The race for the Most Valuable Player award on the “Old Circuit” has reached the point where trying to predict who will win has become a titanic task in one of the closest races between players for a season award.
The regular season of the Big leagues is less than a month away and so far, only one team has sealed their postseason ticket, the San Francisco Giants. Outside of that, all competitions remain open, from which teams will cross the threshold into the playoffs to who will be the players, leaders and managers who will be awarded once the end of the season arrives.
In the middle of the wait, one of the most interesting races for a personal award is that of Most Valuable Player of the National League. Several names are mentioned among the possible candidates, but of the group there are three that stand out, Fernando Tatis Jr. from San Diego Padres (as a favorite), Max muncy from Los angeles dodgers and Bryce harper from Philadelphia phillies.
The three players are having outstanding seasons, to the point that it is a practically impossible task to determine which of the three will receive the award at the end of the year, since they all have merits to claim it.
Starting with the shortstop of the Parents, Tatis Jr. remains the leader in home runs (38) of the National League and slugging (SLG) throughout MLB with .623. This is accompanied by a .280 batting average along with an on-base percentage (OBP) of .364, which added to the SLG becomes a .987 OPS. It is also close to 100 RBIs (90) and has 256 total bases.
The problem of “The child”Is that he has achieved this in 112 games of the 144 played by the Padres in the year, as a result of the shoulder injuries he has suffered.
Max muncy he’s a quiet guy who lets his power speak for him, he has a batting average of just .255, yet he makes up for this with a .915 OPS, 33 home runs and 85 RBIs, as well as one of the best defenses in terms general, for a player who has occupied games at first, second and third base, taking a considerable advantage to Tatis Jr. in said department, so despite not being an offensive at the same level, he has a mark of Wins over Replacement Player (WAR) of 5.6, just 0.5 points behind the Dominican.
Bryce harper is considered the main rival of Tatis Jr. for the prize Mvp of the “Old Circuit”. His batting average of .307, accompanied by an OPS of 1.033 and OPS + of 179 (leading in MLB), added to 32 homers and 73 RBIs, have made him one of the brightest points of the offense of the Phillies and of the National League in general terms.
Harper burdened with the problem of being a poor defender in statistical terms, having a DRS (Runs Saved Defensively) of -7.
The race for the prize Mvp of the National League it will undoubtedly be one of the most controversial in years, regardless of who ends up winning the award. The main candidates have marked strengths and weaknesses this season, which clearly sets them apart and makes it unlikely to determine with certainty who deserves the award, until the season is over.
From the perspective of what has been done on the pitch, Fernando Tatis Jr. looks with the advantage, which has been reduced over the weeks, especially due to the debacle that the Parents, so it should come as no surprise if Max muncy or Bryce harper they end up winning the coveted accolade.
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