National League MVP Ballot

by Julian Spivey
If I had an MVP vote this would be the top five on my ballot

1. Cody Bellinger (Los Angeles Dodgers)

​The National League Most Valuable Player race has pretty much been a two-way race between Milwaukee Brewers outfielder and reigning N.L. MVP Christian Yelich and Los Angeles Dodgers outfielder Cody Bellinger since the early part of the season. Many of the numbers between Bellinger and Yelich are close, which is impressive for Yelich since he missed most of the final month of the season. But I’m giving the MVP to Bellinger with the biggest factor being that his Wins Above Replacement (WAR) is nearly two full points higher than Yelich’s, with the final month of the seeing likely playing into that a bit. Bellinger hit .305 this season with 47 home runs and 115 RBI. 

2. Christian Yelich (Milwaukee Brewers)

​Yelich just missing out on back-to-back MVPs for me (he very likely could do it in real life) might have a lot to do with missing most of the final month of the season after breaking his shin fouling a ball off of it. It also doesn’t help that the Brewers were shockingly the hottest team in baseball over the season’s final month without him. Yelich had a 7.1 WAR in 2019 with a tied for batting crown .329 average, 44 homers and 97 RBI. Yelich potentially would’ve led the N.L. in homers without missing so much time. 

3. Anthony Rendon (Washington Nationals)

Anthony Rendon had perhaps quietest potential MVP campaign in 2019 leading the Washington Nationals offense to a somewhat surprising playoff berth after seeing where they were at the All Star break. Rendon led the National League with 126 runs batted in to go along with a career-high 34 homers, a .319 batting average and a WAR of 6.3. Bryce Harper left a big hole in the Nats lineup, but Rendon more than filled it. 

4. Freddie Freeman (Atlanta Braves)

​It’s kind of sad, but true, but one of the things that’ll probably keep Freddie Freeman from ever winning an MVP is the fact that his WAR at 4.4 is a lot lower than other candidates. The unfortunate aspect about that is that first baseman kind of get screwed in overall WAR because it’s not as important a position defensively as many others. Freeman has been the guy keeping the Atlanta Braves lineup so consistent over their surprising back-to-back National League East Division titles and with a .295 average, and career highs with 38 homers and 121 RBI he should still be right in contention for the honor. 

5. Ronald Acuna Jr. (Atlanta Braves)

​If Freddie Freeman is No. 4 on my list than his teammate Ronald Acuna Jr. is basically 4b for me or I wouldn’t even have an issue flip-flopping them … but I’ll slot him in at No. 5. Acuna’s batting average was 15 points lower than Freeman’s and he drove in 20 fewer runs, but he hit three more bombs and has a WAR more than a full point higher playing a more defensively important position. The aspect of Acuna’s game that almost had me place him above his elder teammate was his league leading 37 stolen bases, coming up just shy of the fifth 40 homer/40 steals season in MLB history.