The race for the NL MVP is heating up with Paul Goldschmidt and Manny Machado are neck-and-neck at the moment.
While the AL MVP race looks to be Aaron Judge and everyone else, the chase for the NL MVP is much tighter. At the moment, it would about to be between St. Louis Cardinals‘ first baseman Paul Goldschmidt and San Diego Padres‘ third baseman Manny Machado.
There are a combined six Gold Gloves and 11 All-Star appearances between the two, but neither Goldschmidt nor Machado have ever won an MVP. Goldschmidt has finished second twice (2013 and 2015) while Machado finished in third-place back in 2020.
Paul Goldschmidt and Manny Machado rank 1-2 in the chase for the NL MVP.
For now, Paul Goldschmidt will occupy the No. 1 spot in the NL MVP Power Rankings. Goldy leads all of Major League Baseball in OPS (1.070). Goldschmidt ranks second in league in RBIs (56), third in doubles (21), and fourth in home runs (16).
Manny Machado is fourth in the National League in OPS (.932), sixth in doubles (16), and seventh in RBIs (42). But, in typical Machado fashion, he’s leading the NL in outs above average (7) according to Baseball Savant. Goldschmidt, uncharacteristically, has -6 OAA this season.
- Paul Goldschmidt, St. Louis Cardinals
- Manny Machado, San Diego Padres
- Bryce Harper, Philadelphia Phillies
- Pete Alonso, New York Mets
- Willson Contreras, Chicago Cubs
Bryce Harper is in search of his third NL MVP, and with the Philadelphia Phillies’ recent surge, the voters are sure to take notice. Harper is second in the NL in slugging and OPS. The slugger is also seven in home runs.
Harper has been a fixture in the MVP discussion for years, and 2022 will be no different. Because of a torn UCL, Harper has been limited to DH duties only, but that hasn’t stopped him from absolutely destroying the baseball.
Pete Alonso leads the National League in home runs and RBIs. The New York Mets’ first baseman has crushed 18 round trippers so far in 2022 and his .551 slugging percentage ranks third in the NL after about two-plus months.
Willson Contreras avoided arbitration with the Cubs, but Chicago’s backstop will be looking to cash in this offseason if he’s able to take home the NL MVP Award. Contreras is third in the league with an OPS of .941 and his .398 on-base percentage trails only Paul Goldschmidt for the best in the National League.