Los Angeles Dodgers outfielder/first baseman Cody Bellinger has won the National League Most Valuable Award for the 2019 season, it was announced on Friday.

Bellinger edged out Brewers outfielder Christian Yelich for the award, receiving 19 first-place votes as opposed to Yelich’s 10 for the recognition as the league’s best player.

It was a banner season for the 24-year-old Bellinger, who led the Dodgers to the best record in the National League. The dynamic hitter produced a fantastic .305/.406/.629 batting line on the year, smashing 47 home runs and racking up 115 RBIs on the season in 156 games.

Bellinger also got points for his contributions on the basepaths, stealing 15 bases, and as an above-average defender both in the outfield and at first base over the course of the year.

It’s the second major award that Bellinger adds to his trophy case after winning the 2017 NL Rookie of the Year Award in his debut season only a couple of years ago.

Despite falling in the National League Championship Series to the Washington Nationals in unexpected fashion, Bellinger and the Dodgers are expected to be back at full force next season and to compete for the World Series crown.

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For the third time in his career, Angels center fielder Mike Trout was named the best player in the American League on Friday after winning yet another MVP award.

Trout, who at the age of 28 is already considered a sure-fire Hall of Famer, added the 2019 trophy to the 2014 and 2016 awards to his trophy case.

Despite playing on a non-competitive Angels team that finished with a poor 72-90 record on the season, Trout was named the best player in the league based on yet another fantastic season at the plate, on the basepaths, and in the field.

He did this despite missing the final three weeks of the season with a foot injury.

Trout totaled 45 home runs, 104 runs batted in, and 11 stolen bases on the season in only 134 games, compiling a .291/.438/.645 batting line. He was rated as one of the best baserunners in the game despite not having a gaudy stolen base figure, and played good defense as usual.

He beat out Astros third baseman Alex Bregman with 17 out of 30 first-place votes for the award. Athletics infielder Marcus Semien came in a distant third place in the voting.

Trout is expected to be back and ready for the 2020 season after undergoing foot surgery last month.

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It had been eight years in the making, but Astros starting pitcher Justin Verlander has finally been awarded the second AL Cy Young Award of his career.

Verlander, a likely Hall of Famer and one of the most dominant pitchers in the past decade plus of the sport, claimed the hardware for the first time since his 2011 season with the Detroit Tigers.

The 36-year-old starter became the oldest pitcher to take home the award since the Yankees’ Roger Clemens won the 2004 AL Cy Young trophy at the age of 42.

Verlander was dominant this season for the American League champion Astros, putting together a stellar 21-6 record with a 2.58 ERA and 300 strikeouts. He was the ace and the rock of the Houston pitching staff, one of the most dominant units in the league that helped them to win 106 games in the regular season.

The Virginia native narrowly claimed the award over Astros teammate Gerrit Cole, who finished second in the voting. Verlander and Cole became the first teammates in the history of Major League Baseball to finish #1 and #2 in Cy Young Award voting.

Verlander is expected to take the mound as the powerhouse Astros’ top starter in the 2020 season as well.

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Houston Astros slugger Yordan Alvarez has been named the 2019 American League Rookie of the Year award winner after a landslide vote that saw him being given the trophy in unanimous fashion.

Alvarez was named the third Rookie of the Year winner in the history of the Astros franchise, and the first since the franchise was moved to the American League in 2013.

It’s no surprise to see why the Cuban power hitter won the award in unanimous fashion. The other two finalists, the Orioles’ John Means and the Rays’ Brandon Lowe, had impressive debuts, but couldn’t come close to match Alvarez’s production for the AL pennant-winning Astros.

Alvarez, who made his debut in June, hit .313 and blasted 27 home runs in only 313 at-bats. He made his presence known immediately after being called up, blasting the first of many home runs that he would hit over the summer in his June 9th debut against the Baltimore Orioles.

The season put together by Alvarez was, in fact, historic. He posted the highest OPS mark by any rookie with over 300 plate appearances in a single season in the history of the league.

The Astros have a young slugger in their midst that should become one of the league’s top bats over the next several seasons.

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Aroldis Chapman of the New York Yankees and Josh Hader of the Milwaukee Brewers were named the American League and National League Relievers of the Year on Saturday.

Chapman, the closer for the Yankees, earned the award after posting a spectacular season. The Cuba native put up a 2.21 ERA in his pressure-packed job, recording 37 saves and striking out 85 batters in 57 innings pitched.

He was New York’s go-to man in close games in the final innings, and it’s safe to say that his five-year, $86 million contract is working out nicely.

He was named an All-Star for the second consecutive season.

Hader was also fantastic in 2019, posting a 2.62 ERA in 61 appearances for the Brewers, recording 37 saves. He posted mind-boggling strikeout numbers, managing to make 138 batters whiff in only 75.2 innings.

He, too, was named an All-Star for the second season in a row. It’s also the second consecutive year that the lefty has won the NL Reliever of the Year Award after an equally impressive 2018 campaign.

The only real blemish in Hader’s 2019 season was blowing a save to lose the game for the Brewers in the ninth inning of the NL Wild Card Game, but it was an impressive season for the Florida native nonetheless.

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The 2019 MLB season is already one to remember. From the Dodgers’ 8 Opening Day home runs to the Angels’ combined no-hitter last Friday night, there has been plenty of excitement so far in the league this season.

There have also been unforgettable individual performances and breakout stars that have taken the next step to be some of the game’s elite most players. So, let’s take a look at the favorites for each MLB award at the All-Star Break.

NL MVP: Cody Bellinger (Dodgers)

Cody Bellinger has been the best player in the National League, powering the Dodgers to the NL’s best record with a .341 batting average and with a league-leading 33 home runs. He’s been absolutely unstoppable at the plate, and if it weren’t for Christian Yelich’s encore to his 2018 MVP year, no one else would be a close competition.

Close in the running: Christian Yelich (Brewers), Pete Alonso (Mets)

AL MVP: Mike Trout (Angels)

The best player in baseball has continued to be peerless in 2019, as he’s been baseball’s best player by the WAR metric. Trout’s 30 home runs and absurd .455 on-base percentage means that he’s on the way to the best season of a sure-fire Hall of Fame career, which is nothing to sneeze at. He is the runaway favorite.

Close in the running: Xander Bogaerts (Red Sox), Alex Bregman (Astros)

NL Cy Young: Max Scherzer (Nationals)

Mad Max looks to be the favorite to take home his 4th Cy Young Award after starting 2019 with a bang, leading the NL in strikeouts with 181 and in second place in ERA behind Dodgers standout Hyun-Jin Ryu. It’s a two-horse race at this point, but Scherzer gets the nod for having worked deeper into games than Ryu and for his gaudy strikeout totals.

Close in the running: Hyun-Jin Ryu (Dodgers), Zack Greinke (Diamondbacks)

AL Cy Young: Justin Verlander (Astros)

The lanky veteran right-hander for the division-leading Houston Astros comes out as a slight favorite in what is a very tight AL Cy Young race. It could be said that Morton, who has a better ERA, has had the better season, but Verlander has simply been the better team’s ace and has put up a 2.98 ERA in an extreme hitter’s park. He gets the edge (for now).

Close in the running: Charlie Morton (Rays), Gerrit Cole (Astros)

The post Sizing Up the MLB Award Favorites at the All-Star Break appeared first on SportzBonanza.

Los Angeles Dodgers outfielder/first baseman Cody Bellinger has won the National League Most Valuable Award for the 2019 season, it was announced on Friday.

Bellinger edged out Brewers outfielder Christian Yelich for the award, receiving 19 first-place votes as opposed to Yelich’s 10 for the recognition as the league’s best player.

It was a banner season for the 24-year-old Bellinger, who led the Dodgers to the best record in the National League. The dynamic hitter produced a fantastic .305/.406/.629 batting line on the year, smashing 47 home runs and racking up 115 RBIs on the season in 156 games.

Bellinger also got points for his contributions on the basepaths, stealing 15 bases, and as an above-average defender both in the outfield and at first base over the course of the year.

It’s the second major award that Bellinger adds to his trophy case after winning the 2017 NL Rookie of the Year Award in his debut season only a couple of years ago.

Despite falling in the National League Championship Series to the Washington Nationals in unexpected fashion, Bellinger and the Dodgers are expected to be back at full force next season and to compete for the World Series crown.

The post Cody Bellinger Takes Home 2019 NL MVP Award appeared first on SportzBonanza.

For the third time in his career, Angels center fielder Mike Trout was named the best player in the American League on Friday after winning yet another MVP award.

Trout, who at the age of 28 is already considered a sure-fire Hall of Famer, added the 2019 trophy to the 2014 and 2016 awards to his trophy case.

Despite playing on a non-competitive Angels team that finished with a poor 72-90 record on the season, Trout was named the best player in the league based on yet another fantastic season at the plate, on the basepaths, and in the field.

He did this despite missing the final three weeks of the season with a foot injury.

Trout totaled 45 home runs, 104 runs batted in, and 11 stolen bases on the season in only 134 games, compiling a .291/.438/.645 batting line. He was rated as one of the best baserunners in the game despite not having a gaudy stolen base figure, and played good defense as usual.

He beat out Astros third baseman Alex Bregman with 17 out of 30 first-place votes for the award. Athletics infielder Marcus Semien came in a distant third place in the voting.

Trout is expected to be back and ready for the 2020 season after undergoing foot surgery last month.

The post Mike Trout Wins 3rd Career AL MVP Award appeared first on SportzBonanza.

It had been eight years in the making, but Astros starting pitcher Justin Verlander has finally been awarded the second AL Cy Young Award of his career.

Verlander, a likely Hall of Famer and one of the most dominant pitchers in the past decade plus of the sport, claimed the hardware for the first time since his 2011 season with the Detroit Tigers.

The 36-year-old starter became the oldest pitcher to take home the award since the Yankees’ Roger Clemens won the 2004 AL Cy Young trophy at the age of 42.

Verlander was dominant this season for the American League champion Astros, putting together a stellar 21-6 record with a 2.58 ERA and 300 strikeouts. He was the ace and the rock of the Houston pitching staff, one of the most dominant units in the league that helped them to win 106 games in the regular season.

The Virginia native narrowly claimed the award over Astros teammate Gerrit Cole, who finished second in the voting. Verlander and Cole became the first teammates in the history of Major League Baseball to finish #1 and #2 in Cy Young Award voting.

Verlander is expected to take the mound as the powerhouse Astros’ top starter in the 2020 season as well.

The post Astros SP Justin Verlander Wins 2nd Cy Young Award appeared first on SportzBonanza.

Houston Astros slugger Yordan Alvarez has been named the 2019 American League Rookie of the Year award winner after a landslide vote that saw him being given the trophy in unanimous fashion.

Alvarez was named the third Rookie of the Year winner in the history of the Astros franchise, and the first since the franchise was moved to the American League in 2013.

It’s no surprise to see why the Cuban power hitter won the award in unanimous fashion. The other two finalists, the Orioles’ John Means and the Rays’ Brandon Lowe, had impressive debuts, but couldn’t come close to match Alvarez’s production for the AL pennant-winning Astros.

Alvarez, who made his debut in June, hit .313 and blasted 27 home runs in only 313 at-bats. He made his presence known immediately after being called up, blasting the first of many home runs that he would hit over the summer in his June 9th debut against the Baltimore Orioles.

The season put together by Alvarez was, in fact, historic. He posted the highest OPS mark by any rookie with over 300 plate appearances in a single season in the history of the league.

The Astros have a young slugger in their midst that should become one of the league’s top bats over the next several seasons.

The post Yordan Alvarez Wins 2019 AL Rookie of the Year Award appeared first on SportzBonanza.

Aroldis Chapman of the New York Yankees and Josh Hader of the Milwaukee Brewers were named the American League and National League Relievers of the Year on Saturday.

Chapman, the closer for the Yankees, earned the award after posting a spectacular season. The Cuba native put up a 2.21 ERA in his pressure-packed job, recording 37 saves and striking out 85 batters in 57 innings pitched.

He was New York’s go-to man in close games in the final innings, and it’s safe to say that his five-year, $86 million contract is working out nicely.

He was named an All-Star for the second consecutive season.

Hader was also fantastic in 2019, posting a 2.62 ERA in 61 appearances for the Brewers, recording 37 saves. He posted mind-boggling strikeout numbers, managing to make 138 batters whiff in only 75.2 innings.

He, too, was named an All-Star for the second season in a row. It’s also the second consecutive year that the lefty has won the NL Reliever of the Year Award after an equally impressive 2018 campaign.

The only real blemish in Hader’s 2019 season was blowing a save to lose the game for the Brewers in the ninth inning of the NL Wild Card Game, but it was an impressive season for the Florida native nonetheless.

The post Aroldis Chapman and Josh Hader Named MLB Relievers of the Year appeared first on SportzBonanza.

The 2019 MLB season is already one to remember. From the Dodgers’ 8 Opening Day home runs to the Angels’ combined no-hitter last Friday night, there has been plenty of excitement so far in the league this season.

There have also been unforgettable individual performances and breakout stars that have taken the next step to be some of the game’s elite most players. So, let’s take a look at the favorites for each MLB award at the All-Star Break.

NL MVP: Cody Bellinger (Dodgers)

Cody Bellinger has been the best player in the National League, powering the Dodgers to the NL’s best record with a .341 batting average and with a league-leading 33 home runs. He’s been absolutely unstoppable at the plate, and if it weren’t for Christian Yelich’s encore to his 2018 MVP year, no one else would be a close competition.

Close in the running: Christian Yelich (Brewers), Pete Alonso (Mets)

AL MVP: Mike Trout (Angels)

The best player in baseball has continued to be peerless in 2019, as he’s been baseball’s best player by the WAR metric. Trout’s 30 home runs and absurd .455 on-base percentage means that he’s on the way to the best season of a sure-fire Hall of Fame career, which is nothing to sneeze at. He is the runaway favorite.

Close in the running: Xander Bogaerts (Red Sox), Alex Bregman (Astros)

NL Cy Young: Max Scherzer (Nationals)

Mad Max looks to be the favorite to take home his 4th Cy Young Award after starting 2019 with a bang, leading the NL in strikeouts with 181 and in second place in ERA behind Dodgers standout Hyun-Jin Ryu. It’s a two-horse race at this point, but Scherzer gets the nod for having worked deeper into games than Ryu and for his gaudy strikeout totals.

Close in the running: Hyun-Jin Ryu (Dodgers), Zack Greinke (Diamondbacks)

AL Cy Young: Justin Verlander (Astros)

The lanky veteran right-hander for the division-leading Houston Astros comes out as a slight favorite in what is a very tight AL Cy Young race. It could be said that Morton, who has a better ERA, has had the better season, but Verlander has simply been the better team’s ace and has put up a 2.98 ERA in an extreme hitter’s park. He gets the edge (for now).

Close in the running: Charlie Morton (Rays), Gerrit Cole (Astros)

The post Sizing Up the MLB Award Favorites at the All-Star Break appeared first on SportzBonanza.