After the first quarter of the 2021 season, Shohei Ohtani (above) ranks in the top-10 among all hitters in home runs, RBIs, and slugging percentage, while also ranking in the top-10 percent among all pitchers in strikeout percentage.

Credit: Jayne Kamin-Oncea/USA Today

As the first 40 games of the MLB season have come and gone, we have already seen six no-hitters (seven if you count Madison Bumgarner’s seven-inning no-hitter), a league-wide batting average of .237 (tied for the worst in the history of major league baseball) and basically everything else that comes along with the meteoric rise of the Launch Angle Era. Nonetheless, through it all, we have seen early MVP performers and frontrunners for the Cy Young award.

It’s still early -- I know. We’re barely through a quarter of the 162-game marathon that is the MLB season. But what fun would being a sports fan be without debating who will win the MVP? The Cy Young? Which star has shined the brightest? 

Below are my initial thoughts and arguments for who should win each award in both the American League and the National League. With the way the 2021 season has gone, however, don’t be surprised to see my midway season awards look a lot different.

AL MVP: Shohei Ohtani (SP/DH, Los Angeles Angels)

IP: 30.1

ERA: 2.37

WHIP: 1.24

K/9: 13.4

HR: 15

RBI: 38

SB: 6

OPS: .947

Seriously, what can’t Ohtani do? The two-way stud has thrown a fastball 101 MPH, has hit a home run over 450 feet, has stolen six bases and has even played right field on more than one occasion. Ohtani ranks in the top-five in both home runs and RBIs and ranks in the top-ten percent amongst all major league hitters in hard-hit percentage, barrel percentage, sprint speed and average exit velocity. 

On the mound, Ohtani has been just as impressive, ranking in the top ten in strikeout percentage and WHIFF rate. Heck, Ohtani recently became the first pitcher to start a game while leading his team in home runs since Babe Ruth did it for the Yankees in 1921. It’s no wonder that the Japanese superstar is getting a ton of MVP chatter, and not just from me. With his eye-popping numbers on both sides of the ball so far this season, my AL MVP frontrunner has to be Shohei Ohtani. 

NL MVP: Ronald Acuña Jr. (OF, Atlanta Braves)

HR: 15

RBI: 32

SB: 6

OPS: .990

Baseball fans REJOICE — the Acuña breakout season has finally arrived! 

To many, the term “breakout season” may seem odd for the young superstar, considering Acuña has been one of the game’s premier players since he won Rookie of the Year in 2018. However, the numbers tell exactly that story. Acuña is sitting on the highest slugging percentage, OPS and OPS+ of his young career, while also ranking second in the majors in home runs, 15th in RBIs and tied for seventh in stolen bases among all eligible hitters in 2021. 

Oh, and not to mention the bat flips. 

Acuña, like many other superstars in the league, is must-see television. But unlike most of the others, this superstar is my favorite to win the NL MVP in 2021 after his first-quarter performance. 

AL Cy Young: John Means (SP, Baltimore Orioles)

ERA: 1.79

WHIP: 0.75

W/L: 4-0

SO: 64

WAR: 3.2

To those who saw a John Means breakout season — take a bow. Because I can assure you, the rest of us had no idea what this guy had up his sleeve for 2021. The 28-year-old West Virginia product is tied for sixth in wins, eighth in ERA, fourth in WHIP and second in WAR among eligible pitchers. His 1.70 ERA and 0.75 WHIP are drastic improvements from his 2020 season, where he carried a 4.53 ERA and a 0.98 WHIP. 

Oh, and let us not forget his no-hitter against the Mariners in early May.

I’m aware that Means may not be the “popular” pick for AL Cy Young in 2021. In fact, as of May 26th, Vegas gives Means 15-1 odds to win the award, good enough for sixth-best. Means trails other big-name pitchers, such as Gerrit Cole, Shane Bieber and Tyler Glasnow. However, Means is my pick for AL Cy Young thus far, and that’s a hill I’m willing to die on.

NL Cy Young: Jacob deGrom (SP, New York Mets)

ERA: 0.80

WHIP: 0.60

W/L: 3-2

SO: 74

K/9: 14.8

Surprised? Well, you shouldn’t be. deGrom is perhaps the most dominant pitcher in the game, and it’s been that way for a long time. His standard stats are incredibly impressive, as he ranks first in K/9, first in WHIP and first in ERA among eligible pitchers. His advanced stats are even more eye-popping, as deGrom ranks in the top ten percentage amongst all pitchers in walk percentage, average fastball velocity, strikeout percentage, chase rate and WHIFF rate. 

What does this all mean? Well, it means that deGrom is absolutely dominant, and he has shown no signs of slowing down. If deGrom is not the consensus best pitcher in the majors, I’m not sure who is. That said, I have little hesitation in naming deGrom as my NL Cy Young frontrunner at this point in the 2021 campaign.