2018 MLB awards: Breaking down the ballots
By David Hill
American League MVP: Jose Ramirez – Cleveland Indians
There were quite a few excellent performances in the American League this season. However, no player may have been more valuable to his team than Jose Ramirez was to the Cleveland Indians.
Ramirez emerged as a star in 2017. He led the league in doubles, made his first All Star Game, and finished third in the MVP balloting. This season, he took another step forward, producing a 151 OPS+, while hitting 39 homers, stealing 34 bases, and showing an impressive batting eye. In his 698 plate appearances, Ramirez drew 106 walks while striking out only 80 times.
He also continued to show his solid defenisve versatility. After splitting 2017 between second and third, Ramirez has spent most of the 2018 campaign at third base. However, once Josh Donaldson was healthy and ready to join the lineup, Ramirez moved over to second once again. He performed reasonably well at both positions defensively, although he was much better at the hot corner.
In the end, Ramirez did more with less in the lineup. Michael Brantley and Francisco Lindor were certainly excellent performers this past season, but the Indians lineup as a whole was not exactly a Murderer’s Row. Center field was a black hole, and Yonder Alonso failed to match his production from 2017. It was an above average offense, but Ramirez was the key to its success.
Also considered: Mookie Betts, Mike Trout, J.D. Martinez, Blake Snell