Fansided

MLB awards watch: AL MVP race

By William Schneiderhan

HOUSTON, TX - MAY 08: Michael Brantley #23 of the Houston Astros hits a two run home run in the third inning against the Kansas City Royals at Minute Maid Park on May 8, 2019 in Houston, Texas. (Photo by Tim Warner/Getty Images)
HOUSTON, TX - MAY 08: Michael Brantley #23 of the Houston Astros hits a two run home run in the third inning against the Kansas City Royals at Minute Maid Park on May 8, 2019 in Houston, Texas. (Photo by Tim Warner/Getty Images) /
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ANAHEIM, CA – MAY 23: Minnesota Twins shortstop Jorge Polanco (11) watches his home run during a MLB game between the Minnesota Twins and the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim on May 23, 2019 at Angel Stadium of Anaheim in Anaheim, CA. (Photo by Brian Rothmuller/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images
ANAHEIM, CA – MAY 23: Minnesota Twins shortstop Jorge Polanco (11) watches his home run during a MLB game between the Minnesota Twins and the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim on May 23, 2019 at Angel Stadium of Anaheim in Anaheim, CA. (Photo by Brian Rothmuller/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images /

4. Jorge Polanco, Minnesota Twins

.335 BA, 9 HR, 26 RBI, .988 OPS and 3.4 WAR.

The Cleveland Indians have had a chokehold on the American League Central for the past few years. Without too many teams challenging them, they have coasted into the playoffs during that span.

One team has at least put up a fight: the Minnesota Twins. Now, the Twins are running away with the division as June approaches.

Mashing the ball has been the Twins’ calling card, and Jorge Polanco has been a key component for the team’s league-leading home run hitting offense. He owns the second-best batting average in the AL, his 69 hits tie him with Rafael Devers for second, and he is top-five in both slugging percentage and OPS.

The switch-hitting shortstop has been raking so far in 2019. In both April and May, he hit over .320 while slugging over .560 each month.

Finding the gaps has been Polanco’s specialty this season. He has been an extra-base and multi-hit game machine. He leads the AL in total bases and his 28 extra-base hits tie him for first, and his 20 games with multiple hits is the third-best in the league.

Polanco‘s fly-ball percentage is at a career high, currently over 49 percent, and his 40.5 percent hard-contact percentage is also a career mark.

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