Atlanta Braves All-Star Ronald Acuña Jr. was unanimously voted the 2023 National League MVP over Los Angeles Dodgers teammates Mookie Betts and Freddie Freeman.
Acuña received all 30 first-place votes for a total of 420 total points. Betts finished in second place for NL MVP, with all 30 of his votes coming for second place (270 points).
Freeman didn’t receive any votes for first place and finished with 227 points in NL MVP voting. Freeman garnered 17 votes for third place and 13 for fourth.
Acuña previously bested Betts for NL Outstanding Player and MLB Player of the Year as part of the 2023 MLB Players Choice Awards.
Acuña was running away with NL MVP before Betts put himself back into the conversation — and arguably in the lead — behind a historic month of August. However, he slowed down when September began and it effectively sealed the award for Acuña. Betts still finished tied with Acuña for the NL lead with an 8.3 WAR.
He played in 152 games this year, batting .307/.408/.579/ with 40 doubles, 39 home runs, 107 RBI, 14 stolen bases, 126 runs scored and a 167 wRC+.
Betts finished top three in the NL in wRC+, OPS+ (163), doubles, slugging percentage, on-base plus slugging (.987) and extra-base hits (80). Betts’ 39 homers set a new career high, which previously was the 35 he hit during the 2022 season. Among other accomplishments this year, Betts also broke the MLB record for most RBI as a leadoff hitter.
Freeman hit a stellar .331/.410/.567 with 59 doubles, 131 runs scored, 102 RBI, 23 stolen bases and a 163 wRC+, along with finishing just behind the leaders with 7.9 WAR.
Freeman was one double shy of reaching 60 for the season, but nevertheless set the all-time Dodgers record and broke the L.A. franchise record with 90 extra-base hits.
Freeman also became the only first baseman in MLB history with 200 hits, 20 home runs and 20 stolen bases in one season.
Meanwhile, Acuña had the first 40-50 season in MLB history and finished the year with 41 home runs and 73 stolen bases. He batted .337/.416/.596 with 35 doubles, 106 RBI, 149 runs scored and a 170 wRC+.
In addition, Acuña led the Majors in stolen bases and on-base percentage and finished first with 217 total hits. Acuña’s 1.012 on-base plus slugging was best in the NL as well.
Mookie Betts, Freddie Freeman up for All-MLB Team
Betts and Freeman are among the Dodgers’ nominees for the 2023 All-MLB Team. So too are Clayton Kershaw, J.D. Martinez, Evan Phillips and Will Smith.
Although Betts has fallen short for multiple awards this offseason, he won a sixth career Silver Slugger and tied the Fielding Bible record by winning his sixth.
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