Each MLB team’s top performer this season
Houston Astros — Jose Altuve
What doesn’t Altuve do? He’s hitting .364, he’s hit 18 homers, he’s swiped 26 bases, he’s played solid defense up the middle. Once considered a novelty because of his diminutive stature, there are no longer any doubts about whether this guy belongs in the big leagues. He’s a perennial All-Star for a reason, an absolute bargain, and he may pull home his first career MVP.
Kansas City Royals — Mike Moustakas
A solid defensive third baseman, Moustakas has also had a quietly great season offensively. His .284 average is solid, and while he doesn’t walk much, he’s made up for that with a career-best 35 home runs. With free agency looming, Moustakas picked a good time to have a breakout season. At 28, he’s finally living up to the expectations the Royals had when they drafted him No. 2 overall.
Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim — Mike Trout
We’re not going to punish Trout for the injury that cost him about a month and a half of action in June and July. He’s still played in 74 games and has been remarkable in those games, even by his lofty standards. A .340 average and 23 home runs are really, really impressive. It’s a shame about his injury — the numbers he could have put up if he’d stayed healthy all season long would be staggering.
Los Angeles Dodgers — Kenley Jansen
Controversial? Of course. Clayton Kershaw, Justin Turner, Cody Bellinger, and Corey Seager have all had a bigger impact on the Dodgers’ fortunes in 2017. But none of them have been as overwhelmingly dominant in their given role as Jansen has been. The closer has walked just five batters in 52.1 innings, while striking out 80, and limiting his ERA to 1.20. He’s virtually unhittable this season. That sort of dominance needs to be recognized.
Miami Marlins — Giancarlo Stanton
One of the league’s finest power hitters has taken it to a new level. An incredible run of home run hitting has put Stanton up to 44 home runs, a career best already with a month and a half of the season to go. The ability to stay healthy has eluded him in the past, but he’s healthy now and looking better than ever. He’s one of the few bright spots on a Marlins team that hasn’t been very good.
Milwaukee Brewers — Corey Knebel
On a team with few superstar players and performances, Knebel has been elite in the closer’s role. Striking out batters at a remarkable pace of 15.6 per nine innings, he has saved 22 games with an ERA of 1.46. His reliability and enormous strikeout numbers have been vital in stabilizing the back of the Milwaukee bullpen. He’s a big reason why the Brewers have been a surprise playoff contender this season.
Minnesota Twins — Ervin Santana
The Twins ultimately didn’t flip Santana at the trade deadline, although they certainly could have done so if they’d opted to. The starting pitcher has been very valuable to a surprising Twins team, posting a 3.28 ERA and very easily being Minnesota’s most reliable starter. The Twins may not have expected to get such production from Santana, but they’ve certainly been pleased with what he’s delivered.
New York Mets — Michael Conforto
After a shaky 2016, Conforto has firmly established himself as one of the National League’s finest outfielders. He’s become an on base machine to the tune of a .388 OBP, and his .282 average is solid as well. He’s also no slouch in the power department, as he’s clubbed 26 home runs. There were questions about Conforto’s value to the Mets when he was shuffled in and out of the lineup in 2016, but there are no doubts now.
New York Yankees — Aaron Judge
Judge has taken baseball by storm, and with good reason. While his second half hasn’t quite been as good as his first, he’s hitting just under .300, has tallied 37 home runs, and has been key in the turnaround of the Yankees. He’s even succeeding in becoming a megastar in New York — which is no easy task. Judge is a big reason why the Yankees are in the thick of the AL East race.
Oakland Athletics — Khris Davis
Oakland traded many of their top performers at the trade deadline, but Davis is still with the team slugging home runs. He’s a solid outfielder who also has 40 home run power, having already hit 33 of them in 2017. That power is enough to make up for a comparatively low average. He’s the best player the Athletics have left on their roster.
