Ketel Marte is having an MVP-caliber season and is a strong contender for the award 95 games into the season. This is an undeniable fact. He has earned his spot on the NL All-Star roster and will be the leadoff batter at 5:00 P.M. MST tonight.
Marte ranks second in the league in WAR according to Baseball-Reference, with 4.9. He’s hitting .292/.362/.515 with an .877 OPS, 19 home runs, 64 runs, and 57 RBIs. Defensively, he’s playing at a Gold Glove level at second base with +11 defensive runs saved and is third in the league in Defensive WAR with 1.4.
Shohei Ohtani, just slightly ahead of Marte with a 5.4 WAR, boasts superior offensive numbers, batting .316 with 29 home runs and 69 RBIs. However, Ohtani is not pitching this year and doesn’t play the field, serving only as a DH.
A crucial factor to consider is the impact on their teams’ standings. If the Dodgers had a replacement-level player instead of Ohtani, they would be five games worse at 51-46 but still first in the NL West. Conversely, without Marte, the Diamondbacks would be struggling and likely sellers at the trade deadline. They would drop from their current 49-48, just one game out of the Wild Card, to a dismal 44-53, six games out of the Wild Card with eight teams ahead of them.
Marte’s WAR as a percentage of the Diamondbacks’ total WAR is 25%, the highest of any player on a contending team. In contrast, Ohtani has contributed 19% of the Dodgers’ WAR, and Bryce Harper, another MVP candidate, has contributed just 11% of the Phillies’ WAR. This demonstrates Marte’s critical importance to his team.
While the MVP awards are decided at the end of the season, and Marte needs to maintain his performance and help the D-backs reach the playoffs to strengthen his case, it’s clear that his value to his team is immense. Although Ohtani is widely regarded as the best baseball player and has a compelling narrative, his role as only a DH this year means the Dodgers would still be in first place without him. The marketing and media buzz surrounding Ohtani should not influence a performance-based award.
Without Marte, the D-backs would be competing with the Rockies to avoid the bottom of the NL West. Given the slim difference in WAR between Marte and Ohtani, these relative value factors should be considered by MVP voters.