LOS ANGELES — Because the Dodgers host the Yankees for a World Sequence rematch this weekend, some main award winners will share the sphere at Chavez Ravine.
With Aaron Decide, Cody Bellinger and Paul Goldschmidt on the Yankees and the Dodgers using Shohei Ohtani, Mookie Betts and Freddie Freeman, the collection is poised to characteristic the primary video games with three MVPs in every batting order, in keeping with MLB’s Sarah Langs. As ESPN’s Buster Olney identified, there was one different recreation the place three MVPs began for each groups — a June 2, 2023 matchup between the Yanks and Dodgers — however a kind of gamers, Los Angeles’ Clayton Kershaw, received his MVP as a pitcher and didn’t bat in that recreation.
That recreation additionally featured Betts and Freeman on the Dodgers’ facet and Decide, Giancarlo Stanton and Josh Donaldson within the Yankees’ lineup.
Decide, a two-time winner within the American League, is the newest MVP of the bunch, as he took the award house after producing the best season ever by a right-handed hitter final 12 months.
The Yankees’ captain is now within the early phases of one other MVP bid, as Decide entered the Dodgers collection main the majors in common (.391), OBP (.488), slugging (.739), fWAR (4.7) and wRC+ (239). He was additionally fourth in house runs (18) and RBI (47).
A 3-time MVP due to his hitting and pitching prowess — elbow surgical procedure has saved him off a giant league mound since 2023 — Ohtani can also be engaged on one other splendid season on the plate. He was pacing the majors with 20 longballs getting into the collection whereas slashing .292/.394/.648 with 35 RBI, 11 stolen bases, a 3.0 fWAR and a 181 wRC+.
Freeman, in the meantime, was main the Nationwide League with a .359 common, a 1.044 OPS and a 185 wRC+ to go together with 9 homers, 36 RBI and a 2.5 fWAR. An MVP with Atlanta in 2020, he additionally earned World Sequence MVP honors final October after hitting .300 with 4 house runs — together with a walk-off grand slam in Sport 1 — in opposition to the Yankees.
Betts, an MVP with the Crimson Sox in 2018, is hitting .254/.338/.405 with eight homers, 31 RBI, a 1.6 fWAR and a 111 wRC+ after a abdomen virus and associated weight reduction hindered him in the beginning of the season.
Goldschmidt, in the meantime, received his MVP with the Cardinals in 2022, the identical 12 months Decide received his first award. The primary baseman, 37, has been a cut price after signing a one-year take care of the Yankees over the winter, posting a .347/.404/.495 slash lime with 5 homers, 27 RBI, a 1.8 fWAR and a 156 wRC+.
Lastly, Bellinger received his MVP as a member of the Dodgers in 2019. He was drafted by and debuted with Los Angeles, making this collection a little bit of a homecoming.
Acquired from the Cubs over the winter, the veteran began off gradual however was hitting .258/.329/.457 with eight homers, 32 RBI a 1.5 fWAR and a 119 wRC+.
