Los Angeles Dodgers, Texas Rangers Duos Make History By Dominating MVP Finalist Spots
Even though neither team has a candidate favored to win Most Valuable Player, the Los Angeles Dodgers and Texas Rangers still combined to make history when the award's finalists were revealed Monday.
Dodgers outfielder Mookie Betts and first baseman Freddie Freeman are both up for NL MVP, while Rangers shortstop Corey Seager and second baseman Marcus Semien are competing for AL MVP. According to MLB.com's Sarah Langs, this marks the first time since 1976 that two teams have each boasted two of the top three players in their league's MVP voting.
That year, Thurman Munson and Mickey Rivers represented the New York Yankees in the AL and Joe Morgan and Joe Foster were the Cincinnati Reds' two contenders in the NL.
The rarity has occurred two other times in the division era, which dates back to 1969 – the Dodgers and Oakland Athletics did it in 1974 and the Reds and Minnesota Twins achieved the feat in 1970.
Betts, Freeman, Seager and Semien are all unlikely to take home the MVP awards when the winners are revealed, since Los Angeles Angels star Shohei Ohtani and Atlanta Braves outfielder Ronald Acuña Jr. are the heavy favorites in each league.
Still, the four put up elite seasons of their own.
Betts led the NL with an 8.3 WAR, all while batting .307 with 39 home runs, 107 RBI, 14 stolen bases and a .987 OPS. Freeman hit .331 with 29 home runs, 102 RBI, 23 stolen bases, a .976 OPS and a 6.5 WAR.
Seager missed 43 games, and yet he still racked up 33 home runs, 96 RBI and a 6.9 WAR with a .327 batting average and 1.013 OPS. Semien led the AL with 185 hits on top of his 29 home runs, 100 RBI, .276 batting average, .876 OPS and 7.4 WAR.
The MVP winners are scheduled to be revealed on Nov. 16.
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