Offensive numbers seem to be up this season. But who leads the charge in the American League MVP race?
*Stats as of April 23. All ranks are AL ranks unless otherwise noted.
Currently, there are 22 players batting .300 or better in the American League. Furthermore, there are 49 players with an OPS of .800 or better. Yes, position players have been slugging the ball so far in 2019.
Of course, the majority of the names who find themselves up in the ranks now will ultimately come back down to earth. Every year we see this happen as pitchers adjust, and players just simply cannot sustain such a pace for 162 games.
So far, the American League West has been perhaps the best division in baseball. With four teams at .500 or better, the division has been the home to some of the hottest individual and team starts in baseball.
The American League East has fallen short of expectations as the New York Yankees fight through injuries and the Boston Red Sox fight off their championship hangover. The Central? Well, that division has slightly exceeded expectations, but has been par for the course outside of the Detroit Tigers playing well and Cleveland Indians hovering around .500.
But, who are the players behind these dominant starts? Who leads the early-season MVP race? Before we start, let’s acknowledge the honorable mentions: Tim Anderson, Chicago White Sox. Elvis Andrus, Texas Rangers. Alex Gordon, Kansas City Royals. George Springer, Houston Astros.