MIDSEASON AWARDS

It’s hard to fathom.

Mike Trout, the best player in baseball, is only getting better.

At the All-Star break, the Angels outfielder is on track for his third American League MVP award in six seasons. Trout is enjoying another incredible season, perhaps his best of his career. He leads the majors in WAR (5.9) and leads the AL in home runs (28), RBI (67) and OPS (1.098). He’s also on pace to shatter his personal bests in home runs and RBI.

The National League MVP race is tight between two sluggers having monster seasons: Christian Yelich of the Brewers and Cody Bellinger of the Dodgers.

The second half of the season is underway and the races are far from over, but here’s a look at USA TODAY’s ballot for the awards at the season’s halfway point.

AL MVP

Voting on a 14-9-8-7-6-5-4-3-2-1 scale (first-place votes in parenthesis)

1 Mike Trout, Angels (4) – 74

2 DJ LeMahieu, Yankees (2) – 61 3 Alex Bregman, Astros – 50 4 Carlos Santana, Indians – 35 5 Matt Chapman, Athletics – 34 6 Rafael Devers, Red Sox– 29 7 Xander Bogarts, Red Sox – 28 8 Jorge Polanco, Twins – 19

9 Max Kepler, Twins – 9

10 George Springer, Astros - 4

❚ Also receiving votes: Gleyber Torres, Yankees; Luke Voit, Yankees; Michael Brantley, Astros; Austin Meadows, Rays; Joey Gallo, Rangers

NL MVP

1 Christian Yelich, Brewers (4) – 74 2 Cody Bellinger, Dodgers (2) – 64 3 Josh Bell, Pirates – 43

4 Freddie Freeman, Braves – 42 5 Anthony Rendon, Nationals – 32 6 Nolan Arenado, Rockies – 25 7 Javy Baez, Cubs – 17

8 Ronald Acuña Jr., Braves – 13 9 Ketel Marte, Diamondbacks – 12 10 Fernando Tatis Jr., Padres – 11

❚ Also receiving votes: Kris Bryant, Cubs; Pete Alonso, Mets; Charlie Blackmon, Rockies; Willson Contreras, Cubs; Hunter Renfroe, Padres

AL Cy Young

7-4-3-2-1 scale

1 Justin Verlander, Astros (3) – 32 2 Charlie Morton, Rays (2) – 30 3 Mike Minor, Rangers (1) – 20 4 Gerrit Cole, Astros – 10

5 Lucas Giolito, White Sox – 4 6 Jose Berrios, Twins – 4

7 Shane Bieber, Indians –2

NL Cy Young

1 Max Scherzer, Nationals (3) – 33 2 Hyun-Jin Ryu, Dodgers (3) – 32 3 Luis Castillo, Reds – 15

4 Zack Greinke, Diamondbacks – 14

5 Stephen Strasburg, Nationals – 4

❚ Also receiving votes: Jacob de Grom, Mets; Clayton Kershaw, Dodgers; Walker Buehler, Dodgers; Mike Soroka, Braves

AL Rookie of the Year

5-3-1 scale

1 Brandon Lowe, Rays (6) – 30 2 Michael Chavis, Red Sox – 12 3 Eloy Jimenez, White Sox – 6 4 Spencer Turnbull, Tigers – 3 5 John Means, Orioles – 3

NL Rookie of the Year

❚ t-1. Pete Alonso, Mets (3) – 24

❚ t-1. Fernando Tatis, Jr., Padres

(3) – 24

❚ 3. Mike Soroka, Braves – 5

❚ 4. Alex Verdugo, Dodgers – 1