Josh Donaldson, Mike Trout Battling It Out Again For AL MVP Honors

Just one player this century has repeated as the American League Most Valuable Player: Detroit’s Miguel Cabrera, a future first-ballot Hall of Famer, in 2012-13. Could Blue Jays third baseman Josh Donaldson join that club this winter? He’s the +325 second-favourite on Sports Interaction’s MLB odds.

Best Trade In Toronto Blue Jays History?

Last season in leading the Blue Jays to the AL East title, Donaldson hit .297 with 41 home runs, 123 RBIs, 122 runs scored and 41 doubles. All but the average were career highs. Donaldson became the 10th player in MLB history to win an MVP Award after being traded prior to the season. Donaldson was dealt from Oakland in November 2014 for infielder Brett Lawrie, young pitchers Kendall Graveman and Sean Nolin and minor-league shortstop Franklin Barreto. That’s a total heist. Lawrie has since been traded to the White Sox. Graveman is 5-6 with a 4.37 ERA this season for the A’s. Nolin was designated for assignment by Oakland back in February and is hurt. Barreto remains one of Oakland’s top prospects but hasn’t reached the majors yet.

This season entering Monday, Donaldson is hitting .302 with 23 homers (fourth in AL), 66 RBIs (fourth), 82 runs scored (first) and 21 doubles. He was just the sixth AL player ever to have at least 20 homers and 80 runs at the All-Star break. The other five: Hall of Famers Lou Gehrig, Ted Williams, Reggie Jackson, Frank Thomas and Alex Rodriguez, who has Hall of Fame numbers but probably never is voted into Cooperstown because of his steroid history. Donaldson is also walking more (64 bases on balls, first in AL) and striking out less than he did in 2015. His wins above replacement numbers is an AL-best 5.8.

The favourite for AL MVP is Angels outfielder Mike Trout at +275 on our MLB odds. He won the MVP Award in 2014 and was second his other three seasons. Trout is hitting .316 with 18 homers, 59 RBIs, 70 runs scored and 22 doubles. His WAR is 5.7. One thing working against Trout is that some voters don’t like to back a guy who plays on a losing team, and the Angels are well below .500 and could finish last in the AL West. No player has won the AL MVP on a non-playoff team since Rodriguez with the Rangers in 2003. The most games under .500 for a team with an MVP winner is 28 by the 1991 Orioles when shortstop and future Hall of Famer Cal Ripken Jr. won.

Houston second baseman Jose Altuve (+550), Baltimore third baseman Manny Machado (+550), Boston designated hitter David Ortiz (+700) and Seattle second baseman Robinson Cano (+700) round out the favourites. Only one second baseman has won AL MVP since 1960: Boston’s Dustin Pedroia in 2008.

In the National League, Cubs third baseman Kris Bryant, last year’s NL Rookie of the Year, is the +250 betting favourite. He leads the NL in homers (25) and runs (74) and is third in RBIs (65). The last Cub to win MVP honors was Sammy Sosa in 1998. Rockies third baseman Nolan Arenado is +275. Arenado, who gets an offensive boost in playing his home games in the thin air of Denver, is hitting .289 with 23 homers and 71 RBIs. The only Colorado player to win NL MVP was Canadian Larry Walker in 1997.

MLB American League MVP Predictions

I think Altuve is the best value on the board right now as he’s putting up crazy-good numbers for someone who is just 5-foot-6. He leads the AL in batting (.346) and stolen bases (24) and is sixth in slugging (.551), which is absurd for someone of his stature. I liked Bryant back in the spring to win MVP and still do.