2017 has been an exciting year in the world of baseball. The Los Angeles Dodgers may have one of the best teams of all time, while Aaron Judge is putting together an incredible rookie campaign in New York.

We are now reaching the point in the season where award contenders have separated themselves from the rest of the field. There is now a good idea for what names are going to make that final push for some of the most prestigious accolades in the game.

American League MVP: Jose Altuve

Jose Altuve is proving to be one of the most productive hitters in the major leagues. He also highlights a stellar lineup that consists of Carlos Correa and George Springer as well.

Despite his stature, Altuve has been able to belt 16 home runs this season. Those aren’t Aaron Judge numbers, but it is especially impressive considering he is leading the league in hitting with a .364/.424/.570 slash line. On top of that, he has the best WAR in the MLB with a 6.3.

With how Aaron Judge has been performing, it is hard to see him now win the MVP. However, he has been showing signs of his humanity since the start of July. Sine the All-Star break, he has only hit 5 home runs and has a batting average floating around the Mendoza line. Judge also does not have a multi-hit game since July 18th.

If Judge had kept up the rate he was going at then there would be no doubt he would be the favorite for MVP. Jose Altuve has just been more consistent and is overall a more valuable player to the team. He is stable and can do everything.

Honorable Mentions: Aaron Judge, Carlos Correa, George Springer

National League MVP: Paul Goldschmidt

This one is a real toss up. Harper, Goldschmidt, Votto and Arenado all have very similar stats, and they aren’t even all of the guys that deserve to be in the discussion. It was hard not to pick Harper or Arenado for this especially just because of how spectacular their seasons have been. The last 6 weeks of the season should help the voters come to a decision for who truly deserves it. Either way, you can’t go wrong on this one.

The reason Paul Goldschmidt was the decision in this case is that he adds the most value to his team. Now, there Bryce Harper shouldn’t take a hit because he has a stellar team around him. However, the Diamondbacks would be worse off without Goldy than the Nationals would without Harper. That is why he is the most valuable player in the National League.

Goldschmidt leads the National League with a 5.5 WAR as of August 8th. He also is second in OBP, second in RBIs, and fifth in batting average. Goldschmidt also has a great eye as he has racked up 75 walks which is tied for second in the league. Either way though, this award can go to several different people.

Honorable Mentions: Bryce Harper, Joey Votto, Nolan Arenado

American League Cy Young: Chris Sale

Unlike the NL MVP, this award should be a lock. Chris Sale has been so dominant this year as he is vying for the pitching triple crown in the American League.

The trade that Boston made with the White Sox where they gave up Yoan Mocada for Chris Sale seems to be panning out so far. Ultimately it may be a big win for both teams. Sale has had a striking presence on the mound, and the Red Sox feel good about winning every game he starts as they have only lost six games when he starts.

The only blemish that Sale has on his resume this season is from earlier in August against the Cleveland Indians. The game turned out to be a real thriller but Sale gave up seven runs in five innings. This shot up his ERA from a 2.37 to a 2.70. He should get the ERA back down so he can solidify his spot with the best ERA in baseball.

Honorable Mentions: Marcus Stroman, Luis Severino, Corey Kluber

National League Cy Young: Max Scherzer

Max Scherzer has begun to separate himself from Kershaw as the favorite for Cy Young. Scherzer leads the National League in strikeouts and is second behind Kershaw. The Dodgers ace however has been on the DL since July 23rd and may be out until mid-September.

The Dodgers have no reason to rush Kershaw back before the postseason other than to get him to settle in. That alone may give Scherzer the advantage over Kershaw in the final voting. Even before Kershaw went on the disabled list, many thought that Scherzer was overtaking him for pitching dominance in the NL.

Both of these pitchers are going to be key in the postseason. It would be very interesting to see if they match up in the NLCS how that would play out. However, the voting takes place right after the regular season. Because of that, Scherzer should have the award locked up at that point.

Honorable Mentions: Clayton Kershaw, Zach Greinke, Gio Gonzalez

American League Rookie of the Year: Aaron Judge

This is a no-brainer. Aaron Judge may be having the most dominant rookie season since Albert Pujols and Ichiro came onto the scene in 2001. One could argue that it has been even better than Trout’s rookie year, where he led the AL in stolen bases and runs despite being called up in late-April.

Aaron Judge leads the American League in home runs with 35 and also has the third best WAR with a 5.3. That is ranked against everyone in the AL and not just rookies. Judge’s year has been overshadowing Trey Mancini’s rookie season, where he has 18 home runs and a .297 batting average. In most other seasons that may be enough to win rookie of the year. However, his name has hardly even come up on account of the Judge being in session.

Judge has led a Yankees lineup that is vying for supremacy in the AL East. The Astros didn’t make any notable moves at the trade deadline and seem to be limping a bit. It will be interesting to see if the Yankees close in on Houston at all. If Judge is able to help the Yankees do that, then he may even have a shot at MVP. However, Judge has been slumping since the All-Star break. He will need to turn it around soon if he wants a shot to beat out Jose Altuve for MVP.

Honorable Mentions: Trey Mancini, Andrew Benintendi

National League Rookie of the Year: Cody Bellinger

Cody Bellinger has been a huge surprise for the Dodgers this season. Corey Seager was highlighting the Dodgers young core but Bellinger is giving him a run for his money as the star of the team. Despite the fact that Bellinger was called up in late-April, he second in the NL in home runs with 32. While his average is at a pedestrian .264, Bellinger provides a fearful pop in the middle of the lineup.

Paul DeJong has also been a nice surprise for St. Louis. He has 16 home runs and a .283 batting average despite only playing in 59 games this season. He provides the best pop in the lineup for the Cardinals who are still looking for that key middle of the order guy, as he is now typically batting in the three spot.

There really is not much competition for Bellinger this season however. He has pretty much locked up the Rookie of the Year award much like Judge in the AL. What would be fascinating is if Judge and Bellinger were competing for the same award, who would deserve it more. Luckily, the writers do not have to make that tough decision though. Thus, both of them should receive the prestigious award.

Honorable Mentions: Josh Bell, Paul DeJong, Kyle Freeland

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