NEW YORK — Los Angeles Dodgers slugger Cody Bellinger has beaten out the Milwaukee Brewers' Christian Yelich to win NL MVP.
Bellinger got 19 of 30 first-place votes in balloting by the Baseball Writers' Association of America revealed Thursday night. Yelich got 10 first-place votes, and Washington's Anthony Rendon got one while finishing third.
The 24-year-old Bellinger and his loose, left-handed swing launched 47 home runs with a .305 average, 115 RBIs and a 1.035 OPS.
He was the best player on the NL's top team in the regular season, propelling Los Angeles to 106 wins. He's the 10th different Dodgers player to win MVP and first since Clayton Kershaw in 2014.
Bellinger teared up after learning he'd been chosen, getting emotional especially after hugging his father -- former big leaguer Clay Bellinger.
The AL prize was set to be awarded later Thursday.
