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The BBWAA has announced the winner of the 2016 American League MVP, and it is Mike Trout of the Angels. He tops fellow finalists Mookie Betts of the Red Sox and Astros second baseman Jose Altuve.

Trout, 25, remains the best player in baseball. His team's low win total is just the product of having sub-par teammates, as has been the case for the past two seasons after his 2014 AL MVP. This year, Trout hit .315/.441/.550 with 173 hits, 32 doubles, five triples, 29 home runs, 100 RBI, 123 runs and 30 stolen bases. His OBP, runs scored, 116 walks and 174 OPS+ were tops the majors, as was his 10.6 WAR. In some seasons of his career, he's been punished by his teammates not being good enough to help him get to the postseason. That wasn't the case this time around.

Betts, 24, hit .318/.363/.534 with 214 hits, 42 doubles, five triples, 31 homers, 113 RBI, 122 runs and 26 steals. He led the majors with 359 total bases. A true stat-sheet stuffer, Betts was second in average, eighth in slugging, eight in OPS, second in runs, second in hits, third in doubles, 10th in triples, fourth in RBI and sixth in steals. He was one of the main catalysts behind perhaps the top offense in baseball while helping lead the Red Sox to the AL East crown. He won both the Silver Slugger and Gold Glove as well. His 32 defensive runs saved was tops in the AL. His 9.6 WAR was bested only by Mike Trout. No other player in all of baseball was higher than 7.7.

The 26-year-old Altuve hit .338/.396/.531 with 42 doubles, five triples, 24 homers, 96 RBI, 108 runs and 30 steals. His 216 hits led the majors (he's led the AL three straight years now) and he won the AL batting title. His previous career high in home runs was 15, so the added power dimension gets him up in the top three after finishing 10th in MVP voting last season, despite the Astros having been a playoff team in 2015 but not this time around.

As a reminder, all BBWAA awards are for regular-season performance only. Voters are required to submit their ballots before the playoffs even start.

Here's the voting breakdown:

For Trout, his career is headed toward being one of the best in MLB history. He's only 25, but in five full seasons he's been an All-Star five times, won two MVPs and finished as the runner-up in MVP voting three times. An argument could be made that Trout should have just won his third, fourth or even fifth MVP.

Regardless, we're watching greatness unfold.

A career .306/.405/.557 hitter, Trout already has 917 hits, 175 doubles, 168 home runs and 143 steals. The top statistical similars through age 24, per baseball-reference.com, are Mickey Mantle, Ken Griffey Jr., Hank Aaron, Frank Robinson and Mel Ott.