Mike Trout Wins AL MVP Award; Betts Finishes Second
BOSTON (CBS) -- At just 23 years old, Mookie Betts put together a phenomenal 2016 season. But he fell short of earning his first career Most Valuable Player Award.
That honor in the American League this year went to Mike Trout. It's Trout's second MVP Award, having previously won in 2014. Betts finished second in AL MVP voting.
Trout, still just 25, put together a dominant year for the 74-88 Angels. He batted .315 with a league-leading .441 on-base percentage to go with 29 home runs, 100 RBIs, 30 stolen bases and a .991 OPS. He also scored 123 runs, one more than Betts, to lead the league in that category as well.
In addition to winning the award in 2014, Trout finished second in 2012, 2013 and 2015.
Betts, who turned 24 in October, completed just his second full MLB season in 2016, batting .318 with 42 doubles, five triples, 31 home runs and 113 RBIs. He stole 26 bases and posted an .897 OPS, and his work in the outfield earned him a Gold Glove Award.
Betts finished first in the AL in total bases, second in batting average, fourth in RBIs, second in hits, eighth in OPS, second in runs scored, tied for third in doubles, tied for 10th in triples, sixth in stolen bases and tied for fourth in extra-base hits.
Betts was originally drafted by the Red Sox in 2011 with the 172nd overall pick. He made just $566,000 in 2016, and he remains under Red Sox control through the 2020 season.
Betts' offseason is not without hardware, though, as last week he won his first career Gold Glove Award for his defense in right field.
Jose Altuve of the Astros was the other finalist for AL MVP.
