It’s still very early in MLB: only about a month-and-a-half of the 2024 season is in the books.
There is still a lot of ball left to play.
However, we can’t beat the temptation that identifying early MVP candidates represents.
It’s a nice way to recognize the excellent performances of all candidates to this point, and spotting who has the advantage over the rest of the field.
Bleacher Report and Phillies Nation analyst Tim Kelly took some time to analyze the MVP landscape in both leagues.
Here are his top ten candidates in each circuit, via B/R Walk-Off:
It’s early but who leads the MVP race?
From @TimKellySports https://t.co/oJ0CwQ2dfu pic.twitter.com/qN5Ag0dTAd
— B/R Walk-Off (@BRWalkoff) May 14, 2024
Let’s start with the junior circuit.
Bobby Witt Jr. has been magnificent and has carried the Kansas City Royals towards respectability.
Gunnar Henderson has been the best player on the Baltimore Orioles, and Kyle Tucker is doing his best to keep the Houston Astros afloat.
None of them has the credentials of New York Yankees star Juan Soto.
In his first season in the Bronx, Soto is fourth in the American League in OPS (.954), third in walks (28), tied for ninth in home runs (9), and second in RBI with 34.
He has been the Yankees’ best and most consistent player, and has kept them in the race for first place in the AL East with Baltimore.
As for the National League, Kelly identifies two Los Angeles Dodgers stars as the frontrunners for the award.
He has Mookie Betts first, though, which might be surprising by some but is totally justifiable.
Betts is second in the NL in runs (35), tied for first in hits (58), and first in OBP with .440.
As previously stated, there is still a long way to go, but those are the candidates to this point.
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