AL MVP race: It’s only August, but it’s down to two guys (basically)
Mike Trout was on track to claim his second straight Most Valuable Player award before he injured his thumb, keeping him out more than a month. Now, with the best player in baseball out of the mix, there are essentially two options left: Aaron Judge and Jose Altuve.
For the first two months of the season, it looked like Mike Trout would run away with yet another Most Valuable Player award. Yes, Aaron Judge was blasting monstrous shots out of Yankee Stadium, but Trout still boasted better numbers.
Trout was on pace for his best season ever, hitting .337 with a .461 on-base percentage and .742 slugging percentage. There’s probably no way he would keep those numbers up throughout an entire season, but he still has a .335/.455/.688 slash line, which is close.
It’s too bad a thumb injury essentially prevented his chance of taking home the hardware.
Typically, by the end of each year, there are two suitors worthy of claiming the American League MVP. This year is no different now that Trout is out of the running – barring any major injuries or if Trout goes on an insane “home run every game” type of stretch.
It’s either Jose Altuve or Aaron Judge. Who ya got?
Judge should the underdog (I think?) in this matchup solely because no one expected him to be this good. The 25-year-old rookie has ripped more covers off baseballs than a dog with a bad obsession.
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Even though he’s in the midst of a second-half slump, the outfielder still owns a .299 batting average with a league-leading .628 slugging percentage and a decent walk rate. Sure, his contact rate has dropped considerably in the second half, but he’ll rebound.
As to whether Judge can keep his slash line intact, that’s a different story.
Last season, he struggled mightily at the dish, hitting just .179, and had no plate discipline whatsoever. Power won’t be an issue, though he probably won’t eclipse the 50-homer mark at this rate. But unless he starts making more solid contact, his on-base percentage might be the only statistic to stay relatively close to what it is now.
Altuve isn’t foreign to this situation. He was a main contender in the MVP race last season until the end, but finished third in the voting. Trout and Mookie Betts finished first and second, respectively.
But the Astros sit atop the AL by more than 10 games, Altuve leads the entire MLB in wins above replacement and he just completed one of the most remarkable months ever by a hitter.
The mini-sized second baseman hit .485 in the month of July with 15 extra-base hits, 21 RBI and nearly as many stolen bases – eight – as he had strikeouts – nine. Overall, he’s got a .361/.423/.566 slash line. All of those would be career highs.
Altuve should have the advantage, considering he’s on the best team in the AL and because he’s leading the league in several major categories. Voters love WAR, and he will likely stay atop the rankings in that category unless Andrelton Simmons or Judge, who are ranked second and third, catch up.
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But with two months left, whoever gets hot toward the end of the season could be given the award. And knowing the capabilities of Judge, Altuve and even Trout, it would be naive to name someone the winner as of right now.