MLB Awards: 2017 American League MVP Ballot

2. Mike Trout: Los Angeles Angels

At some point, Mike Trout will finish outside the top two in the AL MVP voting. If that happens, this may be the year.

Trout has already established himself as the best player that MLB has to offer. He has already won the MVP award twice, and finished as a runner up in his other three full seasons. His greatness continued this season, but he did lose over a month after he required thumb surgery. That injury may be the only reason why he falls out of his accustomed place at the top of the MVP vote.

He certainly deserves consideration again this year. Despite that missed time, Trout still produced a .306/.442/.629 batting line, with his 1.071 OPS the best mark of his career. He hit 33 homers and stole 22 bases, his fourth season with at least 20 homers and 20 steals. Had he stayed healthy, another 30-30 season may not have been out of the question.

As great as Trout has been over his career, he has improved each season. This year may have been his best, as he set career highs in on base percentage, slugging, and OPS. Had he played a full season, he could have come close to his personal best in WAR. Considering that Trout already compares favorably to players like Mickey Mantle, Ken Griffey, and Frank Robinson, we are basking in the presence of an all time great.

Mike Trout missed over a month, but he is still one of the most valuable players in the league. Take his bat out of the Angels lineup, and their run at a playoff spot this season would never have happened.