Christian Yelich is the ninth player overall and the second in the NL to be named MVP in his first season with a club after being traded.

The other such NL winner was Braves third baseman Bob Elliott in 1947. Players who did so in the AL were Tigers catcher-manager Mickey Cochrane in 1934, Yankees right fielder Roger Maris in 1960, Orioles right fielder Frank Robinson in 1966, White Sox first baseman Dick Allen in 1972, Brewers relief pitcher Rollie Fingers in 1981, Tigers reliever Guillermo (Willie) Hernandez in 1984 and Blue Jays third baseman Josh Donaldson in 2015.

This marked the fifth time a Brewers player has been honored and the second in the NL. Ryan Braun was the NL MVP in 2011. Hall of Famers Rollie Fingers (1981) and Robin Yount (1982, 1989) also won MVPs for the Brewers. The Brewers moved from the AL to the NL in 1998.

This was the eighth second-place finish for a player on the Cubs, who have had nine winners. The other runners-up were Lon Warneke in 1932, Gabby Hartnett in 1937, Bill Lee in 1938, Bill Nicholson in 1944, Billy Williams in 1970 and 1972 and Sammy Sosa in 2001.

This was the 19th NL MVP election won by that season’s batting champion. Yelich joins a list that features Stan Musial in 1943, 1946 and 1948, Barry Bonds in 2002 and 2004, Joe Medwick in 1937, Ernie Lombardi in 1938, Phil Cavarretta in 1945, Jackie Robinson in 1949, Willie Mays in 1954, Dick Groat in 1960, Joe Torre in 1971, Pete Rose in 1973, Dave Parker in 1978, Keith Hernandez in 1979, Willie McGee in 1985, Terry Pendleton in 1991 and Buster Posey in 2012. There have been 13 such winners in the AL.

Yelich, Javier Baéz, Nolan Arenado and Freddie Freeman were listed on every ballot.

Ballots, submitted before the start of the postseason, were cast by two writers in each league city. They are tabulated on a system that rewards 14 points for first place, nine for second, eight for third on down to one for 10th.

2018 NL MVP

View individual ballots on separate page