Six months before the end of the regular season, Yardbarker’s MLB writers identify the MVP so far on each National League team. (All statistics through April 26.)
NL East
ATLANTA BRAVES | RHP Spencer Schwellenbach | Not much has gone right for the Braves, but Schwellenbach has kept them afloat. Opponents are batting .220 against the 24-year-old, who has a 2.87 ERA, 33 strikeouts and six walks in 37.2 innings.
MIAMI MARLINS | RHP Max Meyer | Although he followed up his 14-K gem with a dud vs. the Mariners on Sunday, Meyer has shined for Miami (3.18 ERA with 47 strikeouts in 34 innings).Â
NEW YORK METS | 1B Pete Alonso | Paying Alonso in the offseason (two-year $54M deal, per Spotrac) is already looking wise. He has just six homers, but he’s third in the league in RBI (26), on-base percentage (.451) and slugging percentage (.646) and second in the league in doubles (11).
PHILADELPHIA PHILLIES | LHP Jesus Luzardo | Philly’s newest arm is looking like an early Cy Young candidate (1.73 ERA). Along with a 1.07 WHIP, he’s 3-0 in six starts, with 41 Ks in 36.1 innings.
WASHINGTON NATIONALS | LF James Wood | In his first full season, he has played lights-out. The 22-year-old has a .904 OPS, eight home runs and 19 RBI through 28 games, a sign of good things to come for the imposing, 6-foot-7 outfielder. — Lauren Amour
NL West
ARIZONA DIAMONDBACKS | OF Corbin Carroll | With a 2-for-4 performance Sunday, Carroll upped his batting average to .308 and OPS to 1.043. Those two hits against the Atlanta Braves, by the way, were triples, giving him an MLB-leading four (as well as 80 total bases, the most of any hitter) through Arizona’s first 28 games.
COLORADO ROCKIES Â | IF Kyle Farmer | Signed to be a utility player in the offseason, the 34-year-old stepped in as an everyday player and solidified second base when Thairo Estrada hit the injured list with a right wrist fracture. He had a .345 batting average through his first 17 games but has suffered through a cold spell over his last eight.Â
LOS ANGELES DODGERS Â | RHP Yoshinobu Yamamoto | The 26-year-old right-hander has entered the NL Cy Young Award conversation after starting the season with a 1.06 ERA and 43 strikeouts in six starts (34 innings).Â
SAN DIEGO PADRES | RF Fernando Tatis Jr. | Slashing .346/.415/.625 through his first 104 at-bats, the two-time All-Star has a hit in 10 straight games and been on base in 22 consecutive games at Petco Park. The reigning NL Player of the Week, Tatis has kept the Padres surging despite injury issues to key players Jackson Merrill and Luis Arraez.
SAN FRANCISCO GIANTS | CF Jung Hoo Lee | At 19-10, the Giants are the surprise team in the NL heading into April’s final few days, and much of that success can be attributed to Lee becoming a mainstay in the heart of the order. Lee has hit safely in 23 of 28 games. His 11 doubles through his first 25 games made him the first Giant to record that feat since Kevin Mitchell in 1989. — Kevin Henry
NL Central
CHICAGO CUBS | OF Kyle Tucker | Tucker leads Chicago in home runs (seven), RBI (25), batting average (.289), on-base percentage (.397), slugging percentage (.579) and OPS (.976), showcasing all-around dominance at the plate.
CINCINNATI REDS | RHP Hunter Greene | In his fourth MLB season, Greene has dominated, posting 43 strikeouts, a WHIP of 0.85 and an opponent batting average of .185 — all figures that rank in the top 10 in MLB and top five in the NL. He has stifled hitters while primarily relying on just two pitches, a fastball and slider.
MILWAUKEE BREWERS | OF Jackson Chourio | The 21-year-old budding superstar is a powerhouse, leading Milwaukee in home runs (six), RBI (23, tied with Christian Yelich), slugging percentage (.537) and OPS (.836). On Sunday, he became the second-fastest Brewer to reach 100 career RBI (former MVP Ryan Braun is the other), and defensively, Chourio has adapted to playing center field despite never playing the position as a rookie last season.
PITTSBURGH PIRATES | LHP Andrew Heaney | Paul Skenes is the ace, but 33-year-old Heaney has put up the most impressive numbers on the hill. He has a 1.72 ERA (seventh in MLB, fourth in the NL), a .165 opponent batting average (fourth best in MLB, second in the NL) and a 0.77 WHIP (best in the NL, second in all of baseball), solidifying his place not as just one of Pittsburgh’s best arms, but one of the best in the big leagues.
ST. LOUIS CARDINALS | Utilityman Brendan Donovan | Donovan leads the NL in batting average (.359) and is tied for the NL lead in hits (37). Plus, he has a perfect fielding percentage while playing three positions — left field, second base and shortstop. — Taylor Bretl
