Why is no one noticing the exploits of this Chicago Cubs superstar?

Despite a strong start to the season, Chicago Cubs infielder and 2018 NL MVP runner-up Javier Baez is getting little attention from the national media.

If not for the historic start by Los Angeles Dodgers slugger Cody Bellinger and reigning National League MVP Christian Yelich, Chicago Cubs infielder Javier Baez would likely see more praise for what he’s done so far this season.

The 26-year-old Baez is enjoying the best start to a season in his professional career, hitting a team-best .296 with a 128 OPS+. Baez ranks sixth in the National League in WAR – but is well ahead of the pace needed to best the numbers from his breakout 2018 campaign.

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One group that hasn’t overlooked his exploits thus far? All-Star Game voters, who, based on this week’s update that put Baez well ahead of his fellow National League shortstops. He has received the third-highest vote total among NL players, trailing only Bellinger and Yelich and nearly four times the votes of the shortstop runner-up, Dansby Swanson.

If this trend continues, Baez would become just the third player in MLB history to start an All-Star Game at both second base and shortstop – and the first to do so in back-to-back years.

He’s cemented his place atop his respective position early this season, carrying the momentum from last year into the 2019 season. The Chicago infielder has been absolutely scorching hot when his back is against the wall – something that separates him from most players in the game.

When trailing 0-2 in the count, Baez is hitting .305/.328/.712. Bellinger, by contrast, is hitting .313/.313/.500 – so while he’s shortening up and putting the ball in play, he’s not driving the ball with authority in the same way as Baez.

Yelich, meanwhile, has struggled in 0-2 counts to the tune of a .231/.231/.385 line. So, yes, while last year’s MVP has put up more prolific numbers than Baez, you could make the case the latter has been more valuable – especially in clutch spots.

In what Baseball Reference classifies as ‘high leverage’ spots, Baez carries an .898 OPS into Wednesday’s matchup with the Colorado Rockies. Bellinger has been even better, flirting with a 1.000 OPS in such situations, playing an integral role in the Dodgers’ massive lead in the National League West.

Yelich, though, blows both Baez and Bellinger out of the water – hanging a 1.266 OPS on opposing pitchers when the stakes are high. At this point in the season, with just under 100 games left, one thing is abundantly clear. You can cherry pick stats to make a legitimate MVP case for any of these three guys.

If Bellinger and Yelich keep doing what they’ve done to this point (a 4.5 and 4.4 WAR, respectively) – Baez will have to step things up a notch to get the job done. But we’ve seen El Mago get hot for long stretches before – and if he does it again this summer, he’s still got a very real shot at being a National League MVP finalist for the second time in as many years.