The MLB NL MVP Award is given out annually to the best performing player in the National League. There are a lot of familiar names at the top of the NL MVP Rankings for the month of September. Here are a few of those candidates.
Avg: .305
OBP: .367
SLG: .567
HR: 28
RBI: 89
2B: 36
K/BB: 65/42
WAR: 7.2
Nolan Arenado has exploded onto the scene of the NL MVP Rankings as of late. Arenado took home the NL Player of the Month award for the month of August. In August, he slashed .364/.410/.729 which tallies to a whopping 1.139 OPS. He raised each of these season statistics substantially during the month. Arenado also slugged 9 home runs and 29 RBIs in the month. It is truly a tremendous month for the St. Louis star, bringing him closer to catching the NL MVP favorite, Paul Goldschmidt.
Avg: .330
OBP: .417
SLG: .613
HR: 33
RBI: 105
2B: 34
K/BB: 116/68
WAR: 7.1
Paul Goldschmidt has topped these rankings for multiple months in a row. He has consistently been one of the best players in the MLB. Not only is Goldschmidt in contention for the MVP but he is also a threat to win the Triple Crown in the National League. As of today, he ranks 1st in batting average (.330), 3rd in home runs (33, 3 behind the leader), and 2nd in RBIs (105, 1 behind the leader). He would become the first player to win the Triple Crown since Miguel Cabrera did it in 2013. A Triple Crown would certainly lock up the NL MVP for Goldschmidt.
Avg: .322
OBP: .394
SLG: .507
HR: 16
RBI: 81
2B: 43
K/BB: 86/60
WAR: 4.8
Freddie Freeman lacks the counting stats, like home runs and RBIs, that the other two candidates on this list have. He is also a bit behind in WAR. But Freeman is the best hitter in the best lineup in baseball. This alone will get him recognition for the NL MVP award. He leads the NL in hits and doubles, among other things, as well as putting together a pretty great slash line of .322/.394/.507. Freeman isn’t the same flashy player that the other two players on this list are, but he deserves his respect when it comes to the NL MVP.
Paul Goldschmidt is as close to a lock to win this award as there could be. He could sit out for the rest of the year and he would still be the favorite to win the award. Goldschmidt has tallied up the counting stats, the AVG, OPS, OBP, and SLG percentages, and the WAR to make the job of voting for the NL MVP very easy. If he can finish the season close to the same way that he has played thus far, he should be very close to being a unanimous MVP. He has been the favorite for a majority of the season and that stays the same as we come down the stretch.
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