MLB
Who Is The MVP In Each League?
As the season winds down to its final days, fans are beginning to debate the MVP award in each league. Both sides have several candidates that are worthy of such an honor. In the National League, some of the top candidates include Christian Yelich, Javier Baez, and Nolan Arenado. In the American League, some of the top candidates include teammates JD Martinez and Mookie Betts, and Jose Ramirez. There are two candidates that stick out from the rest of the pack: Christian Yelich and Jose Ramirez.
The Case For Christian Yelich
Christian Yelich is not only one of the top hitters in the National League but all of baseball. Yelich has the highest batting average in the National League and sits third in the entire sport. On the year, Yelich’s slash line stands at .319/.385/.569. Yelich has also emerged as a power hitter this season. With 31 home runs, along with 93 RBIs, Yelich has set a new career high (his previous high was 21). Yelich resides in the top-10 in almost every offensive category in the National League. A true threat at the plate for any pitcher, Yelich also has two cycles to his credit this season. Both of these have come against the Reds. Compared to his potential competition (Nolan Arenado and Javier Baez), Yelich has a higher average, more hits, higher on-base percentage, slugging percentage, OPS, and extra-base hits. Yelich also has a WAR of 5.8 on the year. His WAR ranks second among the three, trailing only Javy Baez (who has a WAR of 6.0). Yelich has consistently been there for the Brewers throughout the season, potentially leading them to their first postseason since 2011. He is a true five-tool player that continues to rake against big league pitching. The two-time All-Star has made a strong case for the National League’s best player.
The Case For Jose Ramirez
On the American League side, Jose Ramirez has emerged as a top candidate for MVP. Ramirez has the tougher competition to deal with compared to Christian Yelich. His competition includes Red Sox sluggers Mookie Betts and JD Martinez. Ramirez has a slash line of .280/.395/.572. He also has a career-high 38 homers and 101 RBIs. After finishing third in the MVP race last season, Ramirez is looking like a strong candidate to win the award this year. He is third in the American League in home runs and RBIs. He also is third in offensive WAR, fourth among position players, and fourth among all players in the American League. Ramirez tends to get overshadowed by his teammate, Francisco Lindor, but Ramirez has always produced for Cleveland. Ramirez continues to shine as he has emerged as one of the best players in the American League. It should be an interesting race down the stretch for the AL MVP, but Jose Ramirez has a strong chance to receive his first award as he deserves more attention than he is given.
In Summary
The MVP race is expected to be closer than in years past. The top three candidates in each league all have a legitimate chance at winning one of baseball’s highest honors. Christian Yelich is a textbook example of “numbers don’t lie,” while Jose Ramirez is flying under the radar, but certainly has the pedigree to be considered the best in the American League. The MVP race is shaping up to be a good one!
Photo Credit to Andy Ziegler via Flickr
