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MLB Awards Watch: Jordan Zimmermann shines in Detroit

By Brad Rowland

Apr 30, 2016; Minneapolis, MN, USA; Detroit Tigers starting pitcher Jordan Zimmermann (27) pitches to the Minnesota Twins in the third inning at Target Field. Mandatory Credit: Bruce Kluckhohn-USA TODAY Sports
Apr 30, 2016; Minneapolis, MN, USA; Detroit Tigers starting pitcher Jordan Zimmermann (27) pitches to the Minnesota Twins in the third inning at Target Field. Mandatory Credit: Bruce Kluckhohn-USA TODAY Sports /
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Apr 26, 2016; St. Petersburg, FL, USA; Baltimore Orioles third baseman Manny Machado (13) at bat against the Tampa Bay Rays at Tropicana Field. Mandatory Credit: Kim Klement-USA TODAY Sports
Apr 26, 2016; St. Petersburg, FL, USA; Baltimore Orioles third baseman Manny Machado (13) at bat against the Tampa Bay Rays at Tropicana Field. Mandatory Credit: Kim Klement-USA TODAY Sports /

AL MVP

  1. Manny Machado, 3B Baltimore Orioles – In addition to being one of the best defenders in all of MLB, Manny Machado just keeps raking. It is hard to believe that Machado is still only 23 years old, and his slash line of .350/.404/.660 jumps off the page. Throw in the fact that Machado has seven home runs and in 24 games and the complete package materializes. There is no “clear” number one in the AL right now, but arguing for Machado would not be in difficult in the slightest.
  2. Mike Trout, OF Los Angeles Angels – Trout’s MVP candidacy will be very interesting again in 2016, as the Angels probably aren’t going to be in the playoff mix. That does not matter (at all) to me in that he is only 1 of 25 players available for his team, though, and Trout continues to show off the tools that make him one of the top two players (hello, Bryce Harper) in baseball. You already know about Mike Trout.
  3. Josh Donaldson, 3B Toronto Blue Jays – Much like Machado, Donaldson is a lights-out defender, but it is actually his bat that carries his candidacy right now. Donaldson leads the AL in home runs with nine, and his .650 slugging percentage is a giant plus when talking about his overall contributions. Toronto has been pretty disappointing in the early going, but that isn’t at all due to the work of Donaldson.
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