Brewers first baseman Eric Thames has 11 home runs. If he hits five or six more each month through October, he’ll end the year with 36-41 home runs. In 2017, his power production alone warrants consideration for an MVP award.
But what about his other offensive stats? He’s hitting .371 and getting on-base at a .482 clip. Even if his average regresses, he’s likely to end the year around .300 with an OBP near .400. Chicago Cubs third baseman Kris Bryant won the National League MVP with a .292/..385/.554 slash line. The raw numbers have Thames in the conversation.