Top 7 MLB MVP Snubs (And Why)

by Jeremy Block - 5/5/2025

Top MLB MVP snubs Mike Trout Los Angeles Angels

Baseball has its share of screwups: bad trades, botched calls, and awards handed out like door prizes. Every few years, some player throws down a season for the ages, only to get leapfrogged by someone shinier, friendlier, or just better at smiling for the camera. It’s not that the winners were bums. It’s that the guys who didn’t win were better.

So, if you're ready to revisit some all-time snubs — here are seven players who absolutely should have taken home the MVP. But didn't.

Doc’s Sports offers MLB expert picks for every game on our baseball predictions page.

Albert Belle – 1995 AL

Some people say numbers don’t lie. MVP voters in 1995 looked at Albert Belle’s numbers and basically said, “Hold my beer.” Belle became the first player ever to hit 50 homers and 50 doubles in the same season — and keep in mind, that was in a strike-shortened year with only 144 games. He led the league in runs, homers, RBIs, slugging, and total bases. It wasn’t just a good season — it was Thanos-with-the-Infinity-Gauntlet levels of domination.

But the award went to Mo Vaughn, who had a nice season if you like your MVPs bland and non-threatening. Belle, on the other hand, scared pitchers, fans, and reporters alike. So instead of giving him the trophy, the writers basically punished him for having a spicy personality.

Alex Rodriguez – 1996 AL

If there was ever a season where someone got penalized for being too good too young, it was A-Rod in 1996. Rodriguez was barely old enough to rent a car and still managed to hit .358 with 36 bombs, 141 runs, and 54 doubles as a shortstop. Let me repeat that: a shortstop.

However, the MVP went to Juan Gonzalez, who hit a bunch of homers, drove in some guys, and, well, that was about it. It was like voters decided that RBIs were still the pinnacle of analysis while batting average and home runs were just a weird thing people yelled about on message boards. Rodriguez basically got robbed because voters weren’t ready for a 20-year-old baseball cyborg.

Mike Trout – 2012 AL

Mike Trout’s rookie season wasn’t just good — it was “what do you mean he didn’t win MVP?” good. He hit .326, stole 49 bags, scored 129 runs, and dropped a 10.5 WAR like it was no big deal. All this after missing the first month of the season.

But no, they gave the MVP to Miguel Cabrera for winning the Triple Crown. Which, sure, sounds impressive until you realize Trout’s season was objectively better. Trout was faster, better defensively, more valuable by every advanced metric, and still held his own offensively. Cabrera played beer-league defense and jogged out grounders, but hey — he hit a lot of dingers. Trout got punished for playing actual baseball while Cabrera just swung for the fences.

Pedro Martinez – 1999 AL

Pitchers don’t usually win MVPs, and Pedro Martinez in 1999 is the reason that logic should be burned in a fire. Martinez posted a 2.07 ERA in the heart of the steroid era while striking out 313 batters. There’s dominant, and then there’s whatever Martinez was doing on the bump.

Sadly enough, the MVP went to Ivan Rodriguez, who had a fine season, but let’s be honest: if you're choosing a good-hitting catcher over a flamethrower making juiced-up hitters look like tee-ballers, you're not watching the same game. Martinez finished second in the MVP vote and won the Cy Young. But let's not kid ourselves — he should’ve won both.

Derek Jeter – 2006 AL

You don't usually feel bad for a guy with five rings and a seat in Yankee Stadium better than most CEOs, but Derek Jeter got the shaft in 2006. He hit .343, stole 34 bases, and led the Yankees in runs, and OBP.

And still, the MVP went to Justin Morneau, who had 34 homers and 130 RBIs but was arguably the third best player on his own team (Joe Mauer and Johan Santana). Jeter’s numbers were MVP-level by every modern metric. But he was steady, not flashy, and people were tired of giving New York trophies, so they handed it to a big Canadian player with a good bat.

Nolan Arenado – 2019 NL

If Nolan Arenado did anything wrong in 2019, it was not winning the MVP. He hit .315 with 41 homers, 118 RBIs, and won another Gold Glove just for kicks. And yet, voters treated his numbers like they came out of a baseball pinball machine instead of a guy who actually played defense like a Marvel superhero and killed it on offense every night.

The MVP went to Cody Bellinger, who started 2019 like Babe Ruth and ended it like your uncle in a slow-pitch league. Arenado, meanwhile, stayed steady all year, played top-tier defense at third (which is harder than it looks), and was easily the most complete player in the league.

Manny Ramirez – 1999 AL

In 1999, Manny Ramirez did everything short of setting the field on fire to get the MVP. He hit .333, launched 44 homers, and drove in 165 runs — one of the highest totals in decades. That number alone should’ve triggered a “just give him the award” clause in the voting handbook.

But once again, Ivan Rodriguez played the “look at me, I’m a catcher who can hit” card and stole it. Keep in mind, Ramirez anchored a Cleveland lineup that could’ve blown away most pitching staffs by accident. Instead, he got dinged for being too chill and too dominant. Tough break for a player who crushed the ball like it was a full-time job — which, technically, it was.

Get MLB picks on every single game, or if you want our very best bet premium picks by the experts, sign up for your free $60 account with a guarantee.

Start:	May 6, 2025 @ 11:00 PM
Expert:	Griffin Murphy
Free $60 Account Sign Up

Top 7 MLB MVP Snubs (And Why)

Most Recent Baseball Handicapping