For your WAY too early consideration for MVP in MLB

With one month of the season already gone, who are the players causing early MVP discussions in MLB?

Well, we have arrived. In this edition of the ‘For your WAY too early consideration‘ series, we have reached the penultimate. It is time now to break down who has earned MVP consideration in MLB up to this point.

I’ll be honest, picking MVP candidates was harder than it looked on the surface. More so being the reason that other than two obvious candidates in the National League, it is very much up for grabs everywhere else.

As with all of my picks, you don’t have to agree, but hopefully, you can see the direction I go with my candidates, as it is just ‘for your WAY too early consideration’.

So without further adieu, here are the most impressive from the first month of MLB that has garnered such a cause for conversation.

Mike Trout

Los Angeles Angels – Outfielder

This was probably the easiest choice to make. Not just because there is nothing that is slowing this man down, but because he is kind of the runaway favorite right now.

His slash line is currently at .312/.492/.602, which puts him in the top three in the league in OPS.

Add to it seven homeruns and 20 RBI and once again Trout is off to another solid campaign.

Honestly will this guy ever slow down?

The unfortunate deterrent for Trout is that often times the team is taken into consideration. Once again, the Angels are under-performing with this generations best player.

Currently at 15-17 in the AL West, Trout will need some help from his teammates to get them over that playoff drought hump, but don’t let that takeaway from the impeccable performances Trout has been putting forth year after year after year.

Hunter Dozier

Kansas City Royals – First Baseman

This is by far a breakout campaign for Dozier. Where as before there was pressure to maybe fill voids left behind by Eric Hosmer and eventually Mike Moustakas, now he has free reign.

Dozier has compiled strong stats to start the season, with a slash line of .344/.443/.677, giving him the best OPS in the American League.

With that, he has hit 7 homeruns and driven in 17 RBI. Just to put it into perspective, Dozier hit only 11 homeruns and 34 RBI all of last season. He played 102 games.

So maybe breakout is an understatement because this is his second full year in the league and he’s only 27-years-old; same as Trout.

Dozier now is fully accepting of his role as the youthful, power hitting corner infielder for a team that is clearly still rebuilding, but with a keystone piece already coming into form.

Trey Mancini

Baltimore Orioles – Outfielder

Continuing on with breakout seasons, Mancini is another who’s doing more than enough on a team at the bottom of their rebuild.

With the Orioles so far, Mancini is slashing .342/.397/.596. He has hit six homeruns, driven in 14 runs and scored 24 times.

Mancini was also tasked early on with taking the leadership of a rebuilding franchise. He was called up in time of stress but now the pressure is off. Clearly there is something to like about him even if it took a couple of years.

Like the previous two candidates? Also 27 years old.

It is also going with the trend of how much more youthful the game is becoming, given the level of performance the candidates are at.

Jorge Polanco

Minnesota Twins – Shortstop

I don’t know what became more difficult; choosing a top-three, or choosing an honorable mention.

There were several good options, but when considering the impact to a team the options had, Polanco seemed most deserving.

Currently, he is slashing .336/.405/.636, and while he doesn’t have the traditional power numbers, he has a ton of extra bases.

He has hit nine doubles, four triples and five homeruns with 11 RBI. This gives him the most total bases in the American League with the likes of Whit Merrifield, George Springer and Mancini.

Polanco more importantly is a team contributor and plays a vital position as the shortstop for the Twins.

As long as the Twins keep winning and Polanco keeps hitting, he belongs in the conversation.

Cody Bellinger

Los Angeles Dodgers – Outfielder/First Baseman

So if Yelich was torching opposing pitching, Bellinger was torching, toasting, smoking, obliterating, every possible word in the book because there was nothing that could stop this man.

The absolute runaway favorite for the NL MVP one month into the MLB season, Bellinger has been leading nearly every offensive category with a new feat almost every week.

Currently holding onto the triple crown, Bellinger is slashing .425/.500/.867, with 14 homeruns, 38 RBI, six stolen bases and 32 runs scored.

It’s the work of a mad man to be honest.

This has been one of the most impressive offensive months of production in years. He and Yelich tied the record for most homeruns before May 1st; putting them in the conversation with Albert Pujols and Alex Rodriguez.

At this rate, Bellinger is on pace to break all sorts of records, and he’s my age. Puts life into perspective huh?

Javier Baez

Chicago Cubs – Shortstop

Picking the final two MVP options was a bit trickier, but the two I came down two I figured have put together the most complete first months.

The final candidate (not honorable mention) for MVP was a finalist in last year’s race, and also starting this MLB season off hot.

Baez is slashing .314/.352/.653 with 10 homeruns and 24 RBI. Even though it feels miles behind the numbers of Yelich and Bellinger, Baez is still putting forth strong, above-average numbers.

Baez also seems to be making highlight plays with his glove every game. They don’t call him ‘El Mago’ for nothing.

Baez has also become the more central piece on the Cubs team. While Bryant and Rizzo have been more or less the tandem the team had relied on, Baez’s surge last season has propelled him into the spotlight, and his consistency is helping to keep the Cubs afloat.

Pete Alonso

New York Mets – First Basemen

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Man, there is something about these National League rookies that makes me like them so much.

In the Cy Young candidates, I gave the nod to Chris Paddack; here I’m giving it to Alonso.

To think he may not have even made the Opening Day roster if not for injury, but he has played so well that the Mets have had to keep him in the starting lineup.

Alonso is slashing .291/.383/.627; giving him an OPS in the top five in the NL.

With that, he leads all rookies with nine home runs, 26 RBI and 32 total hits.

The rise in youthful talent has become more and more clear, with Alonso at just 24 and seamlessly blending in just one month into his first MLB season.

Now having locked up the first base job, what could follow Alonso is an all-star bid, and maybe New York’s first playoff appearance since 2016.