Mike Trout Joins Elite Company As Three-Time AL MVP

Image credit: Mike Trout (Getty Images)

Mike Trout is officially in historic company.

Trout was named the 2019 American League Most Valuable Player on Thursday, his third career AL MVP award. He is one of only six three-time AL MVP winners in baseball history, joining Jimmie Foxx, Joe DiMaggio, Yogi Berra, Mickey Mantle and Alex Rodriguez.

Trout received 17 of 30 first-place votes. Astros third baseman Alex Bregman received the other 13 first-place votes to finish second and Athletics shortstop Marcus Semien finished third in voting.

Trout, 28, missed the final three weeks of the season with a foot injury and still finished second in the AL in home runs (45), tied for sixth in runs scored (110) and tied for ninth RBI (104). He hit .291 and led the AL with a .438 on-base percentage and .645 slugging percentage.

Trout previously won MVP in 2014 and 2016. His latest MVP season came against the backdrop of the sudden death of teammate Tyler Skaggs.

Trout ranked as a top-three prospect in baseball in both 2010 and 2011 and won Baseball America Minor League Player of the Year in 2011. He won BA’s Major League Player of the Year Award in 2012, 2013, 2016 and 2018.