Bryce Harper leads all players in Major League Baseball with a .343 batting average.
As the weather cools down, the Major League Baseball race for MVP in the American and National Leagues heats up.
Neither league has a true standout for the MVP award, though several players are competing for the title in each.
The National League has a few notable candidates including Washington Nationals outfielder Bryce Harper and New York Mets outfielder Yoenis Cespedes.
At 22 years old, Bryce Harper is one of the youngest players in the MLB and one of the most well-known. Harper recently hit his 41st home run this season, which leads the National League so far. His .342 batting average is also the highest in either league. Harper has a chance to reach a monumental milestone by winning the MVP award so early in his career.
Despite starting the season with the Detroit Tigers, Cespedes has had a significant impact in the Mets' quest for the playoffs. Since joining the Mets on July 31, Cespedes has boasted 17 home runs, a .293 batting average and 42 runs batted in. Though Cespedes has only played 42 games with the Mets, he has proven very beneficial for the team.
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In the American League, Los Angeles Angels outfielder Mike Trout and Toronto Blue Jays third baseman Josh Donaldson lead the pack as front runners in the AL MVP race.
Trout, the reigning MVP, is familiar with award consideration despite being 24 years old. Trout has hit 40 home runs and has batted in 87 runs in the season and has become the face of the MLB.
Donaldson has powered his way into MVP consideration with 39 home runs and a MLB-leading 120 RBIs. Donaldson has led the Blue Jays into a playoff race with the New York Yankees with less than a month of the regular season left.
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