We've reached the All*Star Break. Outside of the NL Central, the division races haven't brought much suspense, so unless one of those teams seriously falters, they can start planning for October. That doesn't mean there won't be any suspense down the stretch, though. Because we have the makings of an epic showdown for NL MVP.
But who would get it if the awards were presented today? I honestly don't even know which way that pendulum would swing. I do know who I'd vote for, though. So, I might as well start the midseason awards right there.
NL MVP: Cody Bellinger, Dodgers-Bellinger or Yelich? You really could flip a coin. It's that close (and Josh Bell would have a really good MVP case if not for those two). So why am I going with Bellinger? Because Christian Yelich is following up last year's MVP campaign with similar numbers while Bellinger has really come into his own while leading the Dodgers to the best record in baseball. He's second in all three triple crown categories (.336/30 HR/71 RBI), third in hits (107) and leading the NL in runs (70). Moving him to the outfield full time has certainly worked out for all parties involved.
NL Cy Young: Hyun-Jin Ryu, Dodgers-The pitching staff has been another reason why the Dodgers simply blew away the rest of the National League over the first three months of the season. That's why they've got three starters on the NL All-Star roster. The craziest part is that Clayton Kershaw hasn't been the best of them. Hyun-Jin Ryu has. Dave Roberts already announced he's starting on Tuesday, which seemed obvious even before he said it. He leads the league in wins. And ERA. And WHIP. This is a no-brainer.
NL Rookie: Pete Alonso, Mets-Talk about a no-brainer. We've got another one for NL Rookie of the Year. Pete Alonso is one of the most dynamic rookies to show up since, well, that big right fielder across town. And he's challenging Judge's ridiculous rookie records in the power department. Alonso's tied for second in the NL in homers with 30, which already broke the Mets rookie record for an entire season (set by Darryl Strawberry in 1984). He also has the NL rookie record for first half RBIs (68) and the Major League rookie record for extra base hits in the first half (53).
NL Comeback: Zach Davies, Brewers-Last year, when the Brewers were desperately in need of starting pitching, he was in and out of the rotation with shoulder issues (and wasn't particularly good when he was in). This year has been a different story. Davies has pitched like the ace he was in 2017. He's 7-2 with a 3.07 ERA and a big reason why Milwaukee is once again right there with the Cubs in the NL Central.
NL Manager: Dave Roberts, Dodgers-How hard is it to win when you're the hunted? The Dodgers have been to the last two World Series and won the last six NL West titles. So it's pretty clear that teams are gunning for them. Yet, this year, they're dominating again. They've been the best team in baseball since Day 1 and they don't show any signs of slowing down. They're 60-32 and have a 13.5-game lead. For all his (well-publicized) mistakes in the last two postseasons, every decision Dave Roberts has made this year has worked out. And they've got a great shot at becoming the first NL team since the 1942-44 Cardinals to win three consecutive pennants.
AL MVP: DJ LeMahieu, Yankees-Was there any better offseason pickup than DJ LeMahieu? The Yankees brought him in to be an extra infielder, playing everywhere to give the starters a rest. Instead, he's become an indispensable force at the top of the lineup. Seriously, where would they be without him? He went from a utility guy who didn't even start on Opening Day to the AL's starting All-Star second baseman. It seriously seems like he has two hits every game. LeMahieu has 113 hits and leads the AL with a .336 average...while playing three different infield positions. Not bad for a guy who was picked up to be an extra infielder. (And before you start trying to argue "Mike Trout," his simple existence and doing what he always does doesn't mean he's automatically the MVP every year.)
AL Cy Young: Justin Verlander, Astros-It doesn't make sense that as Justin Verlander gets older, he just keeps getting better. His career was reborn when he was traded to the Astros, and the first half of his 2019 season has been reminiscent of his 2011 MVP campaign. Second in the AL in wins (10), strikeouts (153) and innings (126.2), third in ERA (2.98), and first in WHIP (0.81). He's been every bit as dominant as those numbers suggest and a big reason why the Astros are once again running away with the AL West.
AL Rookie: Michael Chavis, Red Sox-AL Rookie of the Year is a tough one. Because there's no obvious front runner like Pete Alonso. And, while he's probably not the leading candidate right now, my vote would go to Boston's Michael Chavis. He started the year in the Minors because the Red Sox didn't really have a position for him, and he's hit his way into becoming Boston's starting first baseman. And I don't think it's a coincidence that the Red Sox started to play significantly better once Chavis arrived and stabilized the lineup.
AL Comeback: Lucas Giolito, White Sox-Lucas Giolito was bad last year. How bad? He finished last among all qualifiers with a 6.13 ERA! Fast forward to this season and he has more wins at the All-Star Break (11) than he did all of last year (10). Giolito's not just an All-Star, he's a candidate to start the game. This is the pitcher the White Sox thought they were getting when they acquired him.
AL Manager: Aaron Boone, Yankees-With all due respect to Rocco Baldelli and the job he's done in Minnesota, this isn't even close. The Yankees have used so many players this season that I've lost count. Only two of the nine Opening Day starters (which doesn't even include DJ LeMahieu) haven't been on the IL. Luis Severino and Dellin Betances haven't pitched at all this season. At one point, they had an entire All-Star roster on the IL. They were down to third-string players at some positions. Yet all they've done is keep winning. At 57-31, they have the best record in the American League and a 6.5-game lead in the division.
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