MLB Awards: Mookie Betts eyes MVP and another hardware sweep

Here’s hoping Mookie Betts has an expansive mantel in his house. Or a jumbo trophy case, or something.

Betts recently earned his fifth consecutive Gold Glove award and his fourth Silver Slugger in five years. Last month, he won his second World Series title in three years — and he just might be due for a second MVP award in that same span.

He’s up against a pair of formidable first-time MVP hopefuls in Freddie Freeman and Manny Machado. On the American League side, either Jose Abreu, DJ LeMahieu or Jose Ramirez will come away with the award for the first time.

Here’s what you should know about each MVP candidate:

National League

Mookie Betts, Los Angeles Dodgers
Position: RF
2020 stats: GP: 55 | HR: 16 | AVG: .292 | OBP: .366 | SLG: .562 | OPS+: 149 | 3.4 bWAR

In no time at all, Betts has made Red Sox fans everywhere eat their hearts out. He was already a superstar when he was traded to the Dodgers in February, but contributing to a championship in his first season out west must have been a bit of a knife twist.

His regular season wasn’t too shabby, either. Betts didn’t stand out in any particular category, though he finished top-five in the NL in home runs and steals (10). More importantly, his balanced stat line led the highest bWAR total in the majors (hitters and pitchers included).

This is Betts’ first time competing for the MVP on the NL side, but he finished eighth or better in voting on the AL side each of the past four years (including, of course, his 2018 MVP).

HOW did he do that!?

Mookie Betts with an throw to 3rd.

: @MLB pic.twitter.com/r7kIQbVMf1

— Sportsnet (@Sportsnet) August 1, 2020

Freddie Freeman, Atlanta Braves
Position: 1B
2020 stats: GP: 60 | HR: 13 | AVG: .341 | OBP: .462 | SLG: .640 | OPS+: 186 | 2.9 bWAR

Considering how Freeman’s season started, it’s impressive — if not surprising — to see things potentially end with an MVP award. In early July, prior to opening day, Freeman battled feverish temperatures after testing positive for COVID-19.

Still, he managed to turn in a full season and lead the majors in runs scored (51) and doubles (23), while finishing second in batting average, on-base percentage and OPS.

Freeman started sluggishly, batting just .200 in the first quarter of the season, before going berserk over the final 45 games. In that span, he reached base in all but two games.

The two-time reigning Silver Slugger winner has been a top-10 MVP candidate four times, but has never finished higher than fourth.

Manny Machado, San Diego Padres
Position: 3B
2020 stats: GP: 60 | HR: 16 | AVG: .304 | OBP: .370 | SLG: .580 | OPS+: 158 | 2.8 bWAR

Machado didn’t get off to the most rocking start on his 10-year, $300 million contract with the Padres in 2019, accruing a pedestrian 110 OPS+ and 2.6 bWAR. This season, however, Machado really earned his paycheque.

Keep in mind that his 2.6 bWAR last year came in 156 games. In just 60 games this year, he was worth more than that!

Like Freeman, Machado started awfully slow (.193 batting average in first 15 games). He obviously finished strong, en route to his first Silver Slugger award. Coincidentally, he finished strong in a game-to-game sense as well, posting a 1.172 OPS in the seventh inning or later this season.

After not receiving any MVP votes the past three years, Machado is back in the spotlight for the right reasons.

The Padres were down one run in the bottom of the 10th … until this

MANNY. MACHADO. WALKOFF. SLAM. pic.twitter.com/LyZv6X8H2g

— SportsCenter (@SportsCenter) August 20, 2020

American League

Jose Abreu, Chicago White Sox
Position: 1B
2020 stats: GP: 60 | HR: 19 | AVG: .317 | OBP: .370 | SLG: .617 | OPS+: 166 | 2.8 bWAR

Abreu burst onto the MLB scene in 2014 to snatch Rookie of the Year honours, but he hasn’t been able to capture the same magic since then. Until now.

In 2020, Abreu torched pitchers and led the majors in total bases (148) and RBIs (60), while also leading the AL in hits (60) and slugging percentage.

Most of those are counting stats, but just know his production wasn’t a fluke: Baseball Savant tells us that Abreu was in the 91st percentile or better in expected batting average, expected slugging percentage, expected wOBA, barrel percentage, hard-hit percentage and exit velocity.

Back in 2014, Abreu was a 27-year-old rookie at the MLB level. He’d been an MVP before, but only in the Cuban National Series league, where he played from ages 16 to 25. He finished fourth in MVP voting in the majors in 2014, but hasn’t cracked the top-10 since.

DJ LeMahieu, New York Yankees
Position: INF
2020 stats: GP: 50 | HR: 10 | AVG: .364 | OBP: .421 | SLG: .590 | OPS+: 177 | 2.8 bWAR

Let’s just say LeMahieu has figured out his timing.

In the 2018 off-season, he entered free agency after two subpar seasons and netted a two-year, $24 million deal with the Yankees. After what he did this season, LeMahieu is due for a much bigger payday.

LeMahieu grabbed the AL batting title, and also led the league in on-base percentage, OPS and OPS+. He won his second consecutive Silver Slugger award, too.

What might hurt LeMahieu is that he missed 10 games with a left thumb sprain. Normally, missing 10 games isn’t a big deal. But this year, that meant missing a sixth of the season (i.e. the equivalent of 27 games in a typical season).

Jose Ramirez, Cleveland Indians
Position: 3B
2020 stats: GP: 58 | HR: 17 | AVG: .292 | OBP: .386 | SLG: .607 | OPS+: 163 | 2.2 bWAR

After back-to-back third-place finishes in the AL MVP race in 2017 and ’18, Ramirez pulled a great disappearing act last season. He was a borderline average offensive player (106 OPS+) whose power numbers dipped in a seriously concerning way.

This season, he turned himself around by posting career highs in slugging percentage and OPS, while also leading the AL in runs (45). He brought his power back too, hitting a home run every 12.9 at-bats (compared to a home run every 21 at-bats in 2019).

Ramirez might win the award anyway, but he’d be a shoo-in if he’d only had to face lefties all year. The switch hitter posted a 1.407 OPS in 67 plate appearances against left-handers and hit an astounding eight home runs (i.e. one every seven plate appearances).

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