Veteran Chicago White Sox first baseman Jose Abreu has been named American League Most Valuable Player for 2020. It's Abreu's first MVP award, and he becomes the first White Sox player to win the award since Frank Thomas in 1994. At 33, Abreu becomes the oldest AL MVP since 38-year-old Dennis Eckersley won the honor in 1992.
Abreu in 2020 played in all 60 regular season games and over that span authored a slash line of .317/.370/.617 (166 OPS+) with 19 home runs and an AL-leading 76 hits. Abreu also led the majors with 148 total bases and reached base in all but five of Chicago's games. Abreu during the 2020 season also had an OPS of 1.083 with runners in scoring position and a mark of 1.120 in "late and close" game situations. On top of all that, Abreu also put up the best advanced defensive numbers of his career. Abreu continued to earn praise for his on-field leadership and steadying influence in the clubhouse.
Abreu paced a White Sox offense that ranked second in the AL in runs scored. In related matters, the White Sox won at a .583 clip during the regular season and made the playoffs for the first time since 2008.
Abreu showed signs of decline in recent years, and the Sox's decision to sign him to a three-year, $50 million extension prior to the 2020 season was met with mixed reviews. Suffice it to say, though, Abreu justified their faith and then some with what turned out to be a career year on a rate basis.
In the 2020 balloting, Abreu prevailed over fellow AL MVP finalists DJ LeMahieu of the Yankees, who's now a free agent, and Cleveland's Jose Ramirez. Abreu claimed 21 of 30 first-place votes. Ramirez notched eight first-place votes, and LeMahieu picked up the final first-place vote. Three-time winner Mike Trout finished fifth in the balloting, which is his worst ever finish. You can view the full results here.
