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Mike Trout versus Mookie Betts: 2018 MVP Race

By Damian Dydyn

ARLINGTON, TX - MAY 05: Mookie Betts #50 of the Boston Red Sox bats in the first inning of a baseball game against the Texas Rangers at Globe Life Park in Arlington on May 5, 2018 in Arlington, Texas. (Photo by Richard Rodriguez/Getty Images)
ARLINGTON, TX - MAY 05: Mookie Betts #50 of the Boston Red Sox bats in the first inning of a baseball game against the Texas Rangers at Globe Life Park in Arlington on May 5, 2018 in Arlington, Texas. (Photo by Richard Rodriguez/Getty Images) /
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Mike Trout
BOSTON, MA – MAY 2: Mookie Betts #50 of the Boston Red Sox bats during the game against the Kansas City Royals at Fenway Park on Wednesday May 2, 2018 in Boston, Massachusetts. (Photo by Rob Tringali/SportsChrome/Getty Images) *** Local Caption *** Mookie Betts /

Tale of the tape so far.

Mookie Betts leads Mike Trout in HR, R, RBI, AVG, SLG, and wRC+. Trout leads in SB, OBP and fWAR. And it’s worth noting that he has far better BB% and K% rates. Though, to this point in the very young season, Mookie Betts is the sixth hardest hitter to get a swing and miss out of. Mike Trout is 12th.

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If the season ended today, Betts would likely edge out the 2016 MVP for that honor. But only one of the two has a history of playing this well all the time, and it’s not Mookie. Just last season Boston’s most popular player finished the season with a 108 wRC+. He’s only crossed the 30 HR mark once so far. Trout, on the other hand, has never had a wRC+ lower than 167 in a full season. He has eclipsed 30 HR four times while hitting 29 and 27 in the two he did not.

While Mookie may be a better defender in right field than Trout is in center going forward, the positional adjustment between the two positions will likely make up for that difference. And let’s face it, playing an average center field is likely as hard as playing a plus right field in a vacuum. Fenway’s right field may be the toughest in the majors, but 10 runs for just stepping onto the field in CF instead of RF is a massive advantage.

Time to pick a side.

If I were asked if I would pick Mookie Betts to finish higher than Mike Trout in the MVP voting before the season, I’d have said no way. But with the benefit of hindsight allows me to see the hot starts, I’ll go ahead and back the front-runner. After all, how many chances will I ever have to get out in front of a head to head like this in the future? The answer may be none, so I’m not wasting the opportunity.

Next: MLB Power Rankings: Week 5

Who do you have winning the AL MVP this year? Trout? Betts? Someone else (I’m sure someone is twitching at their keyboard to type Aaron Judge or Didi Gregorius right now)?

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