Justice: Next generation dominates MVP race

Inside this season’s Most Valuable Player voting is a larger statement about the state of Major League Baseball: The game has been passed to the next generation.

And that generation is scary good.

Cubs third baseman Kris Bryant was a runaway winner of the Baseball Writers’ Association of America’s National League MVP Award balloting, announced Thursday night. He’s all of 24 years old.

Finishing close behind him was 22-year-old Dodgers shortstop Corey Seager, who placed third, and 25-year-old Rockies third baseman Nolan Arenado, in fifth place.

NL MVP voting results Player, Team 1st 2nd 3rd 4th 5th Points Kris Bryant, Cubs 29 1       415 Daniel Murphy, Nationals 1 11 10 6 1 245 Corey Seager, Dodgers   11 10 7 2 240 Anthony Rizzo, Cubs   3 4 10 10 202 Nolan Arenado, Rockies   3 6 6 11 199 • Complete voting results

Even the older players in the top five aren’t really old. Nationals second baseman Daniel Murphy, 31, finished second, and Cubs first baseman Anthony Rizzo, 27, was fourth.

• All-time National League MVP Award winners

Now to the American League.

Mike Trout is this generation’s best player. Not even a close call there. This MVP Award is his second in three years. He also has finished second three times and is five-for-five in leading the American League in Wins Above Replacement.

In Trout, we are seeing a player who deserves to be compared to any player of any generation.

He is 25 years old.

• All-time American League MVP Award winners

Red Sox right fielder Mookie Betts (24), Astros second baseman Jose Altuve (26), Blue Jays third baseman Josh Donaldson (30) and Orioles third baseman Manny Machado (24) grabbed the four spots behind Trout in AL balloting.

AL MVP voting results Player, Team 1st 2nd 3rd 4th 5th Points Mike Trout, Angels 19 8 1   1 356 Mookie Betts, Red Sox 9 17 4     311 Jose Altuve, Astros   2 15 …

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