6 Darkhorse MVP Candidates After the First Half

Robinson Cano, 2B, Seattle Mariners

Current Odds: 100-1

Can the All-Star Game MVP also have a huge second half and snag the AL MVP? He's got an awful lot of work to do based off the guys ahead of him, but Seattle Mariners second baseman Robinson Cano has the ability to go on that kind of tear.

His 1.7 fWAR is nowhere near the the league leaders and his .275/.332/.481 triple slash through 346 plate appearances (which has produced a 115 wRC+ and .340 wOBA) also isn't on the same level, but he's struggled in July before the midseason breather. Through June 30th, Cano's triple slash was a healthier .287/.343/.504 with a 125 wRC+ and .354 wOBA, but he's produced just a 34 wRC+ over his last 37 plate appearances. That helps explain the dip in his overall numbers.

The Mariners are just four games back of the final AL Wild Card spot, but they've also limped to a 43-47 record. So, if they're going to break baseball's longest postseason drought, they're going to need Cano to get hot, which is a very possible scenario. Throughout his career, the second baseman has historically been a better hitter in the second half (135 wRC+, .376 wOBA) than in the first half (121 wRC+, .354 wOBA).