2020 MLB Season: top 5 NL East MVP candidates, ranked
The NL East has not had an MVP in since 2017, and that could easily change during the 2020 MLB season. Here are the top 5 five candidates for the award.
Christian Yelich won the 2018 NL MVP as a Milwaukee Brewer.
Cody Bellinger, the 2019 NL MVP, won the award as a member of the Los Angeles Dodgers.
The NL East has not had an MVP come from their division since Giancarlo Stanton in 2017. Before him, it was Bryce Harper for the Washington Nationals in 2015, who was the first player to win it in the division since Jimmy Rollins did in 2007.
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The award has only gone to a player from the NL East five times since 1999.
The division has always had talented players, but they usually fall short on the ballot.
However, this year is going to be different. The NL East is stacked with superstars. There are plenty of players that are going to contend for the NL MVP award during the 2020 MLB season.
From players who have been battling for the award their whole career, to players who are just establishing their place in the league, there are a plethora of candidates from the division that could win the award this season.
There are a few honorable mentions that fell short of being in the top five candidates to win the NL MVP from the NL East during the 2020 MLB season.
Honorable Mentions
Jacob deGrom
Over his last two Cy Young seasons, Jacob deGrom finished fifth on the NL MVP ballot in 2018 and 10th in 2019.
If deGrom remains dominant and continues to carry the Mets like he has the past two years, he will get votes once again to be named MVP.
A pitcher has not won the award in the NL since Clayton Kershaw in 2014, who was the first pitcher to win in the NL since Bob Gibson in 1968.
J.T. Realmuto
In 2019, Realmuto was named to his second All-Star team, won his second Silver Slugger and his first Gold Glove. The backstop will only be 29 next season.
He has career highs in home runs, RBIs, and doubles last season. If he continues to build off of last year’ success, he will be looked at as an MVP candidate. He would be the first catcher to win the award since Buster Posey in 2012.
Realmuto’s MVP chances are contingent with the Phillies making the playoffs.
Max Scherzer
Despite being a pitcher, Scherzer is an MVP candidate every year. He has had three top-ten finishes on the ballot in his career. He is a dominant pitcher and puts up crazy numbers.
If the three-time Cy Young winner stays healthy and puts together a crazy season and the Nationals return to the playoffs, Scherzer will be on ballots. He needs to win a Cy Young and be absolutely dominant if he wants to win the MVP during the 2020 MLB season.
2020 MLB Season: Top 5 NL East MVP candidates
Freddie Freeman – Atlanta Braves
Freddie Freeman has been a powerful force in the National League since his rookie year in 2011. Since 2013, he has finished in the top 10 on the MVP ballot four time, as well as being named to four All-Star teams.
The 2019 Silver Slugger had a .938 OPS. and hit 38 home runs with 121 RBI last season. If Freeman wants to be considered for the MVP award, he must raise his batting average to over .300 and raise his OPS. to over 1.000. This will make him a more favorable candidate.
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The main downfall for Freddie Freeman is Ronald Acuna Jr. Freeman is an elite player, ranked 15th overall by MLB Network, but he is not the best player on his team. This happens to players all the time. For example, Anthony Rizzo had an amazing 2016 season, but he was overshadowed by Kris Bryant, who won the MVP.
Despite how great of a season Freeman puts together, he is most likely going to be stuck in Acuna’s shadow. Voters are going to favor Acuna because he is much younger, much faster, and has a more dynamic game.
Freeman will be on ballots regardless because the Atlanta Braves should be a contender once again and Freeman is their second-best player.
2020 MLB Season: Top 5 NL East MVP candidates
Bryce Harper – Philadelphia Phillies
Bryce Harper is supposed to be an MVP candidate. He won the award in 2015 and is signed to one of the largest contracts in sports history. He is supposed to be a producer for the Phillies.
The six-time All-Star had an interesting first season in Philadelphia. His on-base percentage and OPS. were impressive, but he struck out 178 times in 157 games, causing his batting average to be just .260.
The Phillies are only going to get better if Harper plays better. If he returns to his 2015 or 2017 Caliber, the team will improve, and he will be the reason why. This will make him the team’s best candidate for MVP.
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The right fielder is just 27 years old. Perhaps his first season was influenced by unfamiliarity to the ballpark. Not all long-term free agents make huge impacts in the first season of their contract. Expect Harper to be a more consistent threat during the 2020 MLB season.
Similar to Realmuto, Harper is only going to be a candidate if the Phillies make the playoffs. If they make it to the postseason, that means Harper put together an impressive 2020 campaign. He has the potential to put up a monster year every year and this might be one of those seasons for Harper.
2020 MLB Season: Top 5 NL East MVP candidates
Pete Alonso – New York Mets
Pete Alonso is the offensive heart and soul of the New York Mets. His rookie season was beyond legendary and he has shown that he can be a threat in this league, after leading the majors with 53 home runs.
After his monstrous 2019 campaign, the 2019 NL Rookie of the Year finished seventh on the MVP ballot. If the New York Mets finished better than third in their division or made the playoffs, Alonso would have had a better chance to win the award.
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Alonso, 25, is expected to hit over 40 home runs this season and still score over 100 runs. His OPS. was .941, which is phenomenal for a rookie. He needs to continue to walk a lot and needs to focus on limiting his strikeouts, which will raise his batting average. Breaking pitches could be his kryptonite.
Alonso is an electric personality and is determined to continue building off his success. He does not want to settle. If the Mets make the postseason or win the NL East, Alonso will have a very strong shot to be the NL MVP, given his health. There is such a deep pool of players in the National League but if he is the home run king again, Alonso could walk away with the MVP award.
2020 MLB Season: Top 5 NL East MVP candidates
Juan Soto – Washington Nationals
With Anthony Rendon playing his ball with the Los Angeles Angels, Juan Soto is now the best position player on the Washington Nationals.
Soto put up 34 home runs, 110 RBI and a .949. OPS. over 150 games in 2019, at the age of 20. He finished ninth on the ballot for MVP. The Nationals are looking for him to make the stride from stud to superstar and carry this team back to the postseason.
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He has immense power for someone so young and is going to be the best position player on Washington this season. If Soto builds off of his 2019 season, he is going to be a likely MVP candidate.
Also, he walked 108 times in 150 games. Pitchers are afraid to pitch to him. He is a lethal bat in the middle of Washington’s order. He is a smart baseball player with a good eye.
Soto is emerging as one of the young stars in this league. He is going to be around for a long, long time. MLB.com already has him ranked as the 11th best player in the league. Soto has a good chance to win his first Silver Slugger this season. Expect Soto to get a few first-place votes.
2020 MLB Season: Top 5 NL East MVP candidates
Ronald Acuna Jr. – Atlanta Braves
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Las Vegas currently has Acuna as the favorite to win the NL MVP, after finishing fifth for the award last season.
His 2019 campaign was historic. He scored 127 runs, hit 41 home runs, drove in 101 runs, stole and stole 37 bases. This will not be the last time he hits at least 30 home runs and steals at least 30 bases. He was also a Silver Slugger and All-Star in his first full season.
He led the NL in runs scored and stolen bases. After his 2019 season, he proved to be one of the best players in the league, and he just turned 22-years-old.
Freddie Freeman predicted Acuna to win the award this year. His own teammates acknowledge his greatness. The Venezuela-native has become a star a lot quicker than people would have thought. He has been dominant since he has been in the league.
Acuna has one of the highest ceilings in baseball, considering how quickly he has developed.
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He is the player from the NL East most likely to win the NL MVP. It is going to be between Acuna, Cody Bellinger, Christian Yelich and Mookie Betts. The race is going to be fierce and competitive, probably lasting the whole season.