Through the first half of the 2019 MLB season, the National League MVP race is essentially down to two players: Los Angeles Dodgers right fielder Cody Bellinger and Milwaukee Brewers outfielder Christian Yelich.
Both Bellinger, and Yelich, who is the reigning NL MVP, have been outstanding all season long for their respective teams. One or the other went into the All-Star break leading the Majors in many offensive categories.
While there is certainly friendly competition between the two superstars in regards to who will win the MVP, they are actually good friends off the field.
That was evident when they filmed a commercial for MLB where they play a friendly game of ‘MVP’ ahead of the 2019 All-Star Game:
How about a game of M-V-P? #BelliVsYeli pic.twitter.com/4baI20hGpT
— MLB (@MLB) July 8, 2019
In 88 games this season, Bellinger is batting .336/.432/.692 with 30 home runs, 70 runs scored, 71 RBI and eight stolen bases. He has also been among the best defensive players in baseball and leads the world with a 6.6 WAR.
Yelich went on a tear in the second half of the 2018 season and has continued it in 2019, slashing .329/.433/.707 with 31 home runs, 66 runs scored, 67 RBI and 19 stolen bases. He has accumulated a 4.9 WAR in 82 games.
The pair of young stars who met in the NL Championship Series a year ago will put their differences aside this week when they are teammates in the Midsummer Classic.
Bellinger and Yelich are both starting for the NL after ranking first and second in the annual fan voting for the event. Dodgers manager Dave Roberts has Yelich in the leadoff spot and playing left field, while Bellinger is in the cleanup spot and playing right field.
In addition to them, the NL lineup also features young stars like Ronald Acuña Jr., Javier Baez, Freddie Freeman, Nolan Arenado and Josh Bell, combining to form the youngest All-Star Game lineup ever.
It is good to see MLB marketing their young stars like Bellinger and Yelich with commercials such as this one where they can show off their personality a bit. The two have begun to develop a friendship over recent seasons as they stand as two of the sport’s brightest stars.
