With only about a week or so left in the regular season the MVP is a popular topic. The A.L MVP is a lot closer than many people think. So many people believe it’s a done deal with Jose Altuve leading the way, but when you look deep into it, he may not be the best choice-but you can decide that.

Jose Altuve

The shortest Major Leaguer at 5’6 Altuve has certainly had another great year, just look at the stat line- .348 average, which leads all of MLB, 24 homers, 80 RBI, 104 runs, and an AL best 31 steals. Those 24 long balls match a career best set last year. Altuve also supports a 7.9 rWAR (baseball reference calculated wins above replacement) that leads all position players in the AL. He’s playing for an Astros team that has already clinched the AL west on September 17th. Let’s remember that the BBWAA (Base Ball Writers Association of America)writers who vote aren’t robots, they’re human, and Jose Altuve is leading the Astros into the playoffs to bring some brightness to Houston during Hurricane Harvey cleanup. Altuve finished third in MVP voting a year ago and he’s many people’s pick this year, but his competition has the potential for an upset.

Mike Trout

The two time MVP and three time runner up has done what he’s done his whole career-impress. When you’ve played five full seasons and have five top 2 finishes in MVP voting it’s hard to keep dropping jaws, unless of course, your name is Mike Trout. The Angels center fielder got off to his best start with a .337 average and .461 OBP. That was up until May 28th when Trout dove head first into second base and ruptured a ligament in his left thumb. The injury sent Trout to the DL for the first time in his career. He missed 39 games and that’s the biggest blow to his MVP case. He’s currently batting .310 with a .445 OBP and 29 home runs. Trout also supports a fourth best 6.1 rWAR. The Angels currently sit 1.5 games back of the Twins for the second wild card spot. If Trout can catch fire this last week and push his team to the playoffs, his MVP case would get that much stronger.

Corey Kluber

Kluber leads all of baseball with a 7.9 rWAR, just a smidge above Altuve’s. Kluber’s biggest blow to his MVP case? He only plays once every five days. The last time the AL has had a starting pitcher MVP was 2011 when Justin Verlander took home the hardware, and before him it hadn’t been done since 1986 when Roger Clemens did it. Kluber got off to a bumpy start in 2017 but since coming off the DL in early June he’s pitching to a 1.69 ERA with 211 strikeouts in just 154 ⅓ innings. Overall Kluber has a 2.35 ERA in 27 starts. He also supports an AL best .850 WHIP and an impressive 11.83 K/9. The Indians sit atop the AL central big thanks to their record breaking 22 game winning streak which ended on September 15th. Kluber is an ace on a division winning team and he should be the first pitcher to finish top 5 in MVP voting since Dallas Keuchel in 2015.

Chris Sale

Let’s just get the other SP out of the way here. Chris Sale has had himself quite an impressive opening campaign with the Boston Red Sox. Sale has already made 31 starts, pitching to a 2.75 ERA with a league best 12.9 K/9. His rWAR is just a 6.2 but his league best 300 strikeouts are just absurd. He is the first AL pitcher to talley 300 strikeouts since Pedro Martinez in 1999. He has been a rock in Boston’s rotation and will be there game 1 starter pending they win the AL east, if the Yankees catch up to the Sox we’ll get to see Sale pitch a one and done Wild Card game, and would give Sox fans hope considering David Price’s horrible history in the playoffs.

Jose Ramirez

Kluber’s teammate Ramirez has had himself a breakout year. The rising star is batting .315 with a .945 OPS, 27 homers, and an AL best 51 doubles. He was a big part of Cleveland’s 22 game winning streak and manager Terry Francona has permanently moved Ramirez into the 3 spot in the lineup. Ramirez has had a great year at the plate while playing 54 games at 2nd base and 86 games at 3rd. Not knowing where you’ll be playing any given day would effect some player’s offense, but not Ramirez, he’s been good all year, no matter where he’s playing in the field. The 22 game winning streak and a first place finish in the AL central will help Ramirez come voting.

Aaron Judge

We started with the shortest player in MLB so it’s appropriate we end with the tallest. Standing at 6’7 Judge has had himself a record breaking rookie season. He currently has 45 home runs, just 4 shy of the all time rookie record. He also supports a .591 slugging percentage and a 1.003 OPS. Everyone remembers Judge this season for the hot start, winning the HR derby, and a huge slump in the 2nd half, but there’s more to it than that. He broke the rookie record for most walks in a season, currently at 116. He’s also been in a Yankee lineup that’s only 3 games behind Boston for the AL east and leading the Wild Card race. Judge’s second half will definitely hurt his case but if the Bronx Bombers find a way to catch the Sox then Judge’s name should definitely appear in first place on some ballets.  

So there it is. Six candidates for AL MVP. There is no wrong choice, all 6 of these men have had an incredible year and have a strong case for the award. The BBWAA will announce the winner sometime in November after the World Series.