Looking at Every MLB Team’s MVP for the 2022 season
It’s that time of the year again for MLB. The season is winding down, and teams are getting ready for playoff pushes. Before we jump into the pennant races, let’s take a look at every team and their MVP for the 2022 season.
Toronto Blue Jays: SP Alek Manoah
While Vladimir Guerrero Jr. is usually the star of the Jays, we’re going to highlight their young ace in Manoah. In only his second season, the 24-year-old is making a name for himself amongst the Blue Jays’ young core. A 2.31 ERA and 1.00 WHIP, along with 176 strikeouts on the season, is pure dominance. He was also an All-Star this season, pitching one inning and striking out the side for the American League. So far in the month of September, Manoah is 3-0 with a 1.03 ERA and most recently threw a 7-inning shutout with eight strikeouts against the Rays. The kid is a tank, and he’s a guy that can go out and win an elimination game this postseason.
Honorable mentions: Vladimir Guerrero Jr., Bo Bichette
Baltimore Orioles: OF Anthony Santander
While the magical season for the Orioles will come just short of a postseason birth, the O’s had some exciting players this season. The Orioles MVP for this season is Santander, who had himself a career year. Hitting 33 home runs, 88 RBIs, and a 2.2 WAR, all career-highs for the outfielder. In only his second year of being an everyday player, the 27-year-old is proving to be an asset for a Baltimore team that is on the cusp of contention.
Honorable mentions: Austin Hays
Boston Red Sox: SS Xander Bogaerts
While it’s been more than a disappointing season for the Red Sox, their star shortstop continues to be a leader. With a 5.4 WAR this season, Bogaerts would be seeing MVP votes if it wasn’t for Aaron Judge and Shohei Ohtani. The power numbers may not be there this year, but having the third-best batting average in the American League (.305) and his fourth All-Star appearance keeps him at an elite level. He’s only 29, and the Red Sox are in a position where they can still add some pieces to be competitive next season. Along with Trevor Story and Rafael Devers, the Red Sox infield will remain strong heading into 2023.
Honorable mentions: Rafael Devers
New York Yankees: OF Aaron Judge
This is probably the most obvious choice on this list. Judge is most likely going to win the AL MVP, so it’s an easy choice to say he’s the Yankees MVP too. As of now (Oct. 2), he’s still tied with Roger Maris for the single-season home run record in the AL. Having 61 homers and 130 RBIs in any season is instantly going to make you an MVP candidate — not to mention he has a chance to win the Triple Crown. While he’s currently second in batting average in the AL, he leads a long list of stats: home runs, RBIs, runs, OBP, OPS, SLG, and walks. No matter where Judge goes in the offseason as a free agent, he is going to get PAID for this historic season.
Honorable mentions: Nestor Cortes Jr., Gerrit Cole
Tampa Bay Rays: SP Shane McClanahan
The Rays have always been an organization that develops talent well. A great example of that this season is starter Shane McClanahan. His second full season in the majors quickly turned into a Cy Young campaign. A 12-8 record with a 2.54 ERA and 0.93 WHIP have quickly pushed McClanahan into position as the Rays’ ace. His 30.3 percent strikeout rate is second best in the AL. His own teammates believe he’s the team MVP, as they voted him to win the team award a week ago. He’s lining up to be the Game 1 starter for the Wild Card Series, and has more than proved that he deserves the nod.
Honorable mentions: Yandy Diaz, Randy Arozarena
Cleveland Guardians: 3B Jose Ramirez
While guys like Francisco Lindor and Michael Brantley have left Cleveland, Ramirez has become a rock for this franchise. It’s the same story for Ramirez, he’d be a heavy MVP favorite if it wasn’t for Judge and Ohtani. One homer shy of 30, 122 RBIs, and a 5.4 WAR puts him at the top of the AL Central division champs. Opposing teams haven’t even wanted to pitch to him, as he has a career-high 20 intentional walks on the year. After signing a seven-year extension earlier this season, Cleveland fans won’t have to worry about their team MVP leaving.
Honorable mentions: Emmanuel Clase, Shane Bieber
Chicago White Sox: SP Dylan Cease
Along with McClanahan, Cease has been having a Cy Young-level season. While his stellar performance didn’t lead his team to the postseason, he can put his name on the 2022 campaign as the best of his career, boasting a 2.20 ERA in just under 200 innings pitched and a career-high 6.3 WAR. While there were more walks than usual for Cease, he made it up in terms of strikeouts with 227, which currently ranks fourth-best in all of MLB for most strikeouts on the season. While it was a highly disappointing season for the White Sox, Cease has to feel good about the All-Star season he had.
Honorable mentions: Jose Abreu, Andrew Vaughn
Minnesota Twins: Utility man Luis Arraez
Arraez is your picture-perfect leadoff man. He gets on base, has a crap ton of hits, and doesn’t really strike out. A career .300 hitter is batting .315 currently, leading the AL. If Judge doesn’t win the Triple Crown, it will be because of Arraez and his insane batting average. Only 43 strikeouts on the season and a .372 OBP. It landed him his first All-Star appearance this year, and the 25-year-old has lots more potential to grow.
Honorable mentions: Carlos Correa, Joe Ryan
Detroit Tigers: SP Tarik Skubal
For any rebuilding team, it can be hard to find a bright spot. The Tigers have quite the future ahead of them, and young lefty Tarik Skubal is a part of that. He leads the team in innings pitched (117.2), wins (7), and strikeouts (117.) With Casey Mize, Spencer Torkelson and Riley Greene, Skubal will be part of a great young core for the Tigers.
Honorable mentions: Andrew Chafin, Javier Baez
Kansas City Royals: SP Brady Singer
Another young pitcher on a rebuilding team, Singer has been excellent for the Royals this year. He’s held opponents to a .246 batting average while striking out 150. His 3.23 ERA is leading the rotation and his up to a 4.4 WAR in his 25-year-old season. Lining up with Daniel Lynch and Kris Bubic, the Royals’ rotation also has a bright future ahead of them.
Honorable mentions: Bobby Witt Jr., Salvador Perez
Houston Astros: SP Justin Verlander
The best team in the AL is being led by the 39-year-old ace. Verlander is most likely going to win the AL. Cy Young, and for a very good reason. 17-4, 1.80 ERA, 175 strikeouts. He leads the AL in all three of those categories, as well as a WHIP of 0.85. For a man who is almost 40 with Tommy John surgery in his history, Verlander is pitching like he’s back in Detroit. He’ll definitely win Cy Young and has a chance to win himself another ring.
Honorable mentions: Yordan Alvarez, Framber Valdez
Los Angeles Angels: SP/DH Shohei Ohtani
Yes, no surprise the second-coming of Babe Ruth is the Angels MVP. The AL MVP last season is building up his case to go back-to-back. Hitter Ohtani and pitcher Ohtani are pretty much two MVPs in themselves. On the hitting side, he’s batting .276 with 34 home runs and 94 RBIs, with an OPS just shy of .900. On the pitching side, Ohtani has a 2.35 ERA, 213 strikeouts, and hitters have a .207 batting average against him. It’s still incredible what he’s able to do, and him recently breaking the record for the highest contract for an arbitration player proves that.
Honorable mentions: Mike Trout
Oakland A’s: Catcher Sean Murphy
With the annual fire sale of the A’s taking place at the beginning of the season, one star remains and has been making a big impact. Murphy is having the best season of his career as he gears up to be potentially traded this offseason. The backstop has 18 home runs on the season with a .761 OPS. His game has always been defense, coming off his first gold glove in 2021. Three defensive runs saved this season with 869 putouts and 40 assists. With top prospect Shea Langeliers ready to take over the catcher position, Murphy’s days in Oakland are becoming smaller. Wherever he may play, he is still one of the best defensive catchers in baseball and carries loads of value on his name.
Honorable mentions: Seth Brown
Seattle Mariners: OF Julio Rodriguez
The J-Rod show has been nothing but spectacular for Seattle. He’s no doubt the Rookie of the Year in the AL, as his game has been a big part of the Mariners ending their 21-year playoff drought. While the young star is currently injured, his 27 home runs and 73 RBIs in 129 games is impressive. He already has a 5.7 WAR in his first season, and many are already starting to compare him to Ken Griffey Jr. Mariner fans can buy his jerseys in peace since he signed a mega deal a few months back.
Honorable mentions: Logan Gilbert, Eugenio Suarez
Texas Rangers: SP Martin Perez
The 31-year-old left-hander is having himself a career year on a remodeled Rangers team. While there will be no playoff baseball for the team, Perez was looking like a Cy Young-level candidate early on. A 2.93 ERA with 167 strikeouts is the best of his 11-year career. While his strikeout percentage (20.9%) and walk percentage (8.0%) are about average, Perez has turned himself into an ace for the Rangers rotation. While the direction of the team is still a bit unclear, Perez has a chance to make a bigger impact next season.
Honorable mentions: Nathaniel Lowe, Corey Seager
Los Angeles Dodgers: 1B Freddie Freeman
It’s always hard to pick just one MVP on a loaded team like the Dodgers. For Freeman, however, his first year as a Dodger is not disappointing. His league-leading .329 batting average is also the best of his career. Posting career-highs in hits (196) and doubles (43), the 13-year veteran is looking to win back-to-back rings with two different teams. The former Brave is making a case for himself to win his second MVP award, and the six-time All-Star has a chance to leave his mark in L.A.
Honorable mentions: Julio Urias, Trea Turner
San Diego Padres: 3B Manny Machado
While Machado has had his on-field drama in the past, his production has never seen any dips. Even with the Juan Soto deal, Machado has made himself a leader in this Padres lineup, which will finally see meaningful playoff baseball. His 32 home runs and 101 RBIs are leading the team, along with his .296/.367/.533 slash line. Despite the Fernando Tatis Jr. news, the Padres have been able to hold the team together, and Machado is a big part of that. It’s by far the best season as a Padre for the third baseman, and he will gear up to push him team deep into the playoffs.
Honorable mentions: Joe Musgrove
San Francisco Giants: SP Logan Webb
Despite a 107-win team last year, the Giants quickly fell down to earth in 2022. While they’ve been eliminated from playoff contention, their rotation has remained strong. Along with the addition of Carlos Rodon, righty Logan Webb has been the team’s ace for the second year in a row. He has a 2.90 ERA, the best of his young career. 163 strikeouts in 192.1 innings and a 1.15 WHIP on the year. Webb and Rodon are pretty neck-and-neck, but with rumors that Rodon will opt out of the deal, Webb is looking to be the better long-term deal for the Giants.
Honorable mentions: Carlos Rodon
Colorado Rockies: 1B C.J. Cron
When the Rockies signed Cron last season, they knew they’d be signing for power. Boy have they gotten that. With 29 home runs so far, he’s one away from tying his career-high from 2018. It’s his first time reaching triple digits in RBIs, with 102 on the year. Yes, Coors can definitely help the power numbers, but Cron has always had the pop, and if he doesn’t stay with the Rockies he’ll be a great DH for a contending team.
Honorable mentions: Brendan Rodgers
Arizona Diamondbacks: SP Zac Gallen
With an on-and-off career, Gallen seems to be finally finding his groove this year. A 2.46 ERA in 179 innings with 186 strikeouts so far. An excellent 2.92 FIP paired with his 12-3 record has made him a standout on a losing D-backs team. Like many other rebuilding teams, the future is very bright in Arizona, and the 27-year-old ace has marked his spot in the rotation.
Honorable mentions: Christian Walker
Chicago Cubs: OF Ian Happ
At this year’s deadline, it was expected that Happ and Willson Contreras would be traded. The day came and gone, and the fan favorites are still in Chicago. While this team is nowhere near the World Series team they were in 2016, Happ has been proving why he was a potential trade candidate. In his first all-star season, Happ is batting .274/.323./434 with a team-leading 72 RBIs. With the most walks (58) doubles (42) and hits (154) Happ is just padding his own stats on a down year for the Cubs.
Honorable mentions: Willson Contreras, Nico Hoerner
Milwaukee Brewers: SP Corbin Burnes
For a Brewers team fighting for a wild-card spot, their rotation is what will help them reach it. Besides Brandon Woodruff, Burnes is once again providing a Cy Young season. His 2.98 ERA leads the team, along with 238 strikeouts which also leads the NL. Just his second all-star selection, Burnes is not only looking to win his second consecutive Cy Young, but also looking to pitch deep in October.
Honorable mentions: Brandon Woodruff, Willy Adames
St. Louis Cardinals: 1B Paul Goldschmidt
The Cards have themselves two MVP-caliber players, and they’re arguably the best 1B/3B duo in baseball right now. While Nolan Arenado is having himself an elite season, Goldschmidt is on another level in 2022. Leading the team in just about every offensive stat (35 homers, 114 RBIs, and a .318/.404/.581 slash line), Goldy is looking to win the first MVP of his 12-year career. With an elite 7.8 WAR, the best of his career, the Cardinals have a good bet of going all the way this October.
Honorable mentions: Nolan Arenado
Cincinnati Reds: INF Kyle Farmer
There’s no sugarcoating it, the Reds are one of the worst teams in MLB. I wouldnât even say there’s a strong MVP candidate, but Farmer had probably the best season out of this abysmal Reds team. The 14 home runs and 77 RBIs he’s hit are leading the Reds’ offense, along with his .253 batting average. At 32 years old, Farmer has been thriving since becoming an everyday player for the Reds. He’s not a long-term answer, but he’s been doing a nice job of filling in on a rebuilding team.
Honorable mentions: Hunter Greene, Nick Senzel
Pittsburgh Pirates: OF Bryan Reynolds
It’s the same storyline for the Pirates: A terrible team stuck in a long rebuild. While they’ve had the chance to trade Reynolds, their asking price has been too high for opposing teams to agree on. Perfectly reasonable for a player like Reynolds however. While he’s not having the All-Star season he had last year, Reynolds is still the Pirates’ most reliable player. He’s still only three homers away from 30, and he leads the club in hits and most games played on the season. Right at .260 with the average, I’m sure Reynolds is just hoping to soon play for a contender.
Honorable mentions: Ke’Bryan Hayes
New York Mets: CP Edwin Diaz
While the Mets are continuing their collapse in classic Met fashion, they still have a plethora of talent. We’ve all seen his electric entrance, and he’s been a reliable closing pitcher for the season. His second all-star season, the first since his 2018 season where he won AL Reliever of the Year. 1.35 ERA and an incredible 116 strikeouts in only 60 innings pitched. 31 saves in 34 opportunities for the flame thrower. Regardless if it’s a wild-card or division on series, the Mets will be in the postseason, and Diaz will be bringing the heat late in games.
Honorable mentions: Max Scherzer, Pete Alonso
Atlanta Braves: 3B Austin Riley
The Braves have been no stranger to locking up their young core. Riley is one of those, and his first All-Star season has become one of his best. With a career-high 38 home runs, Riley and first-year Brave Matt Olson have been leading the offensive stats for the team. He’s walking more and hitting more home runs, a perfect combination for a player who you have for the next 10 years. He already has one ring, and is lining up to win many more with this talented core.
Honorable mentions: Spencer Strider, Michael Harris
Philadelphia Phillies: C J.T. Realmuto
It’s possible the Phillies don’t even make the playoffs. Now that the Mariners are in, the Phillies have the longest playoff drought. It’s still a talented roster, and while there isn’t much defense, Realmuto offers both. He tied a career-high in RBIs (83) and tallied a career-high in stolen bases with 21. Over 1,100 putouts for the backstop, Realmuto has been that mix of offense and defense that the Phillies are lacking. With Bryce Harper facing injuries throughout the season, Realmuto has been the next best option for Philly.
Honorable mentions: Kyle Schwarber, Aaron Nola
Washington Nationals: 1B Joey Meneses
It’s been a hard few years for Nats fans. After winning it all in 2019, it’s been downhill. Juan Soto and Josh Bell were traded at the deadline, leaving the Nats’ clubhouse completely revamped. The 30-year-old rookie has been a fairytale, after spending over 10 years in the minors. In 52 games, Meneses is batting .332 with 13 homers and 69 hits. He’ll have to repeat this performance next year in hopes to keep a full time position, but with a Nationals team beginning a full rebuild he’s looking to be their everyday guy.
Honorable mentions: Cesar Hernandez
Miami Marlins: SP Sandy Alcantara
Not much to say except Cy Young. Leading MLB in complete games with six, Alcantara is leading a young rotation in style. 207 strikeouts in 228.2 innings pitched with a 2.28 ERA. Alcantara was shut down for the rest of the season with it ending in a few days, but he’s made his case for Cy Young votes. An excellent 23.4 K% for the young right-hander puts him as the clear MVP for the Marlins.
Honorable mentions: Pablo Lopez
That’s all for us! Which team MVP do you think stands out the most?
Be sure to SHOP for Vendetta Merch!
Go SUBSCRIBE to our YouTube Channel!
