2019 MLB Season: AL MVP Race Update for September
As the 2019 MLB season begins its final month, the race for AL MVP has become incredibly one-sided. Mike Trout looks poised to hoist up his 3rd MVP Award at the end of the season. However, the race for second place has heated up, with some big names rising up in the poles thanks to their scorching-hot August performances
Was there ever any doubt? Mike Trout has earned the unanimous crown as the best player in baseball, and he should add another MVP trophy for his performance during the 2019 MLB season to strengthen his case for Cooperstown. However, if a meteorite suddenly strikes Angels Stadium and Mike Trout vanished from the race, the next few guys up would make an interesting race for the trophy.
Just for fun, we’ll take a look at the top five contenders for the 2019 AL MVP, as well as a couple honorable mentions. The group includes a pair of Red Sox not named Mookie Betts or J.D. Martinez, a pair of Astros not named José Altuve or George Springer, and the unlikely superstar of the Yankees. Oh yeah, and that guy named after some fish.
Honorable Mentions:
Carlos Santana, 1B, Cleveland Indians
The 33-year-old spent his entire career on the Indians until joining the Phillies in 2018. In Philedelphia, he experienced a down year, where he slashed .229/.352/.414 with 24 HRs, 86 RBIs. He finished with a wRC+ of 108 and a 1.8 WAR, according to Fangraphs.
However, his homecoming to Cleveland has produced the best season of his career. Through 139 games, Santana has slashed .287/.404/.537 with 32 HRs and 85 RBIs to go along with a 142 wRC+ and 4.4 WAR, according to Fangraphs. His comeback campaign earned him his first career All Star game selection, where he started at first in front of a grateful home crowd.
Santana will likely finish outside the top 5 in MVP voting, but his 2019 season has been a feel good comeback story that deserves praise.
Michael Brantley, OF, Houston Astros
While Cleveland gained an MVP candidate back in Santana, they lost one in Michael Brantley. Brantley dealt with a myriad of injuries during his tenure with the Indians, but the 32-year-old outfielder has realized his full potential in his first year with the Astros.
He currently boasts an impressive .324/.384/.522 slash line paired with 20 HRs and 84 RBIs. His 142 wRC+ matches Santana, while slightly edging him in WAR with a 4.5.
Brantley has been Houston’s steadiest hitter at the top of the lineup. While he probably won’t win MVP, he will undoubtedly play a vital role in their pursuit of their second World Series title.
Matt Chapman, 3B, Oakland Athletics
Matt Chapman is a budding superstar in the MLB. He has already earned the reputation as one of the games best defensive players. In 2018, he won the AL Platinum Glove, an award given to the best overall fielder in the league.
He has continued his defensive dominance in 2019. His 2.1 defensive WAR is tied for 1st in the AL, per Baseball Reference. However, his breakout offensive year has made him a legitimate Top 5 MVP contender.
Chapman has slashed .256/.349/521 with 31 HRs and 90 RBIs. His 6.4 overall WAR ranks 3rd in the AL behind Trout and Bregman, according to Baseball Reference. Chapman has a bright future, and will be in contention for the MVP for years to come.
In a league that has become littered with talented shortstops, Xander Bogaerts has somewhat quietly become one of the best. During the Red Sox 2018 World Series season, teammates J.D. Martinez and Mookie Betts dominated the headlines. However, Bogaerts put together a formidable season as well.
He produced a .288/.360/.522 slash line with 23 HRs and 72 RBIs. His 133 wRC+ and 3.8 WAR were enough for a 13th place finish in AL MVP voting (Fangraphs).
During the 2019 MLB sesaon, Bogaerts has elevated his game to the next level. His run production has skyrocketed. His 31 HRs, 102 RBIs and 145 wRC+ are all career highs. He ranks in the top 10 of every offensive category in the AL, including second in offensive WAR at 6.7 and an MLB-leading 49 doubles.
Bogaerts has put together the best season of his career, earning his second career All Star nod in the process. His defensive abilities have kept him outside the conversation about the league’s best shortstops, and probably outside the top 3 in MVP voting. in 2019, He has -19 DRS and a 0.9 UZR (Fangraphs). Nonetheless, offensively, he will no longer be overlooked when discussing the best shortstops in the major leagues.
Next on the list is the other member of the left side of the Red Sox’ infield, Rafael Devers. The Red Sox 22-year-old third baseman has quickly become one of the best young sluggers in the league. Devers made it clear he could hit the ball hard and drive in runs during his first full season in 2018. However, there were questions surrounding his plate discipline.
Devers has put all of those concerns to rest by decreasing his K% from 24.7% in 2018 to 16.2% in 2019, according to Fangraphs. This has lead to a .316/.367/.572 slash line to go along with 29 HRs and an AL-leading 107 RBIs. His 49 doubles are tied for the league lead with his teammate and fellow MVP Candidate Xander Bogaerts.
Like Bogaerts, Devers’ defense is what holds him back. If Devers can improve his defense, he can be a perennial All Star and MVP candidate. He has already shown signs of improvement after being a defensive liability in 2018. He has drastically improved his UZR, raising it from a horrible -4.5 in 2018 to a serviceable 1.8 this season. At only 22, there is no reason to think he won’t continue to improve.
When the Yankees signed DJ LeMahieu to a 2 year, $24 million dollar contract in January, his projected impact flew under the radar. Whether it was due to the wealth of prolific hitters already on the roster or LeMahieu’s low-profile demeanor, he was quickly prove to be the most impactful hitter in the Yankees’ lineup.
Coming into the 2019 MLB season, LeMahieu had already won three Gold Gloves, a batting title, and made two All Star teams. However, he has already set career highs in HRs (24), RBIs (90), wRC+(138), and WAR (5.4). His .329/.377/.528 slash line has put him in contention for another batting title, as well as a top-3 finish for MVP.
His versatility in the field has been invaluable to the Yankees, especially since they dealt with a record number of injuries this year. While he is a Gold Glove second baseman, LeMahieu has seamlessly moved around to first and third to help his team. Despite playing 576 innings away from his natural position, LeMahieu has still managed to produce 5 DRS and a 3.2 total UZR.
LeMahieu has put all of the “Coors Field Effect” doubters to rest, and looks to help lead the Yankees to the World Series.
Alex Bregman just keeps getting better. The 25-year-old phenom is already considered one of the game’s best, and he is showing no signs of stopping. After a breakout season in 2017, Bregman finished 5th in AL MVP voting in 2018, with a .286/.394/.532 slash line, 31 HRs and 103 RBIs. He also had a league high 51 doubles.
How did he respond in 2019? By improving in virtually every offensive category. So far, he is hitting .297 with a .415 OBP, which is the second highest in the AL. He already has career highs in HRs (33) and RBIs (108). Even more impressively, his 12.5% strikeout rate is the 10th best in the MLB (TeamRankings.com).
Bregman greatly strengthened his numbers thanks to a scorching-hot August performance. He slashed .404/.487/.748 with an AL-leading 31 RBIs and 14 doubles (MLB.com). August alone has put him in the thick of the AL MVP race.
His 6.9 WAR and 163 wRC+ trail only Mike Trout in the AL, which should lock him in as the runner up for the MVP. In a universe where Mike Trout does not exist, Alex Bregman has the next best case to take home the 2019 AL MVP. However, this is Trout’s league.
If you haven’t guessed by now, the 2019 AL MVP should be Mike Trout by a million miles. Mike Trout is widely discussed as the best player of his generation, and he has done nothing to prove otherwise over the years. Since his Rookie of the Year campaign in 2012, Trout has finished in the top-2 of AL MVP voting every year except 2017, when he finished 4th. He missed 68 games that year.
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In 2019, the 2x MVP has dominated his way to the top of the poles. So far, he has slashed a jaw-dropping .291/.437/.645. He has already set career highs in HRs with a league-leading 45 dingers, while driving in 104 runs. He also leads the AL with a .437 OBP and .645 OPS. He trails only Cody Bellinger with an 8.2 WAR, and tops the league with a 179 wRC+ (Fangraphs).
The only part of his game that has declined is stolen bases. After finishing with over 20 stolen bases in each of the last three seasons, Trout only has 11 in 2019. While he won’t join the 40/40 club this year, no one can be disappointed with his performance this season.
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There is not much more to say about Trout. His stats reveal him to be the rightful heir to the AL MVP Crown. At 28 years old, there are many more MVP trophies in store for the game’s best player.