One of my good friends, Chris (follow him on Twitter @mrwsa11), and I have compiled a list of contenders for this year’s Cy Young and MVP awards in each conference.
A.L. Cy Young
Zach Britton (Baltimore)
The Orioles closer has been unreal pretty much all year. He has 40 saves, 62 strikeouts, and an insane 0.65 ERA. Since May 1st, Britton has only allowed one earned run, and is the clear cut favorite for the Cy Young.
Corey Kluber (Cleveland)
The Indians ace is sporting a win-lose record of 15 and 9, helping to lead the charge for the club’s rotation. With 198 strikeouts and an ERA slightly above 3, he may benefit from the fact that voters usually don’t consider voting for closers (i.e. Britton) for the Cy Young.
Rick Porcello (Boston)
With an outstanding 20-3 record, Porcello has the best record amongst all pictures. It has been a resurgent year for him as he leads the Red Sox staff.
N.L. Cy Young
Max Scherzer (Washington)
The Nationals ace is top 5 in wins, strikeouts, WHIP, and ERA. He is also tied for the most wins in all of baseball. It’s hard to argue against him.
“The 3 Cubbies” (Chicago)
Jon Lester, Kyle Hendricks, and Jake Arrieta are all candidates for the Cy Young. Lester is top 10 in ERA, WHIP, and strikeouts. Arrieta is tied for wins in the N.L with Scherzer and Lester (16). The surprise, Kyle Hendricks, leads all of baseball in ERA. His pitching isn’t as dominate as the others, but he still makes it difficult for opposing batters.
A.L. MVP
Jose Altuve (Houston)
The Astros captain and leader, is batting .339 on the year. He leads the MLB with 190 hits, and is boasting a career best with 22 home runs and 92 RBIs. He’s your complete player.
Josh Donaldson (Toronto)
The Blue Jays star continues to be a solid all-around player in the MLB. Doesn’t matter from his bat to his glove, he has the opportunity to win his second consecutive MVP.
Mike Trout (Anaheim)
The game’s best player continues to put on a show. With his amazing defense and great hitting, Trout has proved that he will continue to dominate the majors, night in and night out.
Mookie Beets (Boston)
Beets is hitting .315 on the year with career best in home runs and RBI’s. If Beets can lead the Red Sox to a division crown, he has a legitimate chance of walking away with his first individual award.
N.L. MVP
Kris Bryant (Chicago)
In only his second year in the league, Bryant has become one of the top hitters, fielders, and base runners in all of baseball. With his versatility in these categories, he has become a clear favorite for taking home the N.L. MVP.
Daniel Murphy (Washington)
Murphy leads the N.L. in batting average, slugging percentage and OPS. This makes him a viable candidate.
Nolan Arenado (Colorado)
He leads the N.L. in home runs and RBI’s for the second straight year. You can’t argue against those accolades.
Anthony Rizzo (Chicago)
Rizzo is on track to hit 30 homers and over 100 RBI’s for his second consecutive year. With him being the leader for the best team in baseball, he will continue to be a contender.
JGoodWithSports 