’s been pretty healthy through most of the season, and he has a shot of a 40 HR and 120 RBI season if he gets hot at some point during the second half. He will certainly get some love from the voters.
Mike Trout (Los Angeles Angels): Trout continues to show why he’s the most talented player in all of baseball. The star center fielder got off to a slow start, but now hits .318/.430/.543 in 2016. He’s the best player in a mediocre team, and there’s talk he might ask for a trade in the near future. He’s wasting his prime years in a franchise that’s going nowhere. To make things even better, he’s one of the best defenders in a premium position, and he can create havoc on the bases as well. Trout is, without a doubt, the complete package. There’s a reason why he’s a perennial MVP candidate.
José Altuve (Houston Astros): The biggest candidate to win the MVP, however, is José Altuve. The Astros’ second baseman leads the majors in hits (151) and average (.359) while adding power (19 HR) and on-base skills (.425 OBP). One of the best pure hitters in all of baseball. Without him, the Astros wouldn’t be in the AL Wild Card as they currently are. Aside from the numbers, he really is his team’s most valuable player.
And you? Who do you have as the main candidate for the AL MVP Award? Make sure to leave your choices in the comment section below!