Altuve, Harper seem MVP locks
It has been two weeks since play resumed after the All-Star break, but the short stretch might very well have decided the race for baseball’s MVP awards.
Houston Astros second baseman Jose Altuve and Washington Nationals right fielder Bryce Harper have each gone on a tear in July and — barring injury or catastrophic meltdown — have built up nearly enough equity to win a plaque in November.
Altuve is riding an 18-game hitting streak heading into Friday’s games, and Harper extended his streak to 19 games with a 3-for-5 day against the Milwaukee Brewers on Thursday.
Altuve has posted a .494/.538/ .747 slash line ( batting average/ on-base percentage/slugging percentage) for the month, and Harper is at .429/.506/.896.
Altuve’s Astros have a 17-game lead in the American League West, and FanGraphs gives the team a 100% chance of reaching the postseason. Harper’s Nationals also are a near-lock for the postseason, with a 13-game lead in the National League East and 99.6% chance, via FanGraphs.
Team success isn’t always the end-all, be-all for baseball awards, but Houston and Washington running roughshod will factor in.
There are still games to be played, but Altuve has a real chance at batting .500 for the month, a feat accomplished eight times in baseball history.
Harper is on track to post at least a 1.250 on-base plus slugging percentage in a month for the second time this season.
If Altuve and/or Harper do wind up collecting the hardware, it will surely have been this summer run that clinched the award. MVP COMPETITION? For Altuve, the most obvious challenger is New York Yankees rookie Aaron Judge. The Home Run Derby winner has cooled off since the All-Star break and his Triple Crown chances have taken a hit, but it’s possible Judge’s final power numbers will be too impressive to ignore.
There’s always a fear of teammates cannibalizing votes from a front-runner, and other Astros could pose a threat to Altuve. While Carlos Correa’s recent injury effectively knocks him out of the running, George Springer has stayed hot and is on pace to top 40 home runs and 100 RBI.
The story is much the same in the NL, as Harper will be competing with several of his teammates besides rivals Paul Goldschmidt and Justin Turner.
Nationals third baseman Anthony Rendon has a higher Wins Above Replacement (WAR) figure than Harper, Daniel Murphy is chasing the batting title and Max Scherzer has been arguably the best pitcher in baseball. And don’t forget about Ryan Zimmerman, who has cooled off in recent months but whose renaissance might be the most important part of the team’s push toward a fourth division title in six years.