MLB: Top 5 NL MVP Candidates For September
By Ryan Schultz
Nolan Arenado has been recognized as one of the best young players in Major League Baseball for a couple years now, but he’s never really been considered a true MVP candidate. His 2016 season has changed that. He’s risen to an MVP-caliber player during the 2016 season, but unfortunately other young studs in the league have done the same.
Arenado is most well-known for the dazzling plays he makes in the field. Great defensive players make difficult plays. The best defensive players make the easy plays with great efficiency. Arenado does both at third base.
His abilities with the glove are lauded around the league, but his ability at the plate is just as good. This season he’s hitting .294/.365/.583 with 36 home runs and a wRC+ of 128. A lot is made of the effect that Coors Field has on home run hitters, but 15 of Arenado’s 36 home runs have been hit away from Coors Field.
He’s been a very good player at the plate this season, being the most valuable player on a Rockies roster that includes players like Carlos Gonzalez and the sneakily very good Charlie Blackmon.
The Rockies are still hanging around the playoff picture, but likely won’t make it to the playoffs. That doesn’t mean, however, that Arenado shouldn’t be considered for the MVP award. He’s shown tremendous value to his team, both in the field and at the plate. According to fWAR, Arenado ranks 5th in the National League with 4.6. If Baseball-Reference’s WAR is more to your liking, Arenado ranks 3rd in the NL with 5.3. If you don’t like either of those metrics and would rather use Baseball Prospectus’ WARP, Arenado ranks 3rd there as well with 6.69. Long story short, no matter the different formula Arenado has been among the best players in the National League this season.
There’s a valid argument to be made that Nolan Arenado belongs even higher on this list. However, the players above him have truly put themselves a cut above the field. He’s done enough to put himself in the conversation, but he’s still got room to improve during what should be a long career ahead.
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