Freeman, Tatis, or Betts: Breaking Down the Wide-Open National League MVP Race
The Los Angeles Dodgers' Mookie Betts, the San Diego Padres' Fernando Tatis Jr. or Atlanta's Freddie Freeman—who deserves to win National League MVP honors? There isn't really a wrong answer.
But is one answer the most correct?
First, here are the three players' stats entering play Thursday:
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There is a case to be made for all of them. Let's make those cases one by one and then arrive at a pick with which you are free to disagree. That's half the fun of these awards, right?
The Case for Betts
Betts has been everything the Dodgers hoped he would be when they acquired him from the Boston Red Sox in February and inked him to a 12-year, $365 million contract extension in July.
The 27-year-old right fielder has flashed eye-opening power. In a 162-game season he'd likely have vaulted past the career-best 32 homers he hit in 2018, when he won an AL MVP with the Red Sox.
He's got plus speed, which he's used to swipe bags and cover ground in the outfield, as evidenced by his nine defensive runs saved.
He took on an immediate leadership role with Los Angeles, one of the game's biggest-market clubs and the team with the best record in baseball.
He's got the credentials. He's got the results. And he's the premier player on one of MLB's premier squads.
"I think anyone, whether it be a coach, a fan, a member of the media, can look at stats," manager Dave Roberts told reporters. "But when you see a guy day in and day out and the impact he has on a clubhouse, certainly, [he's been] considerably better than I expected—and I had lofty goals anyway."
The Case for Tatis Jr.
Tatis got off to a superlative start with the Padres in 2019 before a back injury cut his season short and denied him a shot at NL Rookie of the Year (even though he played only 84 games, he still finished third for the award).
Now, the second-generation star has his sights aimed higher.
At the tender age of 21, Tatis looks like a seasoned big leaguer. The combination of power and wheels could have made him a 40-30 player over a 162-game slate.
Tatis has also emerged as a well-above-average fielder at a premium position, something he committed to doing after enduring some defensive bumps in his rookie campaign.
Tatis' Padres aren't going to catch Betts' Dodgers in the NL West, but the Friars have the second-best record in the Senior Circuit and figure to be a force in the postseason.
Tatis is flashy, hyper-talented and could soon be the face of not only his team but the entire sport.
The Case for Freeman
In July, Freddie Freeman's season was in jeopardy because of a severe case of COVID-19. Two months later, he's anchoring the offense for first-place Atlanta.
The 31-year-old is locked in a tight tussle with the Washington Nationals' Juan Soto (a dark-horse MVP candidate himself) for a batting title. He's gotten on base at an impressive .457 clip, second in the NL to Soto and ahead of Betts and Tatis.
His 51 RBI are also second in the NL behind teammate Marcell Ozuna, and his 22 doubles lead the league. Defensively, he's been better-than-average at first base.
While WAR is not a be-all, end-all statistic, it is a pretty decent measure of value, and Freeman leads the NL in that metric.
Atlanta is on track to win the NL East, and Freeman is a major reason why.
"I've seen on some of the shows they've done, talking about how Freddie is warranting all this attention," skipper Brian Snitker told reporters. "And he probably hasn't gotten the credit and attention he deserves for the elite player he is. He's definitely in the same breath as all those guys."
Our Pick
With several games left in the season, any member of this trio could get scalding—or frigid—and make this a slightly easier decision. In a shortened campaign, stats can change fast.
At the moment, though, we're giving the nod to Betts.
Tatis has been stellar and may have multiple MVPs waiting in his blindingly bright future. But he's hit just .200 with a .650 OPS this September with 17 strikeouts in 65 at-bats. MVPs shouldn't wilt during the stretch run of a playoff push.
Freeman, meanwhile, is highly deserving. But he plays a less defensively taxing position and doesn't play it as well as Betts and Tatis play theirs. Plus, he lacks the speed that makes the other two legitimate five-tool players.
Betts does everything well. He does it for 2020's best team by record. And he's posted a .905 OPS with five home runs in September, producing when it counts the most.
Again, there is no wrong answer. But Betts feels like the right one.
All statistics courtesy of Baseball Reference and FanGraphs and current as of Thursday.
