5 best AL MVP candidates following Trout's injury
Not even two full months into the MLB season, the American League MVP trophy was already Mike Trout's to lose. Now, with Trout on the shelf for at least three-to-four weeks, if not longer, the door is open for others to take his place.
Granted, Trout could return, demolish pitching down the stretch, and still take home MVP honors, but it's certainly more in doubt now.
Here are Trout's top five MVP challengers at this stage of the season - limit of one option per team:
Jose Altuve, Astros
The best team in the American League deserves representation, and who better than their diminutive world-beater, Altuve? The only thing below his career norm is his batting average, and even that sits at .308 after Monday, meaning a batting title isn't out of the realm of possibility. With seven home runs, he'll likely wind up close to his career-high 24 from a year ago.
Francisco Lindor, Indians
Lindor finds himself with the fifth-highest WAR to date (according to Fangraphs), and a .283/.346/.545 slash line. His 11 home runs are only four fewer than his career best from a season ago. The only thing he's not doing like he normally does is run. He's the most consistent bat in the reigning AL champs lineup, and there's still room to improve.
Aaron Judge, Yankees
Judge hit his 17th home run of the season on Monday, and is showing no signs of slumping. Could he become the first player to win both the AL MVP and Rookie of the Year since Ichiro Suzuki did it in 2001? Judge would arguably be even more impressive, since Ichiro played nine seasons in Japan before joining the Mariners. If Judge keeps hitting long balls and doesn't see his batting average dip too much, it's a distinct possibility.
Corey Dickerson, Rays
Okay, so Dickerson may be a long shot, and there will be plenty who will lobby for Mookie Betts to be considered above him - and those folks aren't exactly off base - but Dickerson is having a pretty remarkable sophomore season in Tampa. He's cemented his role as the Rays' leadoff hitter with a .343/.386/.617 slash line and 12 home runs in only 50 games. While some of his success is boosted by an unsustainable .401 BABIP, he's showing that he wasn't simply a product of his environment when he played in Colorado.
Chris Sale, Red Sox
It's not entirely unprecedented for a pitcher to hoist the MVP trophy, as Justin Verlander did so in 2011. If voters decide all offensive alternatives pale in comparison to what Trout would have done, a pitcher seems like a logical choice. Sale has been the most dominant pitcher in baseball this season, striking out 101 batters in only 73 innings pitched - both totals are tops in the AL. He also registered 10 or more strikeouts in eight consecutive starts, and has only finished fewer than seven innings once.
(Photos courtesy: Action Images)