Now that the 2023 MLB season is over, we shift our focus to the offseason: option decisions, qualifying offers, negotiations, meetings, trades, free agent signings, and more.
However, it’s also awards season, so fans are eager to see if their favorite players will be recognized for their efforts in 2023.
In this case, MLB on FOX posted a graphic with the three NL MVP finalists.
There aren’t any surprises.
Here are your NL MVP Finalists Who do you have winning it? pic.twitter.com/kfSvEELfL8
— FOX Sports: MLB (@MLBONFOX) November 9, 2023
Ronald Acuña Jr., the star player of the Atlanta Braves, is perhaps the heavy favorite to take home his first MVP award.
He had a historic season with 41 homers and 73 stolen bases.
No player in the history of the game had achieved a 40-50 campaign with homers and thefts, let alone 40-70.
In addition to that, Acuna scored 149 times, had 217 hits, 106 RBI, and a .337 batting average.
The two remaining MVP finalists in the National League played for the Los Angeles Dodgers: Mookie Betts and Freddie Freeman.
Unlike Acuna, they have one MVP award each: Betts won the 2018 AL MVP with the Boston Red Sox, and Freeman the 2020 NL MVP with the Braves.
Betts had a career-high 39 home runs this season, with 126 runs scored, 40 doubles, 107 RBI and a .307 batting average.
Freeman, meanwhile, had a whopping 59 doubles and 29 home runs, with a .331 batting average.
In any other year, perhaps Betts and Freeman would be favorites to win, as they both had incredible performances.
However, when a player makes history or something that no other man has done before in the league, he should be considered the favorite.
In any case, Acuna’s body of work is impressive and he is deserving of the award.
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