NL MVP Power Rankings: Where things stand entering September

No.1 NL MVP Power Rankings: Paul Goldschmidt, First Baseman, St. Louis Cardinals

This is who should win the National League Most Valuable Player award. He shouldn’t finish second as he did in 2013 and 2015. No, he should be first.

Goldschmidt has been playing the best baseball of his illustrious career while leading the Cardinals to first place. He has been by far the most dominant hitter in the MLB aside from perhaps Aaron Judge. Goldy adopted a new bat for the season and never looked back. He’s been swinging with authority while providing great defense at first.

In August, he continued his amazing hitting while he pushes to have 10+ home runs in a month for the second time this year. Through 25 games so far in August, Goldschmidt has hit .374/.469/.736/1.205 with 23 runs, 34 hits, 6 doubles, 9 home runs, 27 RBI, 16 walks, and 19 strikeouts. Goldy’s seeing the ball like a hawk right now.

On the season, Goldschmidt has a chance to contend for the National League Triple Crown, which hasn’t been won since Joe Medwick in 1937. Coincidentally, that was with the Cardinals too. Goldy leads the NL in batting average at .338 which is 12 points higher than Freddie Freeman who is in second. He’s second in home runs at 33 which is two behind Kyle Schwarber who has 35. Goldschmidt is tied for first in RBI with Pete Alonso at 105. So, that means he’s well within shot for the Triple Crown award.

Now, besides those three categories, what else does America’s First Baseman lead the NL in? He leads all NL players in WAR with 7.1. Goldy’s first in OBP (.421), Slugging (.629), OPS (1.051), and total bases (287). He’s second in runs scored with 92. In advanced metrics, Goldschmidt is first in OPS+ (199), Runs Created (126), Adjusted Batting Runs (62), and Adjusted Batting Wins (6).

Add in his 34 doubles, 64 walks, and 110 strikeouts, and you have the absolute best hitter in the NL.