Selecting Every MLB Team's 2017 Regular-Season MVP
The upcoming postseason may be the baseball world's main focus, but as the regular season winds down, the debate over who should win each of the league's major awards starts to heat up.
We'll dig deeper than the leaguewide awards, though, as we set out to identify the team MVP for all 30 franchises.
Position players tend to get the nod over pitchers when it comes to the league award, with Clayton Kershaw being a rare exception in 2014. However, more than a few pitchers walked away with team honors.
The idea was to identify the player who has meant the most to his team in 2017.
Oftentimes that was also the player who led his team in WAR, but that was by no means the deciding factor. It's just something to keep in mind while perusing these selections.
Along with a focus on each team's winner, a full ballot of the top five players was selected for each club to provide a few honorable mentions deserving of recognition.
Arizona Diamondbacks: 1B Paul Goldschmidt
1 of 30
Stats: .302/.408/.572, 166 H, 73 XBH (36 HR), 120 RBI, 117 R, 18 SB, 6.0 WAR
MVP Overview
Paul Goldschmidt has finished second in NL MVP voting twice already in his career (2013, 2015).
Will this be the year he takes home the hardware?
His teammates appear to be just as invested as he is in the outcome of this year's voting.
"It would mean everything to us because of what kind of person he is," catcher Chris Iannetta told reporters. "He's carried us all season. His biggest flaw is that he's so humble and quiet, and just flies under the radar. If he were anywhere else, playing out east, he'd be a household name."
J.D. Martinez will go down as one of the greatest deadline additions in baseball history and Zack Greinke is again one of the best pitchers in the league, but Goldschmidt is an easy choice for team MVP honors in the desert.
Remaining Ballot
2. SP Zack Greinke
3. RF J.D. Martinez
4. SP Robbie Ray
5. RP Archie Bradley
Atlanta Braves: 1B Freddie Freeman
2 of 30
Stats: .309/.401/.590, 132 H, 63 XBH (28 HR), 71 RBI, 82 RBI, 4.4 WAR
MVP Overview
Freddie Freeman missed 44 games with a fractured left wrist or he'd be mentioned in the NL MVP race alongside fellow non-contender standouts Giancarlo Stanton and Joey Votto.
However, it's what he did upon returning from that injury that is the perfect embodiment of a team MVP.
With Matt Adams swinging a hot bat at first base in his absence and a revolving door of mediocrity across the diamond at third base, Freeman tried his hand at the hot corner for the first time since 2007.
"I said I'm completely on board with it; I want to do it," Freeman told reporters. "We've got to keep Matt's bat in the lineup and I'll do anything to win."
He's since returned to first base, but that willingness to do what's best for the team—regardless of his superstar status—is why he's the perfect cornerstone of the club's ongoing rebuilding efforts.
Remaining Ballot
2. CF Ender Inciarte
3. C Tyler Flowers
4. C Kurt Suzuki
5. SP R.A. Dickey
Baltimore Orioles: 2B Jonathan Schoop
3 of 30
Stats: .295/.340/.510, 180 H, 67 XBH (32 HR), 105 RBI, 91 R, 5.3 WAR
MVP Overview
The Baltimore media recently selected Jonathan Schoop for the Louis M. Hatter Most Valuable Oriole Award.
Who am I to argue with the writers who see him every day?
"He's always had the durability, but the consistency, it really took his game to another level," manager Buck Showalter told reporters. "He didn't get out of whack for very long. And I think he's grown into a real consistent guy you can count on. When I see him 0-for-3 and then walk in his last at-bat, it's a real sign of maturity."
Schoop leads the Orioles in batting average (.295), OPS (.850) hits (180), doubles (35), RBI (105), runs scored (91) and total bases (311).
It might be time to start talking extension as the 25-year-old gets set for his second year of arbitration.
Remaining Ballot
2. 3B Manny Machado
3. CF Adam Jones
4. LF Trey Mancini
5. SP Dylan Bundy
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Boston Red Sox: SP Chris Sale
4 of 30
Stats: 17-8, 2.90 ERA, 0.97 WHIP, 308 K, 214.1 IP, 6.0 WAR
MVP Overview
Despite a shaky stretch that's seen him go 3-4 with a 4.30 ERA and just three quality starts in his last eight outings, Chris Sale is still an easy choice as MVP of the Boston Red Sox.
Where would they be without him?
Rick Porcello regressed significantly from his Cy Young form and sports a 4.65 ERA, David Price hasn't been himself in an injury-plagued season and Eduardo Rodriguez failed to take the step forward that many were predicting.
Mookie Betts is actually the team leader with a 6.2 WAR despite a down season relative to last year's numbers, and Drew Pomeranz deserves props for emerging as a viable No. 2 starter.
Still, it's clear the most important player on the roster has been the new ace they paid a king's ransom for in the offseason.
Remaining Ballot
2. RF Mookie Betts
3. RP Craig Kimbrel
4. SP Drew Pomeranz
5. LF Andrew Benintendi
Chicago Cubs: 3B Kris Bryant
5 of 30
Stats: .295/.410/.539, 161 H, 71 XBH (29 HR), 73 RBI, 110 R, 6.3 WAR
MVP Overview
Kris Bryant received 29 of 30 first-place votes for NL MVP honors last season as he skated to victory over Washington Nationals second baseman Daniel Murphy.
While he's rarely mentioned among the leading candidates this season, he's quietly raised his OPS from .939 to .949 and is once again enjoying a terrific all-around effort.
It doesn't take a sabermetrician to see he's made significant strides as a hitter:
A midseason power outage took a bite out of his home run total, and a lack of consistency from the leadoff spot following the departure of Dexter Fowler has cost him some RBI chances, but he's been every bit as valuable to the Chicago Cubs as he was a year ago.
Remaining Ballot
2. 1B Anthony Rizzo
3. C Willson Contreras
4. 2B Javier Baez
5. RP Wade Davis
Chicago White Sox: 1B Jose Abreu
6 of 30
Stats: .308/.359/.560, 187 H, 81 XBH (33 HR), 102 RBI, 94 R, 4.7 WAR
MVP Overview
In the past calendar year, the Chicago White Sox have traded Chris Sale, Jose Quintana, Adam Eaton, Todd Frazier, Melky Cabrera, David Robertson, Tommy Kahnle, Anthony Swarzak, Miguel Gonzalez, Tyler Clippard and Dan Jennings.
It's the start of a long-overdue rebuild and has allowed them to quickly build one of the most talented farm systems in baseball.
However, first baseman Jose Abreu is one veteran who might stay put, as Dan Hayes of CSN explained.
"But his value isn't just limited to the field. He's been a mentor to second baseman Yoan Moncada and outfielder Avisail Garcia, among others. Abreu also has been more vocal with all of his teammates as his own grasp of English has improved.
Abreu has repeatedly stated he enjoys his role as mentor/leader and is very encouraged in the team's direction because of the talent that has begun to emerge. Though he understands the business side of baseball could interfere, Abreu has also expressed a desire to stay and win with the White Sox."
Based solely on production, it was close between Abreu and Garcia, but there's little question who's more important to the team.
Remaining Ballot
2. RF Avisail Garcia
3. 2B Yolmer Sanchez
4. SS Tim Anderson
5. C Omar Narvaez
Cincinnati Reds: 1B Joey Votto
7 of 30
Stats: .319/.454/.576, 174 H, 67 XBH (36 HR), 99 RBI, 104 R, 7.3 WAR
MVP Overview
Joey Votto knows he faces an uphill battle in the NL MVP voting as a result of playing for the last-place Cincinnati Reds.
"If you're in the mix and you're on a losing team, oftentimes even if you're the best player in the league, you don't have to win the award," Votto told reporters.
And a strong case can be made for Votto being the best player in the league.
The 34-year-old leads the NL in on-base percentage (.454), OPS (1.031), OPS+ (169) and WAR (7.3).
He's also topped 30 home runs for the first time since 2010 while recording far more walks (133) than strikeouts (80).
The 2017 season may go down as the best of his storied career.
Remaining Ballot
2. SS Zack Cozart
3. 3B Eugenio Suarez
4. RP Raisel Iglesias
5. C Tucker Barnhart
Cleveland Indians: IF Jose Ramirez
8 of 30
Stats: .316/.369/.581, 181 H, 88 XBH (29 HR), 81 RBI, 104 R, 6.5 WAR
MVP Overview
Corey Kluber is the front-runner to win the AL Cy Young, and Francisco Lindor has been arguably the most productive offensive shortstop in baseball while continuing to play stellar defense.
Jose Ramirez is still the clear choice for team MVP honors, though.
His batting average and on-base percentage are virtually the same compared to last season's breakout performance, but his slugging percentage has skyrocketed by over 100 points from .462 to .581.
That's thanks in large part to his home run total more than doubling from 11 to 29, and he leads the AL in doubles (53).
Equally impressive is his continued versatility. He began the season as the everyday third baseman and has played 88 games there, but he's also played 67 contests at second base to help cover for an injured Jason Kipnis (hamstring).
Will his two-way contributions be enough to give him a legitimate shot at AL MVP?
"He deserves it. He deserves it," outfielder Jay Bruce told reporters. "He's right up there in the conversation for the best player in the league this year."
Remaining Ballot
2. SP Corey Kluber
3. SS Francisco Lindor
4. SP Carlos Carrasco
5. DH Edwin Encarnacion
Colorado Rockies: CF Charlie Blackmon
9 of 30
Stats: .328/.397/.598, 208 H, 85 XBH (36 HR), 100 RBI, 136 R, 6.0 WAR
MVP Overview
Charlie Blackmon and Nolan Arenado are both legitimate NL MVP candidates, which made this the toughest decision of any team, by far.
Arenado leads the NL in doubles (43) and RBI (129) and has a sizable advantage over Blackmon in terms of WAR (6.8 to 6.0).
However, Blackmon leads the league in batting average (.328), hits (208), triples (14), runs scored (136) and total bases (379) as he's putting together one of the greatest seasons of all time by a leadoff hitter.
Arenado is a more impactful defender and his home/road splits are not quite as drastic, but it's impossible to overlook just how complete a stat line Blackmon has put together as the catalyst of the offense.
Really, you can't go wrong siding with either player in this argument.
Remaining Ballot
2. 3B Nolan Arenado
3. SP Jon Gray
4. RP Greg Holland
5. 2B DJ LeMahieu
Detroit Tigers: SP Michael Fulmer
10 of 30
Stats: 10-12, 3.83 ERA, 1.15 WHIP, 114 K, 164.2 IP, 3.5 WAR
MVP Overview
Here's a quick rundown of the Detroit Tigers' WAR leaders this season:
Only three of those players are still wearing a Tigers uniform (those names not in italics).
Michael Fulmer didn't quite match his rookie success, and his season ended prematurely when he underwent ulnar nerve transposition surgery earlier this month.
Still, he looks like one of the few building blocks on a team facing a lengthy rebuild.
Remaining Ballot
2. 2B Ian Kinsler
3. 3B Nicholas Castellanos
4. RP Shane Greene
5. SS Jose Iglesias
Houston Astros: 2B Jose Altuve
11 of 30
Stats: .347/.413/.552, 200 H, 66 XBH (24 HR), 81 RBI, 109 R, 32 SB, 8.3 WAR
MVP Overview
Jose Altuve had a strong case for AL MVP last season when he finished third in the voting behind Mike Trout and Mookie Betts.
Since the Houston Astros are running away with the AL West this season after missing the playoffs last year, he appears to have an even better chance of taking home the hardware this year.
The 27-year-old has reached the 200-hit mark for the fourth consecutive season and is on his way to a third batting title with a career-best .347 average.
He's also proved last season's power surge was the real deal with another 20-homer campaign and continues to be a solid defender (3 DRS) at second base.
Altuve was an easy choice at the top of the Astros' ballot, but singling out just four more players to fill out the remaining ballot was tricky.
Josh Reddick landed in the No. 5 spot ahead of guys such as Dallas Keuchel, Alex Bregman, Brad Peacock, Ken Giles, Charlie Morton and Chris Devenski.
Remaining Ballot
2. CF George Springer
3. SS Carlos Correa
4. UT Marwin Gonzalez
5. RF Josh Reddick
Kansas City Royals: 1B Eric Hosmer
12 of 30
Stats: .319/.385/.496, 189 H, 56 XBH (24 HR), 92 RBI, 96 R, 3.9 WAR
MVP Overview
It's telling of the direction the Kansas City Royals are headed in that the top three players on their team MVP ballot are all ticketed for free agency.
Eric Hosmer, Lorenzo Cain and Mike Moustakas have all turned in strong seasons, and each has a case to be the choice.
Cain remains a standout two-way player in center field and Moustakas set a franchise record with 38 home runs, but we'll go with the stellar all-around offensive season that Hosmer has posted.
The 27-year-old has a .319/.385/.496 line that puts him third in the AL in batting average, fourth in on-base percentage and 14th in OPS.
And it looks like he'll be the one the front office makes a push to re-sign.
"The Kansas City Royals love Eric Hosmer, and all signs suggest they will try to keep him even if it won't be easy," wrote Jon Heyman of FanRag Sports.
It's likely going to take $100 million-plus to get a deal done, so we shall see.
Remaining Ballot
2. CF Lorenzo Cain
3. 3B Mike Moustakas
4. 2B Whit Merrifield
5. C Salvador Perez
Los Angeles Angels: CF Mike Trout
13 of 30
Stats: .306/.444/.622, 120 H, 59 XBH (31 HR), 70 RBI, 90 R, 22 SB, 6.3 WAR
MVP Overview
Mike Trout missed 39 games with a fractured thumb. If not for that, he'd once again be at the forefront of the AL MVP conversation.
It's closer than some might think, but he's still the clear choice for team MVP even with that time missed.
Shortstop Andrelton Simmons is the other strong contender. He's the team leader with a 7.3 WAR that trails only Jose Altuve (8.3) and Aaron Judge (7.8) among all AL position players. Aside from his usual phenomenal defense (33 DRS, 17.1 UZR/150), he's also enjoying a career year offensively with a 103 OPS+.
Still, we're talking about a generational talent in Trout, and he's made more of an impact in 111 games than most players make over multiple seasons.
Remaining Ballot
2. SS Andrelton Simmons
3. C Martin Maldonado
4. RP Blake Parker
5. SP J.C. Ramirez
Los Angeles Dodgers: 3B Justin Turner
14 of 30
Stats: .321/.415/.530, 144 H, 52 XBH (21 HR), 70 RBI, 72 R, 5.5 WAR
MVP Overview
The Los Angeles Dodgers might have three players finish in the top 10 in NL MVP voting.
Justin Turner, Corey Seager and Cody Bellinger have all enjoyed terrific seasons, but their status as teammates likely means they'll do enough vote-splitting to keep from being legitimate contenders to win the award.
It also makes this a tough decision.
Let's look at the statistical leaderboard:
- BA: Turner (.321), Seager (.295), Bellinger (.269)
- OPS: Turner (.945), Bellinger (.942), Seager (.856)
- HR: Bellinger (39), Seager (22), Turner (21)
- RBI: Bellinger (96), Seager (76), Turner (70)
- DRS: Seager (9), Bellinger (8), Turner (5)
- dWAR: Seager (1.6), Turner (0.7), Bellinger (0.1)
- WAR: Turner (5.5), Seager (5.4), Bellinger (4.3)
There's no wrong answer, but we'll go with Turner as the OPS and WAR leader.
Remaining Ballot
2. SS Corey Seager
3. 1B/LF Cody Bellinger
4. SP Clayton Kershaw
5. RP Kenley Jansen
Miami Marlins: RF Giancarlo Stanton
15 of 30
Stats: .276/.373/.625, 160 H, 88 XBH (57 HR), 126 RBI, 118 R, 7.2 WAR
MVP Overview
Marcell Ozuna has been a revelation for the Miami Marlins.
The 26-year-old is hitting .309/.374/.544 with 36 home runs and 119 RBI for a 5.5 WAR, and he'd be a layup selection for team MVP honors on almost any other club.
And yet, his monster season has gone unnoticed in the shadow of Giancarlo Stanton.
A run at 60 home runs tends to have that effect.
Stanton sealed his place as team MVP with his ridiculous August (1.332 OPS, 18 HR, 37 RBI), and all told he has 31 home runs and 68 RBI in 69 games since the All-Star break.
He'll put the idea that the MVP winner should come from a playoff contender to the test, as it's looking more and more like he'll go head-to-head with Paul Goldschmidt for NL honors.
Remaining Ballot
2. LF Marcell Ozuna
3. CF Christian Yelich
4. C J.T. Realmuto
5. SP Jose Urena
Milwaukee Brewers: 3B Travis Shaw
16 of 30
Stats: .273/.348/.518, 144 H, 66 XBH (31 HR), 99 RBI, 80 R, 10 SB, 4.1 WAR
MVP Overview
Surprise contributions from up and down the roster allowed the Milwaukee Brewers to emerge as contenders in what was expected to be a rebuilding year.
Travis Shaw has been among the most pleasant surprises.
After posting a .726 OPS with 34 doubles, 16 home runs and 71 RBI last season with the Boston Red Sox, he was traded during the winter meetings for standout reliever Tyler Thornburg.
The 27-year-old was handed the starting third base job outright and found himself penciled into the cleanup spot in the lineup on Opening Day, and he hasn't looked back.
Outside of Chris Sale's move to the Red Sox, there might not have been a more impactful offseason pickup than Shaw. With his middle-of-the-order power, plus glove and team control through the 2021 season, the Brewers appear to have struck gold.
Remaining Ballot
2. SP Jimmy Nelson
3. RP Corey Knebel
4. SP Chase Anderson
5. RF Domingo Santana
Minnesota Twins: CF Byron Buxton
17 of 30
Stats: .255/.317/.418, 116 H, 36 XBH (16 HR), 51 RBI, 68 R, 28 SB, 5.3 WAR
MVP Overview
For the more traditional fan who still values gaudy offensive numbers above all else, Brian Dozier is an easy choice for the Minnesota Twins.
Heck, even first baseman Joe Mauer would have a far better case than Byron Buxton, as he ranks among the AL leaders in batting average (.305, eighth) and on-base percentage (.381, fifth), albeit with limited power production at a power-centric position (seven home runs).
So what makes Buxton the clear choice? Simply put, his glove.
The 23-year-old has been nothing short of phenomenal in center field as he ranks third among all position players with 25 DRS, just ahead of Kevin Kiermaier (23) for the lead among center fielders.
He's also taken a modest step forward offensively, raising his average (.225 to .255) and OPS (.714 to .734) while making an impact on the bases with 28 steals in 29 attempts.
At this point, anything he contributes offensively is icing on the cake—he's that valuable defensively.
Remaining Ballot
2. 2B Brian Dozier
3. SP Ervin Santana
4. SP Jose Berrios
5. 1B Joe Mauer
New York Mets: SP Jacob deGrom
18 of 30
Stats: 15-10, 3.53 ERA, 1.19 WHIP, 239 K, 201.1 IP, 5.0 WAR
MVP Overview
The bright spots have been few and far between for the New York Mets this season.
Michael Conforto would have been an easy choice if his season hadn't ended prematurely with a significant left shoulder injury, limiting him to 109 games in a breakout offensive season.
So instead, we'll go with Jacob deGrom, the one member of the starting rotation who has pulled his weight.
Manager Terry Collins told reporters:
"Certainly, with the breakdown of the pitching staff, he's turned into the ace. He became the guy to turn to when things were tough. When we lost a few in a row, you're always looking to see where he's going to pitch again, because you knew that this guy takes it and he competes and he stops losing streaks. That's what he's done."
The 29-year-old ranks among the NL leaders in strikeouts (239, second) and strikeouts per nine innings (10.7, third), and he surpassed the 200-inning mark for the first time in his career.
No other pitcher on the roster reached 120 innings.
Remaining Ballot
2. CF Michael Conforto
3. SS Asdrubal Cabrera
4. RP Jerry Blevins
5. 3B Wilmer Flores
New York Yankees: RF Aaron Judge
19 of 30
Stats: .284/.421/.622, 151 H, 77 XBH (50 HR), 111 RBI, 125 R, 7.8 WAR
MVP Overview
"Aaron Judge has completely fallen apart in the second half."
After an admittedly brutal month of August, he's been the hottest hitter in baseball down the stretch for a team that was battling for a playoff spot. Since the calendar turned over to September, he's posted a 1.350 OPS with 13 home runs and 29 RBI in 24 games.
"He's a one-dimensional player; all he does is hit a home run or strikeout."
While those 204 strikeouts do jump off the page, so too should the 124 walks, which are a new rookie record. With an 18.6 percent walk rate, he's been one of the best on-base threats in the game, leading to an AL-high 125 runs scored.
"Defense is important, too, and there are plenty of better defensive outfielders."
Actually, Judge has been borderline elite in right field from a metrics standpoint. He's one of just 13 outfielders with at least 10 DRS, and he's shown plus range for a 6'7", 282-pound man (7.4 UZR/150) as well.
Simply put, Judge transformed the New York Yankees' season with his monster first half, and his equally impressive finish went a long way toward securing a playoff spot.
Remaining Ballot
2. SP Luis Severino
3. C Gary Sanchez
4. SS Didi Gregorius
5. RP Chad Green
Oakland Athletics: LF Khris Davis
20 of 30
Stats: .241/.329/.519, 133 H, 69 XBH (42 HR), 108 RBI, 87 R, 1.9 WAR
MVP Overview
The Oakland Athletics have a storied history that stretches all the way back to 1901, and there's been no shortage of Hall of Fame talent on the team over the years.
In all that time, only two players have hit 40-plus home runs in consecutive seasons.
One was Jimmie Foxx, who did it three years in a row from 1932 to 1934 while winning a pair of AL MVP awards and a Triple Crown.
The other is Khris Davis.
The 29-year-old has posted nearly identical numbers to his debut with the A's last season, aside from a marked improvement in his walk rate (6.9 to 11.2 percent) and subsequent bump in his on-base percentage (.307 to .329).
He still strikes out a ton and he's a below-average defender, but he's turned into one of the game's most dangerous home run threats.
Remaining Ballot
2. 2B Jed Lowrie
3. 1B Matt Olson
4. SP Sean Manaea
5. RF Matt Joyce
Philadelphia Phillies: SP Aaron Nola
21 of 30
Stats: 27 GS, 12-11, 3.54 ERA, 1.21 WHIP, 184 K, 168.0 IP, 4.3 WAR
MVP Overview
For a Philadelphia Phillies team on the upswing of a rebuild, a step backward from 91 losses a year ago to 95 and counting this season has been a disappointment.
However, the future remains bright thanks to their collection of young talent, and one player who has broken through is Aaron Nola.
After a strong debut in 2015 (13 GS, 6-2, 3.59 ERA), he saw his ERA climb to 4.78 last season, and he was limited to just 20 starts while dealing with an elbow strain.
The No. 7 overall pick in the 2014 draft has come back strong this season, though, ranking among the best strikeout pitchers in the game.
His 9.86 K/9 ranks 15th among qualified starters and ahead of names such as Zack Greinke, Justin Verlander, Carlos Martinez, Jon Lester and Gerrit Cole.
It remains to be seen whether he'll take another step forward and develop into a true ace, but as it stands, he's an awfully good No. 2/3 starter on a contending team.
Remaining Ballot
2. LF Rhys Hoskins
3. 2B Cesar Hernandez
4. OF Aaron Altherr
5. RP Hector Neris
Pittsburgh Pirates: RP Felipe Rivero
22 of 30
Stats: 20/22 SV, 14 HLD, 1.70 ERA, 0.90 WHIP, 87 K, 74.1 IP, 2.6 WAR
MVP Overview
It's generally not a great sign for a team's success when its MVP honor goes to a reliever, and that rings true with the Pittsburgh Pirates.
While a 73-85 record has been disappointing, it appears they've found an elite bullpen arm in left-hander Felipe Rivero.
The club acquired the 26-year-old from the Washington Nationals in the Mark Melancon trade last summer.
He had to wait his turn behind Tony Watson and Juan Nicasio, but since taking over the closer's role in June, he's been virtually untouchable.
With an electric fastball (98.8 mph) and an unhittable slider (.067 BAA, .022 ISO), he has the tools to succeed in the ninth inning for years.
Remaining Ballot
2. CF Andrew McCutchen
3. 2B Josh Harrison
4. SP Gerrit Cole
5. 1B Josh Bell
San Diego Padres: CF Manuel Margot
23 of 30
Stats: .267/.317/.415, 128 H, 38 XBH (13 HR), 39 RBI, 53 R, 17 SB, 3.0 WAR
MVP Overview
A disappointing season from perceived franchise cornerstone Wil Myers left the race for San Diego Padres team MVP wide-open.
Reliever Brad Hand was the club's lone All-Star, and he's had a terrific season serving as both the primary setup man and then closer, posting a 2.18 ERA and 11.8 K/9 with 16 holds and 20 saves in 25 chances.
However, we'll go with rookie center fielder Manuel Margot thanks to his standout defensive work in center field and a quiet mix of power and speed at the plate.
The 23-year-old has tallied 11 DRS and a 10.3 UZR/150 while spending half his games patrolling spacious Petco Park, and he's one of just three rookies with double digits in both home runs and stolen bases.
And that might be just the start.
"His ability to utilize advance information is still in its primitive form," manager Andy Green told reporters. "There's stuff he can use to be elite. Right now, he's still scratching the surface. It's fun to dream on that and think about what it looks like when it's fully formed."
Remaining Ballot
2. RP Brad Hand
3. 1B Wil Myers
4. SP Jhoulys Chacin
5. SP Clayton Richard
San Francisco Giants: C Buster Posey
24 of 30
Stats: .313/.394/.449, 152 H, 42 XBH (12 HR), 64 RBI, 58 R, 3.7 WAR
MVP Overview
Buster Posey might have been the easiest choice for team MVP honors.
It's been a dreadful season for the San Francisco Giants, and with Madison Bumgarner missing significant time and both Brandon Belt and Johnny Cueto seeing their numbers decline across the board, there wasn't any other choice.
Posey ranks fifth in the NL with a .313 batting average, and he'll bat over .300 for the fifth time in his stellar career.
He's also ninth in the NL with a .394 on-base percentage, and his .844 OPS trails only Gary Sanchez (.883) among qualified catchers.
Throw in a 38 percent caught-stealing rate and positive pitch-framing marks, per StatCorner, and he's still the best two-way backstop in the game.
Remaining Ballot
2. 1B Brandon Belt
3. SP Jeff Samardzija
4. SS Brandon Crawford
5. 2B Joe Panik
Seattle Mariners: DH Nelson Cruz
25 of 30
Stats: .289/.376/.550, 157 H, 66 XBH (38 HR), 117 RBI, 89 R, 4.0 WAR
MVP Overview
Nelson Cruz played just 28 innings in the outfield this season—by far his lowest total in any full year—so he was a true one-way player in the designated hitter role.
Yet, he still managed to pace the Seattle Mariners with 4 WAR as he continued to be one of the game's most consistent middle-of-the-order bats.
The 37-year-old ranks among the AL leaders in OPS (.925, fifth), home runs (38, fourth), RBI (117, first) and total bases (299, seventh) as he's turned in his fourth straight season with at least 30 homers and 90 RBI.
James Paxton might have been the choice if he had stayed healthy for the entire year.
The left-hander is 12-5 with a 3.12 ERA, 1.13 WHIP and 10.2 K/9, but he was limited to 23 starts and 130 innings while nursing left forearm and left pectoral injuries.
Catcher Mike Zunino also deserves a mention. He's posted a .907 OPS with 24 home runs and 60 RBI in 98 games since returning from a May demotion to the minors.
Remaining Ballot
2. SP James Paxton
3. 2B Robinson Cano
4. C Mike Zunino
5. RF Mitch Haniger
St. Louis Cardinals: LF Tommy Pham
26 of 30
Stats: .309/.412/.528, 134 H, 47 XBH (23 HR), 73 RBI, 92 R, 23 SB, 6.0 WAR
MVP Overview
Lou Brock, Brian Jordan, Ray Lankford, Reggie Sanders and Fernando Tatis.
That was a list of all the players who had posted a 20/20 season in the long history of the St. Louis Cardinals prior to Tommy Pham joining that group this season.
Quite an accomplishment for a player who didn't even make the team out of spring training after losing out on the fourth outfielder job to Jose Martinez.
It's been a long and winding road to MLB success for the 29-year-old as he dealt with injuries throughout his time in the minors, but there's no question he's been the most productive player in the St. Louis lineup all season.
Credit Carlos Martinez for continuing his emergence as the ace of the staff, and the team might not have hung around in the wild-card race if not for the unexpected contributions of Paul DeJong, who played his way into the No. 3 spot in the lineup.
Team MVP has to go to Pham, though.
Remaining Ballot
2. SP Carlos Martinez
3. SS Paul DeJong
4. SP Lance Lynn
5. 1B Matt Carpenter
Tampa Bay Rays: 1B Logan Morrison
27 of 30
Stats: .242/.349/.509, 121 H, 59 XBH (37 HR), 83 RBI, 73 R, 3.3 WAR
MVP Overview
It cost the Tampa Bay Rays just $2.5 million to bring Logan Morrison back on a one-year deal this past offseason.
The 30-year-old didn't exactly light the world on fire in his first go-around with the team last year, posting a .733 OPS with 14 home runs and 43 RBI for a 0.5 WAR.
However, he's been one of the breakout performers of 2017 with a career-high 37 home runs and an .858 OPS that is good for 16th in the AL.
He'll be facing free agency once again this winter, and even with the declining market for power hitters, he's still earned a decent-sized raise with a chance for a multiyear deal.
Kevin Kiermaier has been his usual standout self defensively (23 DRS) and received serious consideration, but he's only played 97 games after missing time with a right hip fracture.
Remaining Ballot
2. CF Kevin Kiermaier
3. RF Steven Souza
4. RP Alex Colome
5. SP Alex Cobb
Texas Rangers: SS Elvis Andrus
28 of 30
Stats: .299/.339/.475, 188 H, 66 XBH (20 HR), 87 RBI, 99 R, 25 SB, 4.8 WAR
MVP Overview
This was another case of the front-runner for team MVP honors missing just enough time for someone else to sneak in and steal the award.
Adrian Beltre has been his usual productive self this season with a .311/.382/.533 line, but he's only played 93 games after missing most of the first two months of the season with a right calf injury.
Meanwhile, Elvis Andrus has enjoyed a breakout offensive season from a power standpoint.
The 29-year-old entered the year with 35 career home runs in 5,203 plate appearances, and he had never hit more than eight in a single season.
This year, he's launched 20 on his way to a career-high .814 OPS, and he's spent much of the second half hitting in the No. 3 spot in the lineup.
He's also been a threat on the bases once again with 25 steals, and he has a positive DRS (4) at shortstop for the first time since 2013.
Remaining Ballot
2. 3B Adrian Beltre
3. SP Andrew Cashner
4. 1B/3B Joey Gallo
5. C Robinson Chirinos
Toronto Blue Jays: SP Marcus Stroman
29 of 30
Stats: 13-8, 3.06 ERA, 1.30 WHIP, 162 K, 197.0 IP, 5.8 WAR
MVP Overview
Josh Donaldson is yet another example of an MVP-caliber player who saw his season interrupted by injuries.
The 2015 AL MVP has been limited to 111 games after missing time early with a calf injury, but he's still managed to post a .953 OPS with 33 home runs and 77 RBI in 488 plate appearances on his way to a 4.9 WAR.
That would have been good enough to take home team MVP honors on a number of other clubs.
However, for the Toronto Blue Jays, emerging ace Marcus Stroman gets the nod.
The 26-year-old was a popular pick to break out heading into the 2016 season, but he went just 9-10 with a 4.37 ERA and 1.29 WHIP on his way to a 1.5 WAR.
That breakout has come a year later, and with his devastating sinker/slider mix and a bevy of secondary offerings to keep hitters off-balance, he has the tools to be an anchor atop the rotation for years to come.
Remaining Ballot
2. 3B Josh Donaldson
3. 1B Justin Smoak
4. CF Kevin Pillar
5. SP Marco Estrada
Washington Nationals: 3B Anthony Rendon
30 of 30
Stats: .299/.400/.529, 149 H, 66 XBH (24 HR), 97 RBI, 76 R, 5.9 WAR
MVP Overview
The Washington Nationals have six players who could legitimately pop up somewhere on MVP ballots, so a tip of the cap to Stephen Strasburg, who didn't even crack the team ballot here despite being among the leading NL Cy Young candidates.
Bryce Harper was in the middle of another MVP season before a knee injury cost him 42 games, which opened the door for Anthony Rendon to claim team MVP honors.
The 27-year-old won NL Comeback Player of the Year last season, and he's improved his production across the board in 2017 while taking on more of a run-production role.
He's set personal bests in batting average (.299), doubles (41), home runs (24) and RBI (97), and his .929 OPS is good for 12th in the NL and a huge improvement over last year's .797 mark.
It's still hard to believe he wasn't an All-Star.
Remaining Ballot
2. SP Max Scherzer
3. RF Bryce Harper
4. 2B Daniel Murphy
5. 1B Ryan Zimmerman
All stats courtesy of Baseball Reference, FanGraphs and Brooks Baseball and accurate through Tuesday's games.
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