2019 AL MVP Finalists: Who was the best player in the AL?
The 2019 AL MVP award is down to three MLB players: Alex Bregman, Mike Trout, and Marcus Semien. Who comes out on top? Let’s take a closer look.
Now that the season has ended, the hot stove has just begun. With the beginning of the hot stove season comes award season as well. Next week, all of the big awards will be announced. Yesterday, all of the award finalists were announced. At Call to the Pen, we’re going to take a look at the different awards and the finalists announced for it. In this space, we are going to take a look at the 2019 American League MVP.
Some of the best players in the game’s history have taken home this award. Miguel Cabrera. Mickey Mantle. Frank Robinson. Alex Rodriguez. Greats of the game past and present have added to the legacy of the AL MVP.
The three players who are finalists are looking to add their names to the legacy of the American League MVP. One player has already won this award. One player could very well win it this year and in the future. One player had a season that went quite under the radar, but in watching him day in and day out, you could see how deserving he was to be a part of the conversation. Either way, all three of these players had fantastic seasons and were a part of what made the 2019 season enjoyable.
So who will take home the 2019 American League MVP? What player will add to their legacy and the legacy of the award? Let’s take a look at the three finalists’ 2019 campaigns. In the end, I will select my choice for who should win the award.
Who wins the AL MVP?
Los Angeles Angels outfielder Mike Trout
2019 stats: 134 games .291/.438/.645 45 homers 104 RBI 7.1 WAR
Ho-hum. Another year, another year that Mike Trout is a contender for American League MVP. Trout is on a historic pace for being just 28 years old. The only thing that seems to be a bit concerning is that he’s starting to become less durable, as he has played in less than 140 games in two of the past three seasons.
Even with an abbreviated campaign in 2019, Trout still put up numbers worthy of American League MVP consideration.
Trout was second in homers with 45, tied for sixth in runs with 110, ninth in RBI with 104, first in OBP at .438 and slugging at .645. His 180 WRC+ was also first in the American League and he led the American League in WAR at 8.6.
Trout missed quite a bit of time at the end of the season, which may hurt him, but there’s no question that he is the best all-around player in the game. The question is did he do enough to earn another American League MVP? Let’s take a look at the other two finalists, who are both from the same division that Trout plays in.
Who wins the AL MVP?
Houston Astros 3B Alex Bregman
2019 stats: 156 games .293/.423/.592 41 homers 112 RBI 8.6 WAR
Bregman has emerged as not just one of the top third baseman in the sport, but one of the best players in the game today. He was the best player on the team that had the best regular season and was one win away from winning the World Series.
He set career highs in all of the major offensive categories and he won’t turn 26 until after the season starts next year.
Back to 2019, Bregman was tied for third in homers, fourth in runs, fifth in RBI, second in OBP WRC+ and WAR and third in slugging, Back to that WAR of his, Bregman had an 8.6 and Trout had an 8.7 in 22 fewer games than Bregman.
The big thing for Bregman was his ability to turn it on in the second half of the season. He hit .338, including .404 in August, with an OPS of 1.134 and a WRC+ of 197. 100 WRC+ is league average.
What Bregman accomplished, and what his team accomplished during the season will certainly enter the equation as to if he wins MVP. Our third player did a lot for his team too.
Who wins the AL MVP?
Oakland Athletics SS Marcus Semien
2019 stats: 162 games .285/.369/.522 33 homers 92 RBI 10 steals 7.6 WAR
More from Call to the Pen
- Philadelphia Phillies, ready for a stretch run, bomb St. Louis Cardinals
- Philadelphia Phillies: The 4 players on the franchise’s Mount Rushmore
- Boston Red Sox fans should be upset over Mookie Betts’ comment
- Analyzing the Boston Red Sox trade for Dave Henderson and Spike Owen
- 2023 MLB postseason likely to have a strange look without Yankees, Red Sox, Cardinals
Talk about a breakout season. The 29-year old Semien was more known as a defender rather than his bat, however, his bat did a lot of talking this season. Semien set career highs in all the major offensive categories, and was already known for being a stellar defender and certainly has a strong case for American League MVP.
Semien was third in the American League in runs and 10th in WRC+. He was third in doubles with 43 and tied for fourth in triples with seven. He also did something that only Babe Ruth and Lou Gehrig have ever done in a season
Below is a list of players in Major League history with at least 116 runs, 173 hits, 38 doubles, 7 triples, 30 home runs, 85 RBI, 78 walks and 10 stolen bases in a season:
— Mike Selleck (@MikeSelleck) September 17, 2019
Babe Ruth (1921 and 1923)
Lou Gehrig (1927 and 1930)
Marcus Semien (2019)
Are these random endpoints? Sure. They are impressive nonetheless though.
Top 10 catchers of all time. dark. Next
In the end, I think Mike Trout wins the award. Some of it is on reputation, but you can’t discount how good he was even with missing the amount of time that he did. Bregman and Semien both had incredible years, but in the end, another year, another MVP trophy for Mike Trout