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Can World Series Heroes Marcus Semien, Corey Seager Beat Out Shohei Ohtani for MVP?

Texas Rangers teammates Marcus Semien and Corey Seager are finalists for the American League Most Valuable Player award.

Two Texas Rangers were named finalists for the American League Most Valuable Player award.

Second baseman Marcus Semien and shortstop Corey Seager joined Los Angeles Angels two-way star Shohei Ohtani as finalists for the award. It's the first time the Rangers have had two players finish among the top three finalists. Voting is conducted by the Baseball Writers Association of America.

Voting is based on regular season performance. This is Semien’s third time as an AL finalist. He finished third in voting in 2019 and 2021. Seager was previously a finalist for the NL award in 2016 with the Los Angeles Dodgers.

Semien and Seager were key cogs in helping the Rangers win their first World Series last week.

Semien slashed .276/.348/.478/.826 with 29 home runs, 29 doubles, 100 RBI, and 122 runs, leading the AL in hits (185), runs, plate appearances (a club-record 753), and at-bats (670).

Semien started all 179 games for Texas in the regular season and postseason, totaling 835 plate appearances, setting MLB records in both categories for a single season.

Seager slashed .327/.390/.623/1.013 with 33 home runs, 42 doubles, and 96 RBI, ranking among AL leaders in doubles (first), batting average (second), OPS (second), slugging percentage (second), extra-base hits (tied for second, 75), home runs (tied for fifth) and RBI (tied for 10th).

Postseason BBWAA Award Finalists

American League

MVP: Shohei Ohtani, Los Angeles Angels; Corey Seager, Texas; Marcus Semien, Texas. Rookie: Tanner Bibee, Cleveland; Triston Casas, Boston; Gunnar Henderson, Baltimore. Cy Young: Gerrit Cole, New York Yankees; Kevin Gausman, Toronto; Sonny Gray, Minnesota. Manager: Bruce Bochy, Texas; Kevin Cash, Tampa Bay; Brandon Hyde, Baltimore.

National League

MVP: Ronald Acuña Jr., Atlanta; Mookie Betts, Los Angeles Dodgers; Freddie Freeman, Los Angeles Dodgers. Rookie: Corbin Carroll, Arizona; James Outman, Los Angeles Dodgers; Kodai Senga, New York Mets. Cy Young: Zac Gallen, Arizona; Blake Snell, San Diego; Logan Webb, San Francisco. Manager: Craig Counsell, Milwaukee; Skip Schumaker, Miami; Brandon Snitker, Atlanta.

You can find Matthew Postins on Twitter @PostinsPostcard.

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