Major League Baseball Most Valuable Player Award

The Major League Baseball Most Valuable Player Award (MVP) is a Major League Baseball (MLB) award given each year to one outstanding player in the American and National Leagues. Since 1931, it has been awarded by the Baseball Writers Association of America (BBWAA). The winner receives the Kenesaw Mountain Landis Memorial Baseball Award. The award is named in honor of the first MLB commissioner. Landis served from 1920 to 1944. MVP voting takes place before the postseason. The results are not announced until after the World Series. The BBWAA began asking three writers in each league city in 1938. They made that number two per league city in 1961.

First basemen, with 34 winners, have won the most MVPs among infielders. This is followed by second basemen (16), third basemen (15), and shortstops (15). Of the twenty-four pitchers who have won the award, fifteen are right-handed while nine are left-handed. Walter Johnson, Carl Hubbell, and Hal Newhouser are the only pitchers to win more than once. Newhouser won his in back-to-back seasons, 1944 and 1945.Hank Greenberg, Stan Musial, Alex Rodriguez, and Robin Yount have won at different positions. Rodriguez is the only player to win the award with two different teams at two different positions. Barry Bonds has won the most often (seven times). He has also won it the most times in a row (2001–2004). Jimmie Foxx was the first player to win more than once. Nine players have won three times and 19 have won twice.

The award's only tie occurred in the National League in 1979 when Keith Hernandez and Willie Stargell received the same amount of points. There have been 17 unanimous winners, meaning they received all the first-place votes. The New York Yankees have the most winning players with 22. The St. Louis Cardinals have the second most with 17 winners. Five teams have not had a winner. The most recent winners are Shohei Ohtani in the American League and Ronald Acuña Jr. in the National League.

Key

†	Member of the National Baseball Hall of Fame and Museum
^	Shows a player who is still active
§	Unanimous selection
P	Pitcher (RHP means right-handed; LHP means left-handed)
C	Catcher
1B	First baseman
2B	Second baseman
3B	Third baseman
SS	Shortstop
OF	Outfielder
DH	Designated hitter

Chalmers Award (1911–1914)

Ty Cobb won the first American League Chalmers Award in 1911 and was at the center of the controversy over the previous season's award.

Before the 1910 season, Hugh Chalmers of Chalmers Automobile announced he would present a Chalmers Model 30 automobile to the player with the highest batting average in Major League Baseball at the end of the season. The 1910 race for best average in the American League was between the Detroit Tigers' widely disliked Ty Cobb and Nap Lajoie of the Cleveland Indians. On the last day of the season, Lajoie overtook Cobb's batting average with seven bunt hits against the St. Louis Browns. American League President Ban Johnson said a recalculation showed that Cobb had won the race anyway. Chalmers ended up giving cars to both players.

The following season, Chalmers created the Chalmers Award. A committee of baseball writers were to come together after the season to determine the "most important and useful player to the club and to the league". Since the award was not as useful at advertising as Chalmers had hoped, it was discontinued after 1914.

Year	American League winner	Team	Position	National League winner	Team	Position	Ref
1911	Ty Cobb†§	Detroit Tigers	OF	Frank Schulte	Chicago Cubs	OF
1912	Tris Speaker†	Boston Red Sox	OF	Larry Doyle	New York Giants	2B
1913	Walter Johnson†	Washington Senators	RHP	Jake Daubert	Brooklyn Dodgers	1B
1914	Eddie Collins†	Philadelphia Athletics	2B	Johnny Evers†	Boston Braves	2B

League Awards (1922–1929)

Babe Ruth was ineligible for the award in his famous 1927 season by the rules of the American League award because he had previously won in 1923.

In 1922 the American League created a new award to honor "the baseball player who is of the greatest all-around service to his club". Winners, voted on by a committee of eight baseball writers chaired by James Crusinberry, received a bronze medal and a cash prize. Voters were required to select one player from each team. Player-managers and prior award winners were could not win. These problems resulted in the award's being dropped after 1928. The National League award, without these restrictions, lasted from 1924 to 1929.

Year	American League winner	Team	Position	National League winner	Team	Position	Ref
1922	George Sisler†	St. Louis Browns	1B	—	—	—
1923	Babe Ruth†§	New York Yankees	OF	—	—	—
1924	Walter Johnson†	Washington Senators	RHP	Dazzy Vance†	Brooklyn Robins	RHP
1925	Roger Peckinpaugh	Washington Senators	SS	Rogers Hornsby†	St. Louis Cardinals	2B
1926	George Burns	Cleveland Indians	1B	Bob O'Farrell	St. Louis Cardinals	C
1927	Lou Gehrig†	New York Yankees	1B	Paul Waner†	Pittsburgh Pirates	OF
1928	Mickey Cochrane†	Philadelphia Athletics	C	Jim Bottomley†	St. Louis Cardinals	2B
1929	—	—	—	Rogers Hornsby†	Chicago Cubs	2B

Baseball Writers Association of America's Most Valuable Player (1931–present)

The BBWAA first awarded the modern MVP after the 1931 season, took the format the National League used to distribute its league award. One writer in each city with a team filled out a ten-place ballot. Ten points were given for the recipient of a first-place vote, nine for a second-place vote, and so on. In 1938, the BBWAA raised the amount of voters to three per city and gave 14 points for a first-place vote. The only significant change since then happened in 1961, when the number of voters was lowered to two per league city.

Jimmie Foxx was the first player to win three MVP awards.

Willie Mays won the award in 1954 and 1965 with the same team in different cities.

Barry Bonds' seven MVPs are the most for any individual player.

Alex Rodriguez won the award with two different teams at two different positions.

Albert Pujols won the award three times, all at first base with the St. Louis Cardinals.

Year	American League winner	Team	Position	National League winner	Team	Position	Ref
1931	Lefty Grove†	Philadelphia Athletics	LHP	Frankie Frisch†	St. Louis Cardinals	2B
1932	Jimmie Foxx†	Philadelphia Athletics	1B	Chuck Klein†	Philadelphia Phillies	OF
1933	Jimmie Foxx†	Philadelphia Athletics	1B	Carl Hubbell†	New York Giants	LHP
1934	Mickey Cochrane†	Detroit Tigers	C	Dizzy Dean†	St. Louis Cardinals	RHP
1935	Hank Greenberg†§	Detroit Tigers	1B	Gabby Hartnett†	Chicago Cubs	C
1936	Lou Gehrig†	New York Yankees	1B	Carl Hubbell†§	New York Giants	LHP
1937	Charlie Gehringer†	Detroit Tigers	2B	Joe Medwick†	St. Louis Cardinals	OF
1938	Jimmie Foxx†	Boston Red Sox	1B	Ernie Lombardi†	Cincinnati Reds	C
1939	Joe DiMaggio†	New York Yankees	OF	Bucky Walters	Cincinnati Reds	RHP
1940	Hank Greenberg†	Detroit Tigers	OF	Frank McCormick	Cincinnati Reds	1B
1941	Joe DiMaggio†	New York Yankees	OF	Dolph Camilli	Brooklyn Dodgers	1B
1942	Joe Gordon†	New York Yankees	2B	Mort Cooper	St. Louis Cardinals	RHP
1943	Spud Chandler	New York Yankees	RHP	Stan Musial†	St. Louis Cardinals	OF
1944	Hal Newhouser†	Detroit Tigers	LHP	Marty Marion	St. Louis Cardinals	SS
1945	Hal Newhouser†	Detroit Tigers	LHP	Phil Cavarretta	Chicago Cubs	1B
1946	Ted Williams†	Boston Red Sox	OF	Stan Musial†	St. Louis Cardinals	1B
1947	Joe DiMaggio†	New York Yankees	OF	Bob Elliott	Boston Braves	3B
1948	Lou Boudreau†	Cleveland Indians	SS	Stan Musial†	St. Louis Cardinals	OF
1949	Ted Williams†	Boston Red Sox	OF	Jackie Robinson†	Brooklyn Dodgers	2B
1950	Phil Rizzuto†	New York Yankees	SS	Jim Konstanty	Philadelphia Phillies	RHP
1951	Yogi Berra†	New York Yankees	C	Roy Campanella†	Brooklyn Dodgers	C
1952	Bobby Shantz	Philadelphia Athletics	LHP	Hank Sauer	Chicago Cubs	OF
1953	Al Rosen§	Cleveland Indians	3B	Roy Campanella†	Brooklyn Dodgers	C
1954	Yogi Berra†	New York Yankees	C	Willie Mays†	New York Giants	OF
1955	Yogi Berra†	New York Yankees	C	Roy Campanella†	Brooklyn Dodgers	C
1956	Mickey Mantle†§	New York Yankees	OF	Don Newcombe	Brooklyn Dodgers	RHP
1957	Mickey Mantle†	New York Yankees	OF	Hank Aaron†	Milwaukee Braves	C
1958	Jackie Jensen	Boston Red Sox	OF	Ernie Banks†	Chicago Cubs	SS
1959	Nellie Fox†	Chicago White Sox	2B	Ernie Banks†	Chicago Cubs	SS
1960	Roger Maris	New York Yankees	OF	Dick Groat	Pittsburgh Pirates	SS
1961	Roger Maris	New York Yankees	OF	Frank Robinson†§	Cincinnati Reds	OF
1962	Mickey Mantle†	New York Yankees	OF	Maury Wills	Los Angeles Dodgers	SS
1963	Elston Howard	New York Yankees	C	Sandy Koufax†	Los Angeles Dodgers	LHP
1964	Brooks Robinson†	Baltimore Orioles	3B	Ken Boyer	St. Louis Cardinals	3B
1965	Zoilo Versalles	Minnesota Twins	SS	Willie Mays†	San Francisco Giants	OF
1966	Frank Robinson†§	Baltimore Orioles	OF	Roberto Clemente†	Pittsburgh Pirates	OF
1967	Carl Yastrzemski†	Boston Red Sox	OF	Orlando Cepeda†§	St. Louis Cardinals	1B
1968	Denny McLain§	Detroit Tigers	RHP	Bob Gibson†	St. Louis Cardinals	RHP
1969	Harmon Killebrew†	Minnesota Twins	3B	Willie McCovey†	San Francisco Giants	1B
1970	Boog Powell	Baltimore Orioles	1B	Johnny Bench†	Cincinnati Reds	C
1971	Vida Blue	Oakland Athletics	LHP	Joe Torre	St. Louis Cardinals	3B
1972	Dick Allen	Chicago White Sox	1B	Johnny Bench†	Cincinnati Reds	C
1973	Reggie Jackson†§	Oakland Athletics	OF	Pete Rose	Cincinnati Reds	OF
1974	Jeff Burroughs	Texas Rangers	OF	Steve Garvey	Los Angeles Dodgers	1B
1975	Fred Lynn	Boston Red Sox	OF	Joe Morgan†	Cincinnati Reds	2B
1976	Thurman Munson	New York Yankees	C	Joe Morgan†	Cincinnati Reds	2B
1977	Rod Carew†	Minnesota Twins	1B	George Foster	Cincinnati Reds	OF
1978	Jim Rice†	Boston Red Sox	OF	Dave Parker	Pittsburgh Pirates	OF
1979	Don Baylor	California Angels	DH	Keith Hernandez	St. Louis Cardinals	1B
1979	—	—	—	Willie Stargell†	Pittsburgh Pirates	1B
1980	George Brett†	Kansas City Royals	3B	Mike Schmidt†§	Philadelphia Phillies	3B
1981	Rollie Fingers†	Milwaukee Brewers	RHP	Mike Schmidt†	Philadelphia Phillies	3B
1982	Robin Yount†	Milwaukee Brewers	SS	Dale Murphy	Atlanta Braves	OF
1983	Cal Ripken, Jr.†	Baltimore Orioles	SS	Dale Murphy	Atlanta Braves	OF
1984	Willie Hernández	Detroit Tigers	LHP	Ryne Sandberg†	Chicago Cubs	2B
1985	Don Mattingly	New York Yankees	1B	Willie McGee	St. Louis Cardinals	OF
1986	Roger Clemens	Boston Red Sox	RHP	Mike Schmidt†	Philadelphia Phillies	3B
1987	George Bell	Toronto Blue Jays	OF	Andre Dawson†	Chicago Cubs	OF
1988	José Canseco	Oakland Athletics	OF	Kirk Gibson§	Los Angeles Dodgers	OF
1989	Robin Yount†	Milwaukee Brewers	OF	Kevin Mitchell	San Francisco Giants	OF
1990	Rickey Henderson†	Oakland Athletics	OF	Barry Bonds	Pittsburgh Pirates	OF
1991	Cal Ripken, Jr.†	Baltimore Orioles	SS	Terry Pendleton	Atlanta Braves	3B
1992	Dennis Eckersley†	Oakland Athletics	RHP	Barry Bonds	Pittsburgh Pirates	OF
1993	Frank Thomas§	Chicago White Sox	1B	Barry Bonds	San Francisco Giants	OF
1994	Frank Thomas	Chicago White Sox	1B	Jeff Bagwell§	Houston Astros	1B
1995	Mo Vaughn	Boston Red Sox	1B	Barry Larkin	Cincinnati Reds	SS
1996	Juan González	Texas Rangers	OF	Ken Caminiti§	San Diego Padres	3B
1997	Ken Griffey, Jr.§	Seattle Mariners	OF	Larry Walker	Colorado Rockies	OF
1998	Juan González	Texas Rangers	OF	Sammy Sosa	Chicago Cubs	OF
1999	Iván Rodríguez	Texas Rangers	C	Chipper Jones	Atlanta Braves	3B
2000	Jason Giambi^	Oakland Athletics	1B	Jeff Kent	San Francisco Giants	2B
2001	Ichiro Suzuki^	Seattle Mariners	OF	Barry Bonds	San Francisco Giants	OF
2002	Miguel Tejada^	Oakland Athletics	SS	Barry Bonds	San Francisco Giants	OF
2003	Alex Rodriguez^	Texas Rangers	SS	Barry Bonds	San Francisco Giants	OF
2004	Vladimir Guerrero^	Anaheim Angels	OF	Barry Bonds	San Francisco Giants	OF
2005	Alex Rodriguez^	New York Yankees	3B	Albert Pujols^	St. Louis Cardinals	1B
2006	Justin Morneau^	Minnesota Twins	1B	Ryan Howard^	Philadelphia Phillies	1B
2007	Alex Rodriguez^	New York Yankees	3B	Jimmy Rollins^	Philadelphia Phillies	SS
2008	Dustin Pedroia^	Boston Red Sox	2B	Albert Pujols^	St. Louis Cardinals	1B
2009	Joe Mauer^	Minnesota Twins	C	Albert Pujols^§	St. Louis Cardinals	1B
2010	Josh Hamilton^	Texas Rangers	OF	Joey Votto^	Cincinnati Reds	1B
2011	Justin Verlander^	Detroit Tigers	RHP	Ryan Braun^	Milwaukee Brewers	OF
2012	Miguel Cabrera^	Detroit Tigers	3B	Buster Posey^	San Francisco Giants	C
2013	Miguel Cabrera^	Detroit Tigers	3B	Andrew McCutchen^	Pittsburgh Pirates	OF
2014	Mike Trout^§	Los Angeles Angels	OF	Clayton Kershaw^	Los Angeles Dodgers	LHP
2015	Josh Donaldson^	Toronto Blue Jays	3B	Bryce Harper^§	Washington Nationals	OF
2016	Mike Trout^ (2)	Los Angeles Angels	OF	Kris Bryant^	Chicago Cubs	3B/OF
2017	José Altuve^	Houston Astros	2B	Giancarlo Stanton^	Miami Marlins	OF
2018	Mookie Betts^	Boston Red Sox	OF	Christian Yelich^	Milwaukee Brewers	OF
2019	Mike Trout^ (3)	Los Angeles Angels	OF	Cody Bellinger^	Los Angeles Dodgers	OF
2020	José Abreu^	Chicago White Sox	1B	Freddie Freeman^	Atlanta Braves	1B
2021	Shohei Ohtani^§	Los Angeles Angels	RHP/DH	Bryce Harper^ (2)	Philadelphia Phillies	OF
2022	Aaron Judge^§	New York Yankees	OF	Paul Goldschmidt^	St. Louis Cardinals	1B
2023	Shohei Ohtani^§(2)	Los Angeles Angels	RHP/DH	Ronald Acuña Jr.^§	Atlanta Braves	OF

Notes

• ^a A player is considered inactive if he has announced his retirement or not played for a full season.
• ^b A unanimous victory indicates that the player received all possible first-place votes.
• ^c Hernandez and Stargell both received 216 points in the 1979 voting.