Midseason MVP Predictions

Now that most every MLB team has played or will soon play their 81st game of the 2018 season, we are officially at the halfway point of the year even though it doesn't seem like long ago when I was watching the Red Sox's opening day debacle against the Rays which, come to think of it, was nearly 3 months ago to the day.

Back in early April, I made predictions for who I thought would win certain awards, particularly the MVP award. The first 3 months of the season have certainly changed some of my picks, though certain players like Mookie Betts and Mike Trout have remained consistent. 

Considering that the MLB regular season is now officially halfway done, I thought I'd update the MVP picks for each league by selecting the 3 players most worthy of the MVP award for each league.   Additionally, I will choose 1 player for each league that I think has the best shot at winning the award, though the other 2 will be stiff competition. 

Now, let's get started with the 3 players most qualified for the American League MVP award which I originally thought would go to Francisco Lindor. He's off to a stellar start thus far, but he has fallen just shy of an MVP caliber player.

It was a close call between Martinez and Altuve for one of the AL MVP spots, but I'm certain I made the correct choice. Not only does J.D. lead all of baseball in home runs and RBI, but he's also 5th in batting average in all of baseball as well. J.D. is more than just a slugger, he's one of the best hitters in baseball right now, something he proves every single day. Not only do I think J.D. should be a finalist for MVP, but he's my current pick to win the award. That is if he can keep going at the rate he's currently going at.

J.D. Martinez may be truly superb, but one cannot forget about Mookie Betts and what he has done so far this year. His right side injury saw him miss over 10 games, thus causing him to fall further behind J.D. Martinez and his impressive stats. However, not only has Mookie remained consistent and strong all season, but he provides something that J.D. does not; Gold Glove-caliber defense. As of now, I think Betts will fall short of J.D. for the award. But, let's say Mookie matches Martinez's level and remains one of the best defensive players in the game. Then, I could definitely see Betts winning the award.

A sure-thing AL MVP finalist every single season, Mike Trout currently finds himself slightly above Mookie Betts' level yet slightly below J.D. Martinez's level. Trout is tied for the 2nd most dingers in baseball and is top 10 in batting average. Like Mookie Betts, Trout is capable of walking away with a Gold Glove award in addition to MVP. Also, due to the impact of his name and how popular he is, his stats, as well as his name, could eventually carry him to his 3rd career AL MVP award and if he wins, it will certainly be deserved due to the tight competition among those competing for the honor.

Moving onto the NL MVP award which I originally thought would go to Bryce Harper. Unfortunately for him, his deplorable .219 batting average is making a terrible case, especially during his much-anticipated contract year. Instead, here are the 3 guys who have the best chance at taking home the award.

My personal pick for the NL MVP award is superstar 3rd baseman for the Colorado Rockies, Nolan Arenado. He is the definition of a 5-tool player and has consistently been one of the best in the game. Not only is he 6th in all of baseball in RBI, but he's also hitting a stellar .310 with 18 home runs. Nolan has been incredible for years now and is currently in his prime after turning 27 in April. He's come up short over the last couple years, but I'm convinced that, if he keeps this up, 2018 will be different for Arenado.

Arenado's biggest competition for the NL MVP award is a fellow defensive phenom, Atlanta Braves star 1st baseman, Freddie Freeman. He and Arenado are basically neck-and-neck in a variety of categories, including batting average and RBI. However, Nolan has a slight advantage when it comes to power hitting which will certainly play into factor as the season progresses. While I certainly give Freeman the world of credit for leading the Braves to a .570 win percentage as of today, Arenado's talent speaks for itself, and it usually improves as the season draws to a close.

Javier Baez may be a surprising pick if you don't know what he's been doing this season. Not only has he been one of the best defensive players in the game, including his MVP competitors, but he has more RBI than Arenado and Freeman as well. Additionally, he has 16 home runs which are more than Freddie and almost as many as Nolan. It's simply the .280 batting average holding him back. Don't get me wrong, it's still very good. But to be the NL MVP, it simply has to be better. Therefore, all it takes is for Baez to hit .295 or better. Then, he has the best shot out of all 3 of these guys to take home the award.