The MLB Least Valuable Player award has a runaway winner

In practice, the race for overall Least Valuable Player isn't as close as the NL MVP, with Cal Raleigh holding a significant lead.

Key points

• Cal Raleigh, Mariners C: Raleigh has gone from 60 homers to 13 and is hitting.156 (49 points worse than any qualifier).
• Kyle Tucker, Dodgers OF: The Mets set the record $60M annual salary but fortunately saw their archrival (in spending) "win" the talented Tucker for $240M over four years.
• Guerrero signed a 14-year, $500 million accord last season, so with 13 years to go, he needs to find his power stroke.

What happened

1. Cal Raleigh, Mariners C: Raleigh has gone from 60 homers to 13 and is hitting.156 (49 points worse than any qualifier). To his credit, he admitted that he's stunk.

2. Vladimir Guerrero Jr., Blue Jays 1B: Guerrero hasn't homered at his home Rogers Centre in a year and his seven dingers are 25 below his average over the previous five seasons. Guerrero signed a 14-year, $500 million accord last season, so with 13 years to go, he needs to find his power stroke.

3. Kyle Tucker, Dodgers OF: The Mets set the record $60M annual salary but fortunately saw their archrival (in spending) "win" the talented Tucker for $240M over four years. His overall numbers are below average (93 OPS+), but he's worse lately, with his recent 0-for-25 streak and embarrassing case of the dropsies. The 0.0 bWAR and league-high salary would normally earn him the top spot, but competition's stiff.

The bottom line

In short, the MLB Least Valuable Player award has a runaway winner is the central thread here, and readers can expect follow-up reporting as the picture becomes clearer.