MLB's Top AL MVP Candidates Through 1st 30 Games

With most teams about 30 games into the season, MLB's American League has produced some quality MVP candidates in the early going. 

Miguel Cabrera of the Detroit Tigers is leading the AL in four major hitting categories and is in the top five of some others. 

Pitcher Clay Buchholz of the Boston Red Sox is at the head of the team's resurgence with a 6-0 record in seven starts. 

Those two guys as well as various others have stood out in the AL through the first 30 games as the front-runners for the MVP at season's end. 

Miguel Cabrera

Miguel Cabrera is following up last year's MVP, Triple Crown season with an equally impressive start to 2013. 

The Detroit Tigers third baseman is leading the MLB in batting average (.385) and RBI (36). 

He's also been a big reason the Tigers are in first place in the AL Central despite a strong early showing from the Kansas City Royals. 

In addition to leading the AL in batting average and RBI, he leads the league in total hits and on-base percentage. 

What's perhaps most impressive about Cabrera's early success is that he hasn't lived off the long ball. He's only tied for 13th in the AL in home runs with six. 

If the Tigers want to maintain their slim lead in the AL Central, they'll have to rely on Cabrera's bat throughout the season. 

Clay Buchholz

The biggest reason the Boston Red Sox are sitting atop the AL East has been the pitching of Clay Buchholz. 

The winningest pitcher in the AL has yet to suffer a loss this season with a record of 6-0. He's also second in the AL in ERA at 1.60. 

Buchholz was the center of controversy lately when it was reported by ESPN that a Toronto Blue Jays broadcaster accused Buchholz of throwing a spitball. 

Nevertheless, Buchholz has been a major reason the Red Sox are surging early after a terrible season in 2012. 

Justin Verlander

The second Detroit Tiger on this list, pitcher Justin Verlander has also shown to be an early MVP candidate. 

He currently leads the AL in ERA (1.55), and on May 5, he took a no-hitter into the seventh inning against the Houston Astros. 

Verlander has only won four of his seven starts, but a lot of that has to do with poor run support. In his two losses on record, the Tigers failed to score a run both times. 

Another key stat for Verlander is that through 46.1 innings pitched, he's only given up one home run. So he's not liable to give up a game-changer. 

With Cabrera at the plate and Verlander on the mound, it seems like the Tigers are one of the toughest teams to beat. 

Alex Gordon

Pitching may be the main reason the Kansas City Royals are just one game behind the Detroit Tigers for first place in the AL Central. 

But left fielder Alex Gordon has been the most consistent contributor for the Royals at the plate. 

Gordon is hitting .306 and has 20 RBI, both solid but not eye-popping numbers. 

What is eye-popping about Gordon has been the clutch factor. Twice already, Gordon has been credited with a walk-off hit. 

Gordon is also one of the best outfielders in baseball. He is maintaining a 1.000 fielding percentage and has two outfield assists on the season. 

His consistently timely hitting and his flawless fielding make Gordon one of the best players in the AL since the start of the season. 

Yu Darvish

The Texas Rangers can thank Yu Darvish for their early grip on the AL West lead. 

In his first start of the season on April 2, Darvish had a perfect game through 8.2 innings against the Houston Astros. 

Darvish is 5-1 with a 2.56 ERA and an AL-best 72 strikeouts. The next closest person to him on the strikeout list, Clay Buchholz, has 56. 

The Rangers have only lost one game Darvish has appeared in, a 3-1 loss to the Seattle Mariners. He's also held his opponents to four or less hits five times. 

If the Rangers want another shot at a World Series in 2013, they'll have to rely on Darvish to take them there.