The race for the AL MVP couldn’t be any closer, so who has the edge going into the final weeks? 5. Tigers 1B Miguel Cabrera (.330, 26 HR, 96 RBI) » You know it’s a tight race when Cabrera, who is in the top 10 in the league in each Triple Crown category and plays for a team that is running away with the division, is the fifth-best candidate.
4. Red Sox 1B Adrian Gonzalez (.339, 25 HR, 108 RBI) » The AL batting leader has powered the middle of one of the most prolific offenses in the league. But he has struggled against the top teams in the majors. He’s hitting below .200 against the Yankees, Tigers, Rays and Phillies.
3. Red Sox CF Jacoby Ellsbury (.317, 26 HR, 91 RBI) » Ellsbury has added some pop to his bat. He entered the year with 20 career home runs in more than 1,500 at-bats and already has surpassed that mark this year. On top of hitting for power, he has 36 stolen bases and has scored 104 runs.
2. Blue Jays RF Jose Bautista (.305, 41 HR, 98 RBI) » The Blue Jays slugger wins the WAR — wins above replacement that is. Bautista has an 8.0 WAR, 1.5 higher than second place Ellsbury and Gonzalez. Ironically, wins are the reason Bautista will not win the MVP, with Toronto hovering around .500 and firmly in fourth place in the AL East.
1. Yankees CF Curtis Granderson (.266, 39 HR, 111 RBI) » When the MVP race is too close to call, just go with the best player on the best team. That would be Granderson, who has a career high in home runs and leads the league in RBI. His batting average is lower than the other candidates, but his power numbers make up for it.
– Jeffrey Tomik
