This year’s MLB honors came to a close on Thursday night with the MVP awards being awarded to Red Sox’s Mookie Betts in the American League Milwaukee Brewers’ Christian Yelich in the National League.
Although Yelich won the NL honors with 29 out of 30 votes, it was Betts who had the better night. The 26-year-old became only the second player in MLB’s history to win the MVP, Silver Slugger, World Series and a Golden Glove in the same season.
The other player was Mike Schmidt in 1980 with the Philadelphia Phillies. Betts also won 28 votes to clinch the honors while teammate Mike Trout got the remaining two votes.
In a high-flying Boston Red Sox this season, Betts has been phenomenal. He hit five triples, 32 homers, 129 runs, 80 RBI, 10.9 WAR, 30 steals and had 186 OPS+. He was the best player in his team and in the AL, leading the league in average, runs scores, defensive runs and slugging.
In Milwaukee, the Brewers were in celebration mood after the player they acquired just in January was voted the National League’s MVP almost unanimously. Yelich has nearly been as good as Betts in Phillie, battling .326 and only two RBIS and two home runs short of becoming the NL’s first Triple Crown winner since 1937.
