Predicting the 2017 MVP nominees
Major League Baseball handed out its Most Valuable Player awards on Thursday with Los Angeles Angels outfielder Mike Trout securing the award in the American League, while Chicago Cubs third baseman Kris Bryant ran away with the honor in the National League, securing 29 first-place votes.
The two superstars will hold onto the honor for 365 days until someone else tries to stake their claims for the awards in 2017.
Here are three players in both leagues who could win the MVPs next season.
American League
Mike Trout - Angels
Arguably the best baseball player on the planet, Los Angeles Angels outfielder Mike Trout will earn an MVP nomination for the sixth consecutive season in 2017 after winning the award for a second time on Thursday.
How will Trout - who has led the American League in WAR every season since 2012, and who posted a career high .441 on-base percentage in 2016 - outdo himself in 2017?
Surely, he'll find a way. Now if only the Angels could start winning again.
Carlos Correa - Astros
The Houston Astros will have another representative vying for the AL MVP in 2017, after Jose Altuve finished 2016 in third place behind Trout and Boston Red Sox outfielder Mookie Betts. Next year the honor will go to Carlos Correa, the club's electric young shortstop.
During his first full season in the bigs, the 22-year-old Puerto Rican was impressive, slashing .274/.361/.451 with 20 home runs, 36 doubles, and 96 RBIs, and he'll continue his rise next season as the Astros vie for the AL West title.
Manny Machado - Orioles
Baltimore Orioles third baseman Manny Machado is only 24 years old, and on Thursday he received MVP consideration for the third time in his career, finishing fifth and securing 150 points from the Baseball Writers' Association of America. In 2017, he'll be a top-three finalist.
In five less games, Machado not only posted an OPS .015 points higher this season than in 2015, he also drove in 10 more runs, had 23 more total bases, and 10 more doubles.
He also showed off his impressive defensive chops with a plus-13 defensive runs saved at third base, and admirably filled in at shortstop (minus-3 DRS) when his team needed him.
2017 AL winner: Correa
National League
Nolan Arenado - Rockies
In 2016, Colorado Rockies third baseman Nolan Arenado tied for the National League lead in home runs (41), was far and away the RBI leader with 133, finished second with 116 runs scored, and won his fourth consecutive Gold Glove, but was not among the top three for the MVP award.
That will change next season, as Arenado gets the credit he deserves with the Rockies winning enough games away from Coors Field to be a legitimate contender for the postseason, a reason the young third baseman believes hurt his MVP chances in 2016.
Anthony Rizzo - Cubs
Bryant was far and away the NL MVP, but his teammate Anthony Rizzo was no slouch in 2016, after slashing .292/.385/.544 with 32 home runs, 43 doubles, and 109 RBIs for the World Series champion Chicago Cubs.
Rizzo will, somehow, improve upon his career-best .928 OPS next season en route to becoming a top-three finalist for the MVP, as the Cubs continue to showcase their NL dominance yet again.
Freddie Freeman - Braves
Playing for the last-place Atlanta Braves presumably soured any chance of Freddie Freeman winning the MVP in 2016, with continued emphasis on the award capture being a member of a winning team.
Freeman will jump more so into the public eye next year, as he expands on the 6.1 WAR and .292/.385/.544 slash line he produced in 2016, as the Braves turn things around with their first baseman leading the way during their first season at SunTrust Park.