Baez named NL MVP runner-up

As part of his explosive breakout 2018 season, Javier Baez didn’t just give the Cubs elite hitting numbers and indispensable versatility around the infield — he also added an element of thrill to everything he did, whether in his free-swinging approach, aggressive baserunning or daring tags in the field. The career year from one of the most exciting players in baseball culminated in a runner-up finish in the National League Most Valuable Player Award voting on Thursday.