Blue Jays: Audacy makes interesting MVP pick from Jays

Audacy recently penned an article that listed out six of the best darkhorse MVP candidates for the 2023 season. In there, an interesting pick was made from the Toronto Blue Jays.

When you think of MVP candidates on this Blue Jays squad, you probably think of the likes of Vladimir Guerrero Jr., Bo Bichette, George Springer, and maybe even someone like Alek Manoah. In a 2023 MLB preview, Audacy pitched six potential candidates for MVP this season, and one of the names on the list, albeit a little unexpected, was Blue Jays third basemen Matt Chapman.

Chapman finished sixth in the American League MVP voting in 2019 as a member of the Oakland Athletics -- the highest he's finished in his career thus far. That season, he slashed .249/.342/.506 with a career high 36 home runs and 91 runs batted in. He was also selected to the All-Star Game that season and was the recipient of his second Gold Glove Award.

The 29-year-old already possesses elite defense as part of his game. With three Gold Gloves, two Platinum Gloves, and a Wilson Defensive Player of the Year honor all apart of his résumé already, he certainly has the accolades to prove it, too. If Chapman could raise his offensive production a tad, there's no doubt he could conceivably be in the MVP conversation.

The California State Fullerton product is also entering a contract year this season, so now's as good a time as any for him to have a breakout season. Although there's a chance an MVP-type season could price Chapman out of a return to Toronto next season, I'm sure no Blue Jays fan would turn down an MVP type of season if it means a better chance at the World Series for the Blue Jays.

The last Blue Jays player to win MVP was Josh Donaldson in 2015.