NL MVP: Marlins' Giancarlo Stanton edges out Reds' Joey Votto in fourth closest election
Giancarlo Stanton
CLOSE MLB awards season is here. Take a look at all the 2017 winners.  USA TODAY Sports
Giancarlo Stanton  led the majors with 59 home runs this season. (Photo: Jason Getz  USA TODAY Sports)
If the Miami Marlins follow through on their apparent intentions to trade Giancarlo Stanton  theyâll have the rare distinction of dealing away a newly minted MVP.
 Stanton  earned the award in the National League on Thursday by only two points after a career season in which  he  belted 59 home runs  the highest total in the majors since 2001.
In the fourth-closest MVP race ever   Stanton  received 10 of the 30 first-place votes and had 302 points in balloting by the Baseball Writers Association of America.  He  edged out Cincinnati Reds first baseman Joey Votto  who also received 10 first-place votes but finished with 300 points.
âI thought it was going to be close ''  Stanton  said. "I thought (Nolan) Arenado was going to be up there too  so the fact he wasnât made me even more unsure if I was going to get it. Itâs really a surprise. I always think positive  but it was a surprise to hear.ââ
Finally free of the injuries that sidetracked him the last two years   Stanton  put together the kind of monstrous season long envisioned of  him .  He  batted .281 and set career highs in home runs and RBI  leading the majors with 132.  Stanton  also finished second in the league in on-base plus slugging percentage with a 1.007 mark and was a finalist for the Gold Glove in right field.
Mechanical adjustments that included closing  his  stance contributed to a staggering home run outburst for  Stanton   whose blasts typically left little doubt they would leave the yard.
During a 48-game stretch from July 5-Aug. 29   Stanton  banged out 30 homers to help the Marlins go 29-19 and briefly climb above .500. However  they went on a tailspin shortly after that and finished 77-85  well out of the playoff race.
2017  NL MVP: Giancarlo Stanton . Full voting details: https://t.co/kEoINIfOWQ â BBWAA (@officialBBWAA) November 16  2017
A new ownership group headed by Bruce Sherman and Derek Jeter has since taken over and made it clear it plans to shed payroll  and Stantonâs contract â which calls for  him  to earn $295 million over the next 10 years â may be the starting point.
He looked like the favorite going into September  but batted just .171 in the final month â likely in part because of an elbow injury â while  Stanton  was following up  his  18-homer August with another eight in September.
Like  Stanton   Votto played for a losing team  as the Reds finished last in the NL Central at 68-94.
In  Stanton âs case  the astonishing power display was enough to overcome the bias toward players on contending teams. Now  he  awaits to find out whether  he âll soon join one.
CLOSE MLB awards season is here. Take a look at all the 2017 winners.   [TGT] 
led the majors with 59 home runs this season. (Photo: Jason Getz  USA TODAY Sports)
If the Miami Marlins follow through on their apparent intentions to trade  [TGT]   theyâll have the rare distinction of dealing away a newly minted MVP.
  [TGT] earned the award in the National League on Thursday by only two points after a career season in which   [TGT]   belted 59 home runs  the highest total in the majors since 2001.
In the fourth-closest MVP race ever   Stanton  received 10 of the 30 first-place votes and had 302 points in balloting by the Baseball Writers Association of America.  He  edged out Cincinnati Reds first baseman Joey Votto  who also received 10 first-place votes but finished with 300 points.
âI thought it was going to be close ''   [TGT] said. "I thought (Nolan) Arenado was going to be up there too  so the fact he wasnât made me even more unsure if I was going to get it. Itâs really a surprise. I always think positive  but it was a surprise to hear.ââ
Finally free of the injuries that sidetracked him the last two years    [TGT] put together the kind of monstrous season long envisioned of  him .  He  batted .281 and set career highs in home runs and RBI  leading the majors with 132.   [TGT] also finished second in the league in on-base plus slugging percentage with a 1.007 mark and was a finalist for the Gold Glove in right field.
Mechanical adjustments that included closing   [TGT]   stance contributed to a staggering home run outburst for  Stanton   whose blasts typically left little doubt they would leave the yard.
During a 48-game stretch from July 5-Aug. 29   Stanton  banged out 30 homers to help the Marlins go 29-19 and briefly climb above .500. However  they went on a tailspin shortly after that and finished 77-85  well out of the playoff race.
2017  NL MVP:  [TGT]  . Full voting details: https://t.co/kEoINIfOWQ â BBWAA (@officialBBWAA) November 16  2017
A new ownership group headed by Bruce Sherman and Derek Jeter has since taken over and made it clear it plans to shed payroll  and Stantonâs contract â which calls for  him  to earn $295 million over the next 10 years â may be the starting point.
He looked like the favorite going into September  but batted just .171 in the final month â likely in part because of an elbow injury â while  Stanton  was following up  his  18-homer August with another eight in September.
Like  Stanton   Votto played for a losing team  as the Reds finished last in the NL Central at 68-94.
In  Stanton âs case  the astonishing power display was enough to overcome the bias toward players on contending teams. Now  he  awaits to find out whether  he âll soon join one.