Stating the Case for Each Top 2015 MLB MVP Candidate
Josh Donaldson and Bryce Harper are letting their bats and gloves do the talking in the 2015 MLB MVP conversations.
While the Toronto Blue Jays third baseman and Washington Nationals right fielder are the front-runners for baseball's most prestigious awards in the American League and National League, respectively, there's an assortment of other standouts who have also played their way into the MVP mix.
The first step in compiling the list that follows was figuring out just which stars qualify as top candidates. All the players taken into consideration are enjoying brilliant individual seasons. The everyday starters are among the league leaders in stats like OPS, WAR and home runs, while the pitchers rank high in ERA and FIP.
But the idea here was to focus on players who have a legitimate shot at garnering first-place votes. With that qualification in place, the field is significantly smaller in the AL than in the NL, where a slew of challengers will need a major late-season push to catch Harper. Right now, none of those hopefuls is making a bigger charge than New York Mets left fielder Yoenis Cespedes.
Also in the AL Conversation
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Before examining the top candidates in the American League MVP race, here's a look at a few of the players who are worthy of an honorable mention. All of these guys will receive consideration for the honor, but they're long shots to snag first-place votes—let alone actually win the MVP.
- Nelson Cruz, DH/RF, Seattle Mariners
- Sonny Gray, SP, Oakland Athletics
- Dallas Keuchel, SP, Houston Astros
- Manny Machado, 3B, Baltimore Orioles
- David Price, SP, Toronto Blue Jays
Note: All candidates listed in alphabetical order.
Lorenzo Cain, CF, Kansas City Royals
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Lorenzo Cain's case for winning the MVP is simple. The 29-year-old is the best all-around player on the team with the best winning percentage (.587) in the American League.
While roaming the spacious outfield at Kauffman Stadium, Cain has saved the Kansas City Royals 15 runs, which is the third-most in the AL. The center fielder has also been making his mark on the base paths, as he's piled up 27 steals (in 32 tries), good for second place in that department.
At the dish, Cain is having a career year. He checks in with 16 jacks, a .313 average and an .864 OPS. And Cain has been remarkably consistent for the Royals all season. The 2015 All-Star starter in right field posted a .316 average before the Midsummer Classic and has a .307 average in the second half.
Josh Donaldson, 3B, Toronto Blue Jays
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When he's not racking up punchouts for the Toronto Blue Jays, lefty David Price is busy campaigning for teammate Josh Donaldson.
"He's the clear-cut MVP right now," Price told Jeff Blair and Kevin Barker of Baseball Central on Sportsnet 590 The Fan (via Scott Lewis). "If the season ends today, it's a landslide, and he's the MVP. There might not be a bigger Mike Trout fan out there than myself, but it's not close. Josh Donaldson, what he's been able to do—scoring over 100 runs, over 100 RBI, I think he has 37 or 38 home runs—just everything that he's doing."
After taking one look at the numbers, it's difficult to disagree with Price's assessment. Donaldson is third in the American League in homers (38), second in slugging percentage (.586) and first in RBI (119) and runs (109). The third baseman also tops the AL in WAR (8.0), according to FanGraphs.
In his first season in the AL East, Donaldson has demonstrated an impressive knack for delivering in big moments. The right-handed hitter has posted a .382 average and a .667 slugging percentage with runners in scoring position.
And as the season wears on, Donaldson just keeps adding to his MVP resume. The 29-year-old has played a decisive role in the Blue Jays' second-half surge, posting a .325 average and 1.085 OPS since the All-Star break.
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Mike Trout, CF, Los Angeles Angels
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A brutal August put a serious dent in Mike Trout's MVP candidacy.
Last month, the 24-year-old logged a .218 average and a .337 slugging percentage while collecting just a single home run in 29 contests.
"You know, every baseball player goes through it," Trout told Robert Morales of the Long Beach Press-Telegram (via the Los Angeles Daily News). "It's just the timing was off."
Even after slogging through that summer slump, Trout still has some of the best offensive numbers in the American League. The Los Angeles Angels center fielder owns a higher OPS than MVP front-runner Josh Donaldson (.967 to .957) and has 35 bombs, which is just three fewer than the Toronto Blue Jays third baseman.
If Trout is going to repeat as the league's MVP, he needs a big run to close out the campaign. So far, September has been kinder to Trout, as he's swinging at a clip of .275 with a .925 OPS in 12 games.
Also in the NL Conversation
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Here's a look at the National League standouts who have played their way onto the fringe of the MVP debate:
- Nolan Arenado, 3B, Colorado Rockies
- Jake Arrieta, SP, Chicago Cubs
- Zack Greinke, SP, Los Angeles Dodgers
- Clayton Kershaw, SP, Los Angeles Dodgers
Yoenis Cespedes, LF, New York Mets
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Yoenis Cespedes has been unreal since landing in Queens.
In 41 games for the New York Mets, the Cuban has clubbed 17 home runs and put up a 1.048 OPS.
The best way to understand the impact Cespedes has made with his new club is to take a look at the standings. When New York traded for Cespedes on July 31, the team trailed the Washington Nationals by two games in the National League East. Now, the squad owns a commanding 9.5-game advantage in the division.
When asked about the play of Cespedes, manager Terry Collins drew a parallel to a former big leaguer who won seven MVPs.
"The only guy I can even compare it to closely would be when Barry Bonds would get on a run," Collins said, per Maria Guardado of NJ.com.
The fact that Cespedes will only end up spending two months in the NL is going to make it awfully difficult for the 29-year-old to actually win this award. At the same time, nobody has had a more significant impact on the NL playoff race. As a result, it's not out of the question to think Cespedes could end up stealing this award.
Paul Goldschmidt, 1B, Arizona Diamondbacks
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Known primarily for his bat, Paul Goldschmidt has also been providing the Arizona Diamondbacks all sorts of value with his wheels and glove.
In 2015, the first baseman has swiped 21 bases in 26 tries. In the field, Goldschmidt has saved the D-backs 15 runs, which is six more than any other first baseman in the National League and ranks seventh overall in the league.
At the plate, Goldschmidt has lived up to his reputation, as he's cracked 28 home runs and owns the third-best OPS (.985) in the NL.
But a further examination of his numbers reveals a major flaw in his candidacy. After an electric first half (.340 AVG, 1.064 OPS and 21 homers), Goldschmidt has fallen off considerably since the All-Star break (.278 AVG, .856 OPS and seven homers).
Bryce Harper, RF, Washington Nationals
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The obvious knock against Bryce Harper's MVP candidacy is that the Washington Nationals are absolutely buried in the postseason chase.
But even if the 2015 season has been a total dud for the Nats, the individual numbers that Harper has put up simply can't be ignored. The right fielder hasn't just been the most outstanding player in the National League, but he's been the best in all of baseball.
Per FanGraphs, Harper leads the bigs in WAR (8.7). Plus, he's second in the majors in average (.333) and tops the leaderboard in OBP (.464), slugging percentage (.652) and OPS (1.115). That lofty OPS puts the 22-year-old in an exclusive club. Per ESPN Stats & Info, that figure is the second-highest mark for a player his age or younger since 1900, and it is the best mark in baseball by any player since Barry Bonds back in 2004.
Andrew McCutchen, CF, Pittsburgh Pirates
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A top-three finisher in each of the past three seasons and the winner of this award in 2013, Andrew McCutchen has become a perennial contender for the National League MVP.
Quietly, the 28-year-old has been making a second-half push to add another trophy to his collection. Dating back to the All-Star break, McCutchen checks in with a .307 average and .939 OPS. The right-handed hitter has also been flat-out clutch in key situations, as he owns a .385 average and .706 slugging percentage with runners in scoring position.
While the center fielder's numbers stand out, McCutchen's MVP argument is about more than just stats. In 2015, McCutchen has been the linchpin for a Pittsburgh Pirates team that has compiled the second-best record (86-56) in baseball. For MVP voters who factor the playoff picture into the equation, that's a big point in McCutchen's favor.
Anthony Rizzo, 1B, Chicago Cubs
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Anthony Rizzo's MVP credentials are similar to those of Andrew McCutchen.
The 26-year-old doesn't have the shiniest numbers in the National League, as he ranks fourth in OPS (.911), fifth in home runs (29) and sixth in slugging percentage (.523). But like McCutchen, Rizzo has been the offensive leader for a club that has all but locked up a postseason spot.
Rizzo has also been a star in the field for the Chicago Cubs, as the first baseman has saved nine runs, which is tied for second-best among NL first basemen and is tied for 13th overall in the league.
It's going to take an epic end to the season for Rizzo to actually win the MVP, but thanks to his play so far, there's no question that he'll receive more votes than a season ago, when he landed in the No. 10 spot on the ballot.
Joey Votto, 1B, Cincinnati Reds
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With a giant second half, Joey Votto has elbowed his way into the MVP picture.
Since the All-Star break, the Cincinnati Reds vet leads baseball in average (.377), OBP (.560) and OPS (1.234). As a result of that incredible run, Votto is now second in the National League in WAR (7.1), according to FanGraphs.
The problem for Votto is that voters will wonder just how much "value" the 32-year-old provided. While Votto has been battering the rest of the Senior Circuit, the Reds have slid into the cellar in the NL Central.
Note: All stats courtesy of Baseball-Reference.com, MLB.com and FanGraphs.
If you want to talk baseball, find me on Twitter @KarlBuscheck.
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