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MLB Awards Watch: How real is Dallas Keuchel?

By Brad Rowland

Houston Astros starting pitcher Dallas Keuchel (60) rubs the baseball between pitches against the Houston Astros in the first inning at Minute Maid Park. Mandatory Credit: Thomas B. Shea-USA TODAY Sports
Houston Astros starting pitcher Dallas Keuchel (60) rubs the baseball between pitches against the Houston Astros in the first inning at Minute Maid Park. Mandatory Credit: Thomas B. Shea-USA TODAY Sports /
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Washington Nationals right fielder Bryce Harper (34) scores a run against the Philadelphia Phillies during the seventh inning at Nationals Park. The Washington Nationals won 4-1. Mandatory Credit: Brad Mills-USA TODAY Sports
Washington Nationals right fielder Bryce Harper (34) scores a run against the Philadelphia Phillies during the seventh inning at Nationals Park. The Washington Nationals won 4-1. Mandatory Credit: Brad Mills-USA TODAY Sports /

NL MVP

  1. Bryce Harper, OF Washington Nationals – If there was an MVP award for both leagues, Harper would win it, and it wouldn’t be close. The brash young outfielder has officially “arrived” as a legitimate MLB superstar, and the numbers are off the charts, including an NL-leading 16 home runs. Harper leads all players in wRC+ (217), OBP (.471) and slugging (.727) and with quality defense to boot, he looks the part as the best player in baseball at this particular moment.
  2. Paul Goldschmidt, 1B Arizona Diamondbacks – Goldschmidt trails only Harper among NL players in both OBP (.442) and slugging (.631) and Arizona’s franchise player is having a fantastic season. It is encouraging to see a full recovery after what was an injury plagued 2014 campaign, and Goldschmidt is already running again, with 8 stolen bases to go along with his 12 home runs from the first base position. In other words, he is pretty good.
  3. Anthony Rizzo, 1B Chicago Cubs – Right now, there is a clear divide between Harper and Goldschmidt, and another divide between Goldschmidt and everyone else. Still, Rizzo is having himself a season, with 9 home runs and 9 stolen bases to go along with an impressive .314/.437/.572 slash line in 44 games. Defensive numbers aren’t his strong suit, but provided Rizzo can post a wRC+ north of 170 (and he currently has one), that will be rightly overlooked.

Next: AL MVP

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