Ronald Acua Jr. Wins NL MV Ronald Acua Jr. Wins NL MV
For the first time in his career, is an MVP. The Baseball Writers A sociation of America announced this evening that Acua was unanimously selected as the National Leagues top player. Dodger teammates and finished second and third, respectively. Acua has been a star for years. The sports #1 prospect before he reached the majors in 2018, he won Rookie of the Year and finished 12th in MVP voting during his debut campaign. He got onto MVP ballots in each of the next two seasons and has been named to the All-Star Game in every season since his rookie year (excluding the 2020 campaign in which there was no Midsummer Cla sic). In 2023, he firmly cemented himself as one of the top three to five players in the game. Acua turned in Matt Irwin Jersey an unbelievable .337/.416/.596 batting line over an NL-high 735 trips to the dish. He led the majors in hits and runs scored from the top of a loaded Atlanta lineup and paced the Senior Circuit in OPS. The Venezuela native tied his career high with 41 home runs and stole a major league leading 73 bases. That power-speed impact was unparalleled in baseball history. Acua became the first player ever to go 40-70. One could quibble with his NL-leading 14 times caught stealing or middling defensive grades in right field, but the sheer offensive dominance and unprecedented nature of Acuas stat line made him the clear choice in the eyes of voters. While this was his career season to date, Acua could be a perennial MVP candidate He wont turn 26 until December and is squarely in the midst of his prime. Only adding to the appeal for the Braves is that they have their superstar outfielder on perhaps the games most team-friendly contract. Acua is signed for a total of $61MM over the next three years, while the team has options that could (and very likely will) keep him in Atlanta through 2028. Acua winning the award was expected. That he received all 30 first-place votes is a bit more surprising. Betts ranked second on every ballot, hammering home how clearly that duo had separated themselves from the pack. The Dodger star hit .307/.408/.579 over 693 plate appearances. He played solid defense in right field and handled the middle infield with aplomb, logging action at second base and shortstop. Freeman and were third and fourth on every ballot, with Freeman picking up four more third-place nods to secure the #3 spot overall. , , , , , and all received at least one fifth-place vote. Others receiving votes: , , , , , , , , , , , , , and . As noted by Sarah Langs of MLB.com ( ), this is the first time in MLB history in which both MVP selections were unanimous. took all 30 first-place nods in the American League. are available courtesy of the BBWAA. Image from USA Today Sports. Vincent Desharnais Jersey