Two months of the 2017 MLB season are out of the way. Looking back at the last two months and looking ahead to the next four, who are the MVP candidates?
Which five players are most deserving of AL honors? Which five of their National League counterparts are most worthy?
What two New York outfielders make the list? Which two left-handed aces need to be considered for more than just the Cy Young Award in their respective leagues? What surprising candidates does the American League Central have to offer? How many realistic MVP options come out of Washington D.C.?
Before we go any further, we have to address someone you won’t be seeing, Mike Trout. If we were trying to find an MVP for the first two months of the season, Trout would top the American League list. But we’re naming the best candidates for the award that will be given out at the end of the season.
Trout’s injury makes him a less than viable candidate. It will keep his stats from being overwhelming compared to everyone else’s and also probably keep the Los Angeles Angels from being contenders. So, Trout’s chances of producing big moments down the stretch are minimal. Unfortunately, those odds are tough to overcome, even for the game’s best player.
Fortunately, we have several other options. Who are the 10 most viable MLB MVP candidates?
Note: Stats and records are all accurate effective play at the end of the games on Wednesday, May 31.