Blue Jays’ Josh Donaldson wins AL MVP over Angels’ Mike Trout

Even in defeat, Mike Trout made history.

Josh Donaldson of the Toronto Blue Jays won the American League most-valuable-player award Thursday, with Trout finishing second and Lorenzo Cain of the World Series champion Kansas City Royals third.

Trout finished among the top two in AL MVP voting for the fourth consecutive season, a feat previously accomplished by just one player: Hall of Fame catcher Yogi Berra. The feat is all the more impressive because Trout, 24, has played only four full seasons in the major leagues.

The only players to finish in the top two in National League MVP voting in four consecutive seasons: Barry Bonds and Stan Musial.

Bryce Harper of the Washington Nationals was the unanimous winner of the NL MVP award, with Paul Goldschmidt of the Arizona Diamondbacks second and Joey Votto of the Cincinnati Reds third.

For the first time since 1991, the top three vote-getters in the NL played for clubs that did not make the playoffs. In 1991, two teams in each league made the playoffs; today, five do.

Donaldson and Trout each hit 41 home runs, tied for third in the league. Donaldson led the league in runs scored and runs batted in; Trout led the league in slugging percentage and wins above replacement value.

Donaldson led the Blue Jays to their first postseason berth since 1993. The Angels were eliminated from playoff contention on the final day of the season.

There was no lack of respect for Trout from the victorious side.

“You know going into a season that if you’re ultimately going to win an MVP, you’ve got to put up better numbers than Mike,” Donaldson said on a conference call.

“The best player in the game doesn’t always have the best numbers,” Toronto pitcher David Price said when the Blue Jays played Trout and the Angels in Anaheim in August. “Mike Trout is unbelievable, but what Josh Donaldson has done this year has been a little bit better.”

Nationals outfielder Bryce Harper, who turned 23 during the playoffs, became the youngest unanimous MVP award winner in MLB history.

(Nick Wass / Associated Press)

Harper was anointed “The Chosen One” on a 2009 Sports Illustrated cover, when he was 16. He was the first overall draft pick at 17, in the major leagues at 19 and is now the youngest unanimous winner of an MVP award. He turned 23 last month.

Harper batted .330 with 42 home runs, leading his league in homers, on-base percentage and slugging percentage. He also shook off the injury bug, playing in 153 games and making 654 plate appearances. In 2014, he played in 100 games and made 395 plate appearances.

“All I wanted to do was stay healthy and stay on the field every single day I could,” Harper said on a conference call. “I knew if I could do that I’d be winning this award at the end of the year.”

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