Stanton edges Votto for NL MVP
On the heels of a 59-homer campaign, Miami Marlins star Giancarlo Stanton was named the National League Most Valuable Player on Thursday by the Baseball Writers' Association of America, narrowly beating out Joey Votto of the Cincinnati Reds in the fourth-closest MVP vote in history. Paul Goldschmidt of the Arizona Diamondbacks finished a distant third.
Stanton, who has spent his entire eight-year career in Miami, is the first player in Marlins history to receive MVP honors.
BBWAA Voting, NL MVP
| Player (Team) | 1st | 2nd | 3rd | Points |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Giancarlo Stanton (MIA) | 10 | 10 | 5 | 302 |
| Joey Votto (CIN) | 10 | 9 | 4 | 300 |
| Paul Goldschmidt (ARI) | 4 | 5 | 4 | 239 |
| Nolan Arenado (COL) | 2 | 3 | 8 | 229 |
| Charlie Blackmon (COL) | 3 | 3 | 7 | 205 |
Frustrated by injuries in each of the previous two seasons, Stanton - whose prodigious power is widely considered unrivaled in the game today - finally put it all together in 2017, becoming just the sixth player to reach 59 homers in a single season. On top of his ridiculous, league-leading home run total, Stanton, now a four-time All-Star, also led the majors in runs batted in (132) and slugging percentage (.631) while finishing in a tie with Anthony Rendon for first in the National League in WAR (6.9). He also set a host of new career-highs, including doubles (32), runs scored (123), and games played (159).
Incidentally, with his team mired in a financial maelstrom as the Marlins' new owners brace for an eventful offseason, Stanton now faces the distinct possibility of becoming just the third player ever to be traded the offseason after being named MVP. And, hilariously enough, Stanton's award will further compound the Marlins' financial woes, as the club now has to pay him a $100,000 bonus for winning MVP.
Moreover, Votto's continued excellence in 2017 shouldn't be quickly forgotten even though Stanton got the hardware. After finishing seventh in MVP voting a year ago, the inimitable 33-year-old put up a career-best 1.032 OPS with 36 homers over 162 games with the Reds this season, finishing with 6.6 WAR to corral, as it happens, the same number of first-place MVP votes as Stanton.