As May comes to a close, division races are taking shape and great players are separating themselves from the rest of the league. Here are the top five NL MVP contenders in inverse order.
5. Pete Alonso, New York Mets: Alonso leads the majors in homers (20) and the NL in RBI (46). The first baseman is on pace for 60 HRs and 142 RBI, but he isn’t generating major buzz as an MVP candidate. The major reason is his batting average (.238).
Taking a deeper look into his plate appearances, Alonso has an xBA of .280 and xSLG of .619. These advanced stats tell us that despite his 20 HRs, Alonso is unlucky and hitting better then the numbers show. His batting average should improve, and as it does, so will the rest of his stats. Expect Alonso to move up the MVP list as the season continues.