Atlanta Braves first baseman Freddie Freeman and Chicago White Sox slugger Jose Abreu won the 2020 Most Valuable Player awards Thursday night.
Freeman captured the National League MVP Award after receiving 28 of the 30 first-place ballots in voting by members of the Baseball Writers’ Association of America. He beat out Los Angeles Dodgers outfielder Mookie Betts, who received the remaining two first-place votes, and San Diego Padres infielder Manny Machado for the award.
Freeman, who battled COVID-19 about three weeks before the delayed Opening Day in late July, overcame the virus and recorded a .341 batting average with 13 home runs and 53 RBIs in all 60 games. He led MLB in doubles (23) and scored 51 runs.
Behind the 31-year-old Freeman, the Braves won the NL East and came within one win of reaching the World Series for the first time since 1999.