Chicago White Sox slugger José Abreu wins AL MVP award

NEW YORK (AP) — Chicago White Sox slugger José Abreu won the AL MVP prize Thursday, a reward for powering his team back into the playoffs for the first time since 2008.

The first baseman from Cuba got 21 of the 30 first-place ballots in voting by members of the Baseball Writers’ Association of America.

Cleveland third baseman José Ramírez finished second and Yankees infielder DJ LeMahieu was third.

The NL MVP was to be announced later Thursday night.

Abreu led the majors with 60 RBIs and 148 total bases, and topped the AL with 76 hits and a .617 slugging percentage. He played in all 60 games during the virus-shortened season as Chicago claimed a wild-card spot.

The 33-year-old Abreu batted .317 with 19 home runs, connecting six times in a three-game series against the Cubs in late August. That barrage of longballs at Wrigley Field was part of his 22-game hitting streak, the longest in the majors this year.

Abreu was the 2014 AL Rookie of the Year and is a three-time All-Star. He became the fourth different White Sox player to win the AL MVP, joining Frank Thomas (1993-94), Dick Allen (1972) and Nellie Fox (1959) in awards that have been presented since 1931.

Smooth around the bag, Abreu ended an MVP drought for AL first basemen. None had won the award since Justin Morneau for Minnesota in 2006; Cincinnati first baseman Joey Votto won the NL MVP in 2010.

Ramírez hit .292 with 17 home runs and 46 RBIs. His late-season surge helped Cleveland clinch a wild-card spot. No Indians player has won the AL MVP since Al Rosen in 1953.

LeMahieu led with majors with a .364 batting aveage. Able to play all around the infield, he is now a free agent.

AL Cy Young Award winner Shane Bieber of Cleveland was fourth and Angels outfielder Mike Trout was fifth. A three-time AL MVP,...

source https://www.chron.com/sports/article/Chicago-White-Sox-slugger-Jose-Abreu-wins-AL-MVP-15723468.php