Ronald Acuna Jr. vs Mookie Betts: A Statistical Look at the Top NL MVP Favorites

Ronald Acuna Jr. and Mookie Betts must be biting their nails right now. As each passing hour unfolds, the MVP award seems to be approaching ever closer. While only one of them can win, there’s no doubt that both of them have had a fantastic season. Still, the question remains, what is it that they did that sets them apart from the rest? While Acuna Jr. was one of the most consistent hitters, Betts had a season filled with all-round performances. In which area was Acuna ahead and where did Betts have more impact?

Many records were broken, and many streaks ended during the 2023 season. Acuna and Betts were the players that captivated the audience in ways that one never imagined before. So can one compare their seasons? More than comparing, it’s better to understand why they are in this position. More importantly, why their season was deemed MVP-worthy?

Ronald Acuna Jr and Mookie Betts – Analysis of greatness

The world knows that Betts is one of the greatest defensive right-fielder of our times. 2023 was the first time in seven years that he didn’t win a Gold Glove. It wasn’t because of his performance, but because he was more versatile than ever before, playing as a shortstop and a second baseman. Even though Betts’ DRS wasn’t as high as the peaks he has touched before, it has been good enough. It shows that even when playing different positions, Mookie still finds a way to make positive defensive contributions.

Apart from this, the Los Angeles Dodgers star had his career-best 39 home runs. With an overall batting score of .307/.408/.579, Mookie had one of his best batting performances in recent times. So while he didn’t really lead the league in any stat, his multidimensional contribution added up to make his season worthy of an MVP nomination. But what about Ronald Acuna Jr.?

Acuna Jr. had one of the all-time great batting seasons. The Venezuelan led the league in quite a few batting stats, namely runs (149), hits (217), OBP (.416), and impressively stolen bases  (73). He became the first player in history to hit 40+ Home runs and steal 70+ bases in one season. He powered the Atlanta Braves to get 104 wins, the highest in MLB this year. Overall, Acuna finished with an average of .337.

With such an extraordinary hitting performance, it has completely covered his slightly average fielding stats up. Acuna finished with a DRS of -2. Still, for a player who has created history with his batting, an MVP nod seems like an obvious exercise. But isn’t there a third person nominated as well? What about Dodgers’ Freddie Freeman?

Could Freddie Freeman surprise everyone with a win?

While Betts and Acuna are big favorites, there is Freddie Freeman in the race as well. The teammate of Betts, Freeman, too, had a season worth remembering. With a batting score of .331/.410/.567, he had a huge season for the Dodgers. While Freeman had given hints about his good hitting potential before, this was the season he completely came into his own. With such staggering numbers, could he actually surprise the fans by winning the MVP award on Thursday?

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Whatever happens, they sure had some of the best individual seasons that the league has ever seen. With the CY Young Award getting done, the world is waiting anxiously for the MVP announcements. While the race in NL is tight, it is not so different in AL where a certain Japanese superstar is up against two world series champions. Who will prevail? Just a few hours from now, we’ll find out.

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