MLB’s (early) five most valuable players of 2023

Ben Verlander

FOX Sports MLB Analyst

The 2023 Major League Baseball season is six weeks old, making it a great time to check in on which players have made the biggest impact thus far. 

While many were worthy of consideration, I decided to narrow down a list of the five most valuable players across the majors

Included are a few surprises from baseball’s hottest teams, as well as two familiar superstars who might be the respective front-runners for the NL and AL MVP awards.

*All stats entering Thursday’s games

5. Atlanta Braves catcher Sean Murphy

Stats: nine home runs, 32 RBIs, 1.040 OPS

This has been the best pickup of the offseason for anybody. He’s been so good for the Braves at that position. They were already getting offensive numbers from that spot, but Sean Murphy is one of the best all-around young catchers in the game of baseball. 

He’s great defensively. He’s great calling a game, leading a staff, throwing out runners. He’s been fantastic offensively — his first homer with that team was that walk-off home run. He’s been invaluable to the Braves and I think he is every bit of an MVP candidate right now in the National League.

4. Miami Marlins second baseman Luis Arráez

Stats: .398 batting average, .457 OBP, .944 OPS

I truly believe we continue to undervalue what Luis Arráez brings to a baseball field. If anybody in baseball is going to hit .400 ever again, it’s going to be Luis Arráez. I had this conversation with John Smoltz on Saturday, and you’ll hear it, but we’re going to talk about Luis Arráez and players that could potentially hit .400, and specifically Tony Gwynn, and Smoltz facing him. You’ll want to listen to that on Saturday.

Shohei Ohtani & Ronald Acuna Jr. headline the Top 5 players in the BVPs

But Luis Arráez is just an absolute menace at the plate. I think if a player is going to hit .400 on a season, and I’m not saying he will, but if a player is going to hit around .400, I don’t care if they’re all singles and doubles. That guy should be in an MVP conversation. By and large, he hasn’t been. Last year, he won the batting title, but he didn’t even get mentioned in an MVP conversation. So he’s in my ‘BVP’ conversation this year.

3. Tampa Bay Rays shortstop Wander Franco

Stats: 7 home runs, .310 batting average, .920 OPS, 11 stolen bases

This is the breakout year for Wander, and I’m so happy. He’s hitting for a high average, high power, stealing bases, driving in runs, all while doing it on the best team in baseball.

The Rays are still the best team in the game of baseball and Wander is having his breakout season. He came up as the top prospect, and this is the guy. Man, has he been a blast to watch.

2. Atlanta Braves outfielder Ronald Acuña Jr.

Stats: 7 home runs, .347 batting average, 1.014 OPS, 15 stolen bases

Ronald isn’t going anywhere. He’s on this list to stay. He hit a home run Wednesday that went 470 feet, an absolute tank to left field. Just look at what he’s doing so far. You want to talk about a 40-40 season [40 home runs and 40 stolen bases], which I’ve said since Ronald came into the league, I think he can be the next player to do it. It’s a very, very short list, he could be the fifth in history to do it. Ronald Acuña is on pace for a 20-30 season in the first half. Are you kidding me?

1. Los Angeles Angels pitcher/designated hitter Shohei Ohtani

Batting stats: 8 home runs, 24 RBIs, .293 batting average, .888 OPS

Pitching stats: 2.74 ERA, 0.913 WHIP, 12.9 strikeouts per nine innings, .143 batting average against

How do you get more valuable? He’s batting almost .300 on the year with eight homers and he’s 4-1 on the mound with a 2.74 ERA, punching out everybody. He has the lowest batting average against, the lowest WHIP, I could go on and on. This guy is the most valuable player in the game of baseball and the most talented player the game has seen arguably ever. So yes, Shohei Ohtani leads the list again as the top ‘BVP.’ At this point, how does he not?

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