While no member of the Tampa Bay Rays finished as a finalist for American League Most Valuable Player, three players were named on ballots, including second baseman Brandon Lowe, who finished in the top ten of voting for a second straight season.
Lowe, who finished eighth in 2020 to Chicago White Sox first baseman Jose Abreu, garnered 34 points for writers to finish tenth. Los Angeles Angeles pitcher/designated hitter Shohei Ohtani won the award unanimously.
Two writers from each American League chapter vote for the award. Marc Topkin of the Tampa Bay Times placed Lowe seventh, while Adam Berry of MLB.com had him tenth.
In addition, two other Rays players were named on ballots for the award, with catcher Mike Zunino and outfielder Austin Meadows each receiving a tenth-place vote. Steve Melewski of MASNSports.com had Zunino on his ballot, and Paul Hoynes of the Cleveland Plain-Dealer had Meadows on his ballot.
Steve Carney is the founder and publisher of St. Pete Nine. One of the people most associated with baseball coverage in Tampa Bay, he spent 13 seasons covering the Rays for flagship radio station WDAE, first as producer of Rays Radio broadcasts, then as beat reporter beginning in 2011. He likes new analytics and aged bourbon, and is the owner of one of the ugliest knuckleballs ever witnessed by baseball scouts.
