TRIPLE THREAT
AL MVP window might be open ever so slightly for Guerrero with Ohtani off his game — but it would take a Triple Crown
Debate about the American League’s most valuable player still sways toward Shohei Ohtani, the Angels’ two-way star, with about two weeks to go in the regular season.
Of late, however, the discussion has started with an acknowledgment that fellow contender Vladimir Guerrero Jr. is on an absolute tear at the plate — putting a rare Triple Crown within reach — and a shout-out to the Blue Jays, arguably the most feared team in baseball with the playoffs just around the corner. Then comes the but.
While Guerrero’s offence has been unmatched across the board (also first in the AL in on-base percentage and slugging), he can’t pitch.
Ohtani, meanwhile, has been dominant as the ace of the Angels’ staff while also contending for the home-run crown. Guerrero might get his team to the post-season, a factor in the eyes of many award voters, but Ohtani’s performance for the sub-.500 Angels is awfully hard to beat.
But the race isn’t over till it’s over, and Guerrero is hot now while Ohtani has struggled at the plate in recent weeks. Recency bias could play a role in the outcome. And Ohtani may have thrown his last pitch of the season. With a strong finish, Guerrero might be in position to sway undecided voters.
Two special players doing special things is good news for the game, but tricky for the baseball writers who have to make a choice when it comes time to vote. Ballots are cast before the playoffs, with the winner announced some time after the World Series.
Here’s a closer look: