Mike Trout MVP Seasons: A look at the Angels superstar's MVP campaignsÂ
For many years, Mike Trout has been considered the best player in baseball. Since he exploded onto the scene with a 10.5 WAR rookie season, he has been considered an all-time great and on a Hall of Fame track. That has resulted in quite a few awards for the Los Angeles Angels star.
Thus far, he's won three MVPs, though many believe he should have won a few more than that. That includes his rookie season, when many felt he was easily better than Miguel Cabrera.
Regardless, he has three awards to his name and nothing indicates that he won't be able to add more in the coming years. Here's what Mike Trout's MVP seasons looked like.
Mike Trout MVP seasons: Breaking down the numbers
Following back-to-back losses in MVP voting in 2012 and 2013, Trout left no doubt in 2014. His stats were unfathomably good.
He slashed .287/.377/.561. His 167 wRC+ was also impressive. He parlayed that season into his one and only postseason appearance, though it was sadly shortlived.
He hit 36 home runs and knocked in 115 RBI to cement himself as one of the best players in the entire world.
In 2016, he returned to MVP prominence after finishing second once again in 2015. His 8.6 WAR that season was quite impressive. He hit .315 that year with 29 home runs and 100 RBI. He also added 30 stolen bases for good measure.
Trout would finish fourth in MVP voting in 2017 and runner-up again in 2018. In 2019, he earned his third award thus far with an outstanding campaign.
He slashed .291/.438/.645 that season. He accumulated 8.4 WAR after smashing 45 home runs, a career-best mark to this day. He led the league in OPS+ at 182 that season, his fifth year in a row leading the league in that category.
A shortened 2020 season, plus injuries in 2021 and 2022 have possibly kept him from winning more awards.
However, his performance last season, which included 40 home runs and 6.0 WAR in just 119 games, proves he's still got it and can easily win a fourth or even a fifth MVP.