Three candidates for every major MLB award

Bellinger likely will win the NL MVP Award with Christian Yelich's season-ending knee injury in mid-September. He's had an incredible year, hitting .305-44-107 with a 1.041 OPS in 143 games, and the best could be yet to come considering he's only 24.

Rendon is heading into free agency this offseason with his value at its peak after a career year. He currently leads two of the Triple Crown categories with a .335 batting average and 117 RBI. Rendon has also added a career-high 33 home runs through 131 games, good for a 1.049 OPS.

Yelich could very well win his second straight MVP Award, but a fractured kneecap that he suffered earlier this month might have given Bellinger the edge. Yelich finished his season leading the NL in OPS for the second straight year (1.100), and he improved on his batting average (.329) and home runs (44) while adding 30 stolen bases.

Bregman has played a key role for the Astros again, displaying elite offense and defense while splitting time between third base and shortstop. He's set to top his breakout numbers from 2018, hitting .294-35-103 with a .989 OPS through 142 games played.

LeMahieu was expected to serve as a utilityman entering the season, but he's been a key part of an injury-plagued Yankees squad. He's in contention to win his second batting title with a .325 batting average and has added a career-high 24 home runs and 92 RBI in 132 games while playing elite defense at second, third and first base. Most remarkable is that he's putting up career numbers after leaving Coors Field and the Rockies.

If Trout doesn't win his third MVP Award this year, it would be quite the upset. The 27-year-old leads the AL in home runs (45), walks (110), on-base percentage (.438) and slugging (.645). His 8.2 WAR through 134 games easily leads the AL.

Ryu's late-season struggles have opened up the Cy Young race in the NL. He still leads the league with a 2.45 ERA as of Sept. 13, but his ERA has increased by a full run over the last month. His strikeout numbers (142) don't stack up to the elite pitchers in the league though.

A back injury has hindered Scherzer for much of the second half, but he's still not out of the running for his fourth Cy Young Award. Incredibly, he still ranks second in ERA (2.56) and third in strikeouts (216) despite missing significant time.

Strasburg could opt out of his contract after this season, and he'd be entering free agency at peak value if he does so. The right-hander is in the Cy Young conversation, leading the NL with 191 innings and 229 strikeouts. His 3.49 ERA and 1.05 WHIP also show his terrific performance.

Cole has certainly done well for himself, as he enters free agency this offseason. He trails only teammate Justin Verlander in ERA (2.73) and WHIP (0.92) among AL starters and had the slight edge in strikeouts as of Sept.13 with 281. Although of limited importance, Cole has also tallied 16 wins.

Minor leads all AL pitchers in WAR as a result of his success in a hitter-friendly home ballpark, posting a 3.08 ERA and 1.18 WHIP overall with 183 strikeouts in 189.2 innings. The lefty's lack of team success and strikeouts will likely put him behind Verlander and Cole in the voting.

Verlander is likely to win his second Cy Young Award with yet another remarkable season. He leads the AL in ERA (2.58), WHIP (0.78), innings (206) and wins (18). The veteran is also second to teammate Gerrit Cole in strikeouts.

Alonso has all but won the NL Rookie of the Year as one of the great stories of 2019. After cracking the opening day roster, he leads the NL with 47 home runs and could break Aaron Judge's rookie record of 52 homers. He also has 109 RBI and a .948 OPS.

Paddack has been used conservatively by the Padres given his arm injury history, but he's been terrific in his rookie campaign. The right-hander was 9-7 with a 3.38 ERA and 1.00 WHIP in 135.2 innings over his first 25 starts for the Padres.

Soroka would likely win Rookie of the Year easily in most seasons, but Pete Alonso's presence will make it difficult this year. He's been the ace of the first-place Braves, going 11-4 with a 2.67 ERA and 1.11 WHIP in 158.2 innings through 26 starts.

Alvarez wasn't promoted by the Astros until June 9 and has played almost strictly at DH, yet he has a great shot to win AL Rookie of the Year. That's due to his blazing bat, hitting .315-24-72 with a 1.069 OPS in 74 games. The Astros have been a historic offense since his emergence.

Lowe's season ended after only 76 games played due to leg injuries, but he's still in the Rookie of the Year conversation due to a relatively weak AL class. He hit .276-16-49 with an .862 OPS while also playing well in the field.

Means has been a surprise performer for Baltimore this year and might have done enough to win Rookie of the Year. The lefty was 10-10 with a 3.47 ERA and 1.11 WHIP over 137.1 innings. His performance is even more impressive, considering his poor supporting cast and home hitter's park.

Roberts is in his fourth season with the Dodgers, and the team has won the NL West in each one. They're likely to lead the NL in wins this year despite some significant injuries, including to Rich Hill, A.J. Pollock and Alex Verdugo. Anything short of a World Series victory this season for Roberts' Dodgers will still be a disappointment after falling just short in consecutive years.

The Braves were a surprise team in 2018, winning the NL East, and they've built on that success this year despite major moves from division competitors. Snitker managed a no-name bullpen early in the year to success and dealt with injuries and poor performances from some of last year's key starting pitchers.

Many Cardinals fans had left the team for dead at the All-Star break, but the team now was holding a 3.5 game lead in the NL Central as of Sept. 13. St. Louis took off when Shildt replaced Mike Matheny at midseason last year and is having another terrific second half this year, with the starting rotation and key hitters finally meshing down the stretch.

The Twins made several impactful moves in the offseason, but Baldelli's hiring might have been the most significant. He's helped the team improve from only 78 wins last year to likely win the AL Central division, showing great power and consistent pitching. Baldelli has taken some of his learnings from Tampa Bay, using a quick hook and playing matchups with his pen.

No manager has contended with more injuries this year than Boone, yet the Yankees have a good shot to lead the AL in wins. Perhaps GM Brian Cashman deserves even more credit for his under-the-radar moves, but multiple career minor leaguers and role players have been huge contributors for New York under Boone's tutelage. 

No organization does more with less than the Rays, who are in contention for an AL wild-card spot again despite multiple major injuries. The team has lost Blake Snell, Tyler Glasnow and Jose Alvarado for significant periods of time this season, yet they continue to piece together elite pitching.