It was another banner night for the Chicago Cubs in the City of Angels on Friday as they nailed down a 6-4 comeback victory over the Los Angeles Dodgers.
As has become quite common this season, the man driving the comeback was none other than third baseman Kris Bryant. He launched his 34th home run of the season to keep the Cubs within reach, and after the team tied it in the 9th inning he cracked home run number 35 in extra-innings to help his team to victory.
The performance continues a strong run for Bryant in recent games, as he’s now hit seven home runs in his last eight contests overall. His power surge has propelled him back into the National League lead in home runs, with one more than Colorado’s Nolan Arenado, and he also leads the league in runs scored and total bases as well.
With his gaudy numbers (35 home runs, 89 RBI, 107 runs scored), his defensive versatility, and his status as one of the best players on baseball’s best team, there is an argument to be made that he is the favorite to win the National League’s Most Valuable Player award.
His raw numbers alone would be worthy enough to win consideration, but his advanced metrics are just as good. Bryant currently has a WAR (Wins Above Replacement) of 6.6, which is far and away the best number in the National League. Corey Seager of the Los Angeles Dodgers currently has a 5.4 WAR, a full win and change lower on the list than Bryant currently is.
Bryant’s WAR is so good in fact that he’s quickly closing in on having one of the best seasons in the category in Cubs history. His WAR is 26th best in team history, but if he can push it above seven, he’ll launch himself into the top 20. He’s already exceeded the 6.4 WAR that Sammy Sosa put up when he hit 66 home runs in the 1998 season, and although he won’t catch Rogers Hornsby’s 10.4 WAR from 1929, he’s poised to lay claim to having one of the best all-around individual seasons in team history.
Even with the gaudy numbers, Bryant is still going to have some stiff competition for the award, and it will start with members of his own team. First baseman Anthony Rizzo is going to get plenty of consideration thanks to his leadership role on the Cubs and his prodigious power, as he is tied for the league lead in doubles (37) and is in the top-five in on-base percentage and OPS.
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Cubs shortstop Addison Russell is also making a late push for consideration, and although his batting average is likely going to keep him out of the discussion, his penchant for clutch hitting and his status as one of the best defensive players in all of baseball are poised to make him a perennial contender for the award.
Several other players have got a legitimate claim as MVP candidates as well. Seager is having a monster season for the Dodgers, as he currently ranks second in the National League in WAR (5.4) and third in the league in batting average, checking in at .323 in that category.
Washington Nationals infielder Daniel Murphy, a thorn in the Cubs’ side during the 2015 NLCS, is also strongly in the mix. He leads the NL in batting average, hitting at a .346 clip, and he is a strong performer in other categories too. He is the only player in the NL with an OPS above one, sitting at 1.005 currently, and he also is second in the league in total bases (just four behind Bryant) and in RBI, with 98.
Finally, there’s Arenado, who leads the NL in RBI with 108 and has 34 home runs, just one behind Bryant for the league lead. Add to that his Gold Glove-caliber defense at third base, and his candidacy can’t be overlooked.
If Bryant can win the MVP award, he will become the first Cubs player to win it since Sosa won the trophy in 1998, but it will also continue a run of remarkable achievements for the slugger. He was named the best player in collegiate baseball in 2013, then won an award as the best player in the minor leagues in 2014. He then won the NL Rookie of the Year Award in 2015, meaning that he could finish off a remarkable grand slam if he wins another trophy this season.
