ESPN picks AL, NL MVP winners
— -- We had 27 experts pick who they think will win the MVP in the AL and the NL. The voting breakdown is listed below as well as the votes of our experts.
Who will win the AL MVP award?
MLB's WAR leader (10.6) and the lone player in double digits, Trout also led in runs scored, walks and OBP and finished second in the AL in OPS and stolen bases, fourth in slugging and sixth in batting average. That all speaks to the broad blend of value Trout delivered on the diamond, but he also finished eighth in Defensive Runs Saved among AL center fielders.
Much of Betts' case doesn't rest on his position on the leaderboard -- not that there's anything wrong with his MLB-best 359 total bases, spiced with 31 home runs, 26 steals in 30 tries, an .897 OPS and 32 Defensive Runs Saved, which was best among right fielders. It's all of that, plus his highlight-reel defense and the context of Betts' performance coming while he spent most of the year leading off for a Red Sox team that won an always-tough AL East.
Consistency might be the key to Altuve's case. He won his second AL batting title while leading MLB in hits for a second time. He also notched his fifth straight season with 30 steals. But not everything stayed the same -- this was the season that he ratcheted up his power-speed combo by ripping a career-high 24 home runs. However, a .699 OPS in the last month of the season as the Astros tumbled out of the postseason picture didn't help him when ballots were being cast.
Who will win the NL MVP award?
Because Bryant only led the league in runs scored among the classic "back of the baseball card" stats, his case might look like an example of the best player on the best team getting the most votes. But it's more than that: Bryant also finished third in the NL in home runs and total bases, fourth in OPS and slugging and was a full win ahead of the competition with an NL-best 7.2 WAR.
Murphy almost won the batting title, losing by a point while hitting .347, and he doubled down on his newfound power by leading the league in slugging (.595), which added up to an NL-best .985 OPS. His 104 RBIs, good for fourth in the NL, and a league-leading 47 doubles all helped put him in the conversation for MVP.
(Editor's note -- Corey Seager was initially listed with one vote, which was changed to Bryant)
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