MLB Awards: Dark Horse MVP Candidates
By Sean O'Leary
Projected Stats: .278/.373/.517, 32 HR, 98 RBI, 10 SB, 5.1 WAR
Rizzo, along with Bryant, is at the core of the young studs on the Cubs. After he struggled with the Padres in his first stint in the majors, he found a home in Chicago. He finally made the leap to stardom last year, hitting 32 home runs and 101 RBI, and now he’s in the best lineup in baseball. If Bryant hits in the 3 spot, Rizzo will most likely hit 4, and vice versa.
Rizzo is one of the vets on this team, and he has only been around since 2011. Most of these stats are about what Rizzo has done, so he might not progress. The only thing that you may see rise is his BABIP, which was at .289 last year.
He also never gets hurt. He played 160 games last year along with 701 plate appearances. If he continues on that trend the stats will add up, and maybe if rise compared what what people think.
Again, playing in the best lineup in baseball assists him in many ways. If he stays durable, he can put up those steady, great numbers, and maybe he will finish higher than 4th in the NL MVP race like he did last year.
Next: A star middle infielder