It’s awards week in Major League Baseball, culminating Thursday night with the MVP. Braves star Ronald Acuña Jr. is expected to take home National League MVP honors, while two-way sensation and current free agent Shohei Ohtani is certain to be named American League MVP for the second time. If you glance around the other major professional sports leagues, MLB stands alone with having multiple MVPs. All baseball fans know why, of course. The leagues used to be totally separate, so it wouldn’t have been fair or even make sense to just choose one MLB MVP.
Of course, interleague play has long since completely invaded the old game and with the new balanced schedule, it would probably make the most sense to just have one MVP (along with Cy Young, Manager of the Year and Rookie of the Year, of course, and we could throw in Gold Gloves and Silver Sluggers, too, while we’re here).
Still, I’m not in favor of changing anything. I like the separation and, most importantly, we already have a historical precedent. If we just cut MVP and Cy Young winners in half moving forward, it would make judging things like Hall of Fame cases and historical standing a bit more complicated than necessary. It’s kind of a toothpaste is already out of the tube situation, too, right? Ultimately, is the current system really hurting anything? I see no harm whatsoever.
Just for the sake of a fun argument, though, what if there were just one MVP? How would the votes have gone down? Let’s run it back for the entire 21st century!
2023: Ronald Acuña Jr., Braves
This one might’ve been close, but I’m inclined to believe the scales would’ve been tilted toward Acuña due to his historic season — the first ever to get to 40 homers and 70 steals — and the Braves compiling the best record, while Ohtani only appeared in 135 games for a non-contender. With Ohtani pulling off the two-way superstar thing, we often say it would take a historic season to beat him and that ended up being the case here. And also …
Ohtani was done in by history on the AL side in this vote, finishing as the runner-up to Judge, who clubbed 62 homers while driving home 131 runs, scoring 133 runs and posting a 210 OPS+ with a .311 average. It was one of the greatest offensive seasons in recent memory. Ohtani would’ve finished second here, as NL MVP Paul Goldschmidt had a great year that just didn’t measure up to the two AL guys.
2021: Shohei Ohtani, Angels
Here it was: The first two-way superstar since integration, pulling it off for a full season. We’d never seen anything like this. Ohtani had 46 homers, 100 RBI, 103 runs, 26 steals and he also went 9-2 with a 3.18 ERA and 156 strikeouts in 130 1/3 innings. NL MVP Bryce Harper had a great season, as did Vladimir Guerrero Jr., but Ohtani probably would’ve taken this thing unanimously.
This would’ve been awfully tough. Thanks to the pandemic-era bubble, the East/Central/West regions never faced anyone outside. AL MVP José Abreu had 19 homers and 60 RBI in 60 games while hitting .317 with a 165 OPS+. Freeman hit .341 with a 187 OPS+. He had 23 doubles, 13 homers, 53 RBI and 51 runs. His team won its division, too. I think it would’ve been Freddie, but who knows?
Man, this was one hell of a four-man race. In reality, it was a very close vote in both the AL and NL. One separation point in the NL was Christian Yelich getting hurt and finishing with 130 games played. That didn’t do the trick on the AL side, as Mike Trout played in 134 games and still held off Alex Bregman (156 games). Bellinger flirted with .400 for a bit and ended up slashing .305/.406/.629 (167 OPS+) with 47 homers, 115 RBI, 121 runs and 15 steals. Bregman actually led in WAR, 8.9 to Bellinger’s 8.6, but he lost to Trout (7.9) in the vote. Yelich had the highest average and slugging in the group (Trout led in OBP), but was last with 7.0 WAR.
It would’ve been quite the vote.
This would’ve been a hard-luck loss for Yelich after a prolific season, though he was much better on a rate basis in 2019. Betts, meanwhile, posted an absurd 10.7 WAR after slashing .346/.438/.640 with 47 doubles, five triples, 32 homers, 80 RBI, 129 runs, 30 steals and exceptional defense. Remember, the Red Sox won 108 games, too. Betts runs away with this one.
This was an incredibly difficult decision. Giancarlo Stanton was NL MVP honors after hitting 59 homers and driving home 132 runs. On the AL side, Judge had 52 homers and 114 RBI. Joey Votto had a monster season and split first-place votes (10 apiece out of the 30 total votes) with Stanton. Votto actually led the majors in WAR and OBP while hitting .320 with 36 homers and 100 RBI. The Astros — and this was before the scandal was known, remember — were the best story in baseball for nearly the whole year. They won 101 games just a few seasons after a radical rebuild. Altuve hit .346 with 204 hits. He scored 112 times, hit 24 homers and stole 32 bases. I think he would’ve taken it, but it would’ve been a raging argument down the stretch.
2016: Mike Trout, Angels
There would’ve been a swell of argument in favor of NL MVP Kris Bryant. After all, the Cubs were the best team in baseball for most of the year and the whole World Series curse/drought storyline was going strong. His 7.3 WAR led the NL, but was dwarfed by Trout’s 10.5. Trout hit .315/.441/.550 compared to Bryant’s .292/.385/.554. Betts probably even would’ve beaten Bryant out for second, leaving the Cubs’ third baseman to be content with merely winning the World Series.
2015: Bryce Harper, Nationals
The Nats disappointed in 2015, but Harper had the season everyone was waiting on for a few years. He hit .330 and led the majors in OBP and slugging while posting a ridiculous 198 OPS+. He homered 42 times, scored 118 runs and led the majors with 9.7 WAR. Trout and Josh Donaldson had huge seasons, but this was all Bryce.
2014: Mike Trout, Angels
The NL field was open enough that a pitcher won it, but you’d be hard pressed to say Clayton Kershaw didn’t deserve it. He was ridiculous. In 27 starts, he was 21-3 with a 1.77 ERA, 0.86 WHIP and 239 strikeouts in 198 1/3 innings. If it was a normal Trout/Angels team, I’d say maybe Kershaw would’ve taken the hardware. Remember, though, that the Angels paced MLB with 98 wins that year and that voting is held before the playoffs. Trout led the majors in runs with 115 and the AL with 111 RBI while clubbing 36 homers and stealing 16 bases with a 169 OPS+. He led position players in WAR. I could be wrong, but I think Trout would’ve won it.
Trout had a huge lead in WAR, actually, and Andrew McCutchen won a greatly deserved NL MVP, but Cabrera led the majors in average, OBP and slugging while hitting 44 homers and driving home 137. It was enough to trounce Trout in the AL vote that year, so he would’ve won the MLB MVP, too.
2012: Miguel Cabrera, Tigers
Ah, I remember the debates as if it were yesterday. They were so fun (I’ll let you decide if this is sarcasm or not). Trout beat Cabrera in WAR 10.5 to 7.1 on the strength of amazing center-field defense, top-flight baserunning and a similar slash line (Cabrera was better by four batting average points, worse by six OBP points and 42 in slugging). Trout led the majors in runs and bested Cabrera by 20. Cabrera, though, hit 44 homers to Trout’s 30 and drove home 139 compared to Trout’s 83 RBI. More than anything, the first Triple Crown winner since 1967 carried the day and I think it would again. It should be noted that Cabrera didn’t win the MLB triple crown, only that of the American League as McCutchen had the best batting average, but I still think this would’ve been Miggy.
Remember, this was before the PED controversy surrounding Braun, so throw that out. He won the NL MVP with 20 first-place votes. It could be argued Matt Kemp had better numbers, but the Brewers won the NL Central with 96 wins while the Dodgers missed the playoffs at 82-79. On the AL side, it was such a mess that Justin Verlander won the award despite only getting five first-place votes. It was a ridiculous season and fine vote, I’m just pointing out that by no means was any AL candidate carrying strong enough support to best Braun.
2010: Josh Hamilton, Rangers
This was a tough one. Joey Votto on the NL side had a monster season, posting a .324/.424/.600 (171 OPS+) line with 36 doubles, 37 homers, 113 RBI, 106 runs and even 16 stolen bases. It was enough that he beat out a prime Albert Pujols season, though voter fatigue along with the Reds winning the division over the Cardinals were factors. Hamilton anchored the lineup for the first Rangers playoff team in over a decade. He hit .359(!) with a 170 OPS+ with 40 doubles, 32 homers and 100 RBI. He led the majors in average, OPS and WAR.
2009: Albert Pujols, Cardinals
It’s tough to omit Joe Mauer here, as he led the majors with a .365 average and .444 OBP as a catcher. That’s just insanity. The problem is he runs up against The Machine here. Pujols’ 9.7 WAR was topped only by Zack Greinke’s 10.4 in the AL, but Greinke only finished 17th in AL MVP voting! Pujols led the majors in runs and home runs while his 135 RBI were only six off the leaders. He hit .327/.443/.658. He won unanimously in NL MVP voting that year and he might well have done the same in an MLB-wide vote.
2008: Albert Pujols, Cardinals
Dustin Pedroia took AL MVP honors and led the majors with 213 hits. He had a big season in many ways. He just, again, runs into The Machine here. Pujols hit .357 with a 192 OPS+. He had 44 doubles, 37 homers, 116 RBI, 100 runs and led the majors with 9.2 WAR. It’s not really all that close.
2007: Alex Rodriguez, Yankees
Kudos to NL MVP Jimmy Rollins on a fun and great season. Again, though, this wasn’t really all that close. As I’ve said above in the case of Braun, remember that this was pre-PED cloud on A-Rod. He hit .314/.422/.645 (176 OPS+) with 54 homers, 156 RBI 143 runs and 24 stolen bases. He led the majors in WAR, home runs, RBI, runs and OPS, among other stats, for a playoff team.
I had to avoid attempting to relitigate these votes, as I disagree with both in hindsight. I’m not looking at who I would’ve picked, but instead who would’ve won. Justin Morneau won AL MVP despite being arguably the third-most valuable player on his team thanks to his gaudy RBI total. Of course, David Ortiz had more RBI and had 20 more homers. There’s an argument to be made that Johan Santana, Ortiz or Derek Jeter should’ve won. But Morneau did. On the NL side, Howard took out Pujols and Carlos Beltrán. Howard’s 58 homers and 149 RBI carried the vote then and it would’ve done so in an MLB-wide vote.
2005: Alex Rodriguez, Yankees
It’s A-Rod vs. Pujols in a true battle of the titans. Take a look:
A-Rod: .321/.421/.610, 173 OPS+, 29 2B, 1 3B, 48 HR, 130 RBI, 124 R, 21 SB, 9.4 WAR
Pujols: .330/.430/.609, 168 OPS+, 38 2B, 2 3B, 41 HR, 117 RBI, 129 R, 16 SB, 8.4 WAR.
Both teams won their division, the Yankees with 95 wins and the Cardinals with 100. I’ll go with A-Rod (I think the HR and RBI gap would’ve done it), but it’s razor thin and hard to know how exactly the vote would’ve shaken out.
2004: Barry Bonds, Giants
Vladimir Guerreo won his MVP on the AL side, but this wasn’t really a competition. Bonds hit .362/.609/.812 that season. Yes, he had a 1.422 OPS. Only 95 other players in MLB history have ever been intentionally walked 120 times in their careers. Bonds was walked intentionally 120 times in this season alone.
2003: Barry Bonds, Giants
A-Rod had a monster season to win AL MVP with 8.4 WAR, but Bonds hit .341/.529/.749, good for a 231 OPS+. He homered 45 times in just 390 at-bats.
2002: Barry Bonds, Giants
Miguel Tejada won the AL MVP despite A-Rod crushing him in WAR and home runs. Bonds posted an 11.7 WAR after hitting .370/.582/.799, which was a career-best 268 OPS+. He homered 46 times and drove home 110 despite drawing 198 walks (68 of which were intentional).
2001: Barry Bonds, Giants
As a reminder, this was before any sort of PED ties. Bonds hit 73 home runs. That alone would’ve been plenty, but he also hit .328/.515/.863 with 137 RBI, 129 runs and 177 walks. He even stole 13 bases. He posted 11.9 WAR.
2000: Jason Giambi, Athletics
Pedro Martinez should’ve won AL MVP and Bonds probably should’ve taken the honors on the NL side, but, again, I’m only judging who would have won. We know that Jason Giambi took AL MVP while Jeff Kent won the NL MVP. That means those are our two choices. Giambi had Kent by over 100 OPS points, trailed by one point in batting average (.334 to .333), and had 10 more homers and 12 more RBI. I think he would’ve had it.