Bellinger, Trout cop MVP plums

Bellinger is only the 18th former Rookie of the Year to go on to win the MVP award.

CODY Bellinger emerges as MVP of the National League. AFP

LOS ANGELES (AFP) — Los Angeles Dodgers slugger Cody Bellinger was named National League (NL) Most Valuable Player (MVP) while Angels ace Mike Trout picked up the award in the American League (AL) for the third time on Thursday.

First baseman and outfielder Bellinger beat off competition from Milwaukee’s Christian Yelich and Washington Nationals ace Anthony Rendon to land the award for the first time.

The 24-year-old finished the regular season with 47 home runs, 34 doubles and an NL-leading 351 total bases.

Bellinger and Brewers star Yelich — the 2018 NL MVP — had been locked in a home run-race all year.

However, Yelich’s season ended abruptly on 10 September when he suffered a broken kneecap in a freak incident, ruling him out of the final 18 games.

The award comes two years after Bellinger won Rookie of the Year honours. Bellinger is only the 18th former Rookie of the Year to go on to win the MVP award.

Despite his dazzling form in the regular season, Bellinger was largely ineffective in the postseason, when the Dodgers crashed out to eventual World Series winners Washington.

However, voting for the MVP award took place before the playoffs, so did not take into account postseason form.

The award, which is voted on by members of the Baseball Writers Association of America, sees two writers in each league city cast votes on a tabulated system.

First place picks earn 14 points, second place earns nine points, third place eight points.

Bellinger was chosen as top pick by 19 voters, helping him to a total 362 points while Yelich earned 10 first place picks, with Rendon one.

Los Angeles Angels slug ger Trout meanwhile is only the sixth player to win the AL MVP award three times, putting him alongside iconic figures such as Jimmie Foxx, Joe DiMaggio, Yogi Berra, Mickey Mantle and Alex Rodriguez.

Trout beat out competition from Houston Astros’ Alex Bregman and Marcus Semien from the Oakland Athletics.

Trout won 17 first place votes in the ballot, with Bregman netting 13.