Mike Trout and Kris Bryant Win MLB's AL & NL MVP Awards

Two weeks after winning the Chicago Cubs its first World Series championship since 1908, Kris Bryant takes home the National League’s MVP award. The 24-year-old finished with 415 points in the MVP vote, while earning 29 of the 30 first-place votes (Daniel Murphy of the Nationals snagged the one vote). The first Cub to win the MVP since Sammy Sosa in 1998, the Las Vegas native finished the year with a .292 BA, 39 homeruns, 102 RBIs, and 121 runs scored. This accolade follows Bryant’s 2015 Rookie of the Year nod, making him the fourth player in history to begin their career with the ROY award and the MVP award in sweet succession — Cal Ripken, Jr., Ryan Howard and Dustin Pedroia were the other three. “It’s all downhill from here,” Bryant joked. “I look forward to really enjoying this this whole offseason. I don’t know if this whole year will ever happen again.”

25-year-old, Mike Trout nabbed the American League MVP award. Although his Angels ended the year with a losing record, the New Jersey native had yet another stellar season, finishing with a .314 BA, 29 homeruns, 100 RBIs, 123 runs scored, 30 SBs and a .441 OBP. Trout joins the legendary likes of Johnny Bench, Jimmie Foxx, Mickey Mantle, Stan Musial and Hal Newhouser as the only players to win two MVPs before the age of 25 (Trout didn’t turn 25 until August, so 2016 qualifies as his age-24 season). He also joins Barry Bonds as the only players to finish first or second in the MVP voting in five consecutive seasons. “It humbles you, it’s an unbelievable honor,” Trout said. “Just a little bit ago, I was a little kid in high school. Now the chance to win a second MVP, it means a lot to me and my family.”

Together, Trout and Bryant’s wins mark the first time in history that both MVPs were 24 or younger. What a year of baseball!