Dodgers outfielder Cody Bellinger has just been announced as the winner of the 2019 National League Most Valuable Player Award.
Bellinger has already taken home 2019 Gold Glove and Silver Slugger Award’s, and now has the ultimate award to add to his trophy case.
The Dodgers outfielder beat out Anthony Rendon and Christian Yelich in the voting, and the 24-year-old collects his first career MVP award in just his 3rd full season in the MLB.
He received 19 first place votes and 10 second place votes (362 points), while Yelich received 10 first place votes and 18 second place votes (317 points).
Click here for the complete voting results
Anthony Rendon finished in a distant 3rd place with 242 points.
Bellinger had a spectacular all around season, slashing .305/.406/.629 with 121 runs, 34 doubles, 47 HR’s, 115 RBI and 15 SB’s.
He had a 7.8 WAR on the season which was tied with Christian Yelich for first in the National League.
As his 2019 Gold Glove clearly indicates, he played elite defense — Bellinger had an impressive 19 defensive runs saved in right field which was tied with Aaron Judge for the Major League lead among right fielders (Bellinger had 22 DRS total).
The criteria and guidelines given to the voters have been the same since the award was instituted:
“1) actual value of a player to his team, that is, strength of offense and defense; (2) number of games played; (3) general character, disposition, loyalty and effort; (4) former winners are eligible; and (5) members of the committee may vote for more than one member of a team.”
Christian Yelich’s injury that forced him to miss the end of the season may have done the Brewers outfielder in, as Bellinger not only matched Yelich’s offense production, but significantly outdid Yelich on the defensive end and durability end.
Congratulations are in order for Cody Bellinger, in what seems to be the first of several MLB caliber seasons.
–David Rosenthal is a writer and contributor for Dodgers LowDown. Follow him on twitter @_TherealDRose