AL MVP power rankings: Who will separate in a tight race?

Voit, a solid offensive player who hasn’t been mistaken for a superstar over the course of his short MLB career, racing into the MVP race for the Yankees this season can generously be called an understatement. Voit’s 19 home runs are the most in the American League, and his .643 slugging percentage is also the best in the junior circuit. Voit’s offensive production has flown under the radar due to the Yankees’ star power, but the former Cardinals first baseman is finally getting the respect he deserves.

What could push Voit towards the MVP award is the fact that Aaron Judge, Giancarlo Stanton, and Gleyber Torres all missed long stretches due to injury. Despite those injuries, Voit continued to mash while keeping the Yankees’ head above water. No matter what metric you look at as it pertains to Voit, he ranks as one of the best hitters in the MLB this year, and his role at the heart of as Yankees team that will likely be in the postseason should get him some MVP votes.

Abreu arrived in the states in 2014, and he has quietly become one of the most consistent, productive hitters in the league, making three All-Star teams while hitting at least 25 home runs and 100 RBIs in all but one of his six full seasons prior to 2019. After leading the AL in RBIs, in 2019, Abreu is at it again in 2020, becoming the first player to record 50 RBIs this season after launching home run No. 17. After entering play today with a .327 average, Abreu is leading the AL in RBIs and hits.

Abreu could’ve demanded a trade after sitting through some garbage exhibitions of baseball with the mid-2010s White Sox, but he chose to stick around for the long haul. That decision proved to be ideal for both parties, as Abreu is flourishing as a veteran leader on a team being led by young players and star prospects like Tim Anderson, Eloy Jimenez, and Luis Robert. Chicago has all the trappings of a World Series contender, chief among them a legitimate superstar in Abreu putting together career-best numbers in the heart of the order.