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Bryant was acknowledged as one of the most versatile defensive players in baseball in2016. While his primary position is third base, he has played at least one inning at five additional defensive positions during the 2016 season; at first base, left field, right field, center field, and shortstop. On June 27, 2016, againstCincinnati, Bryant became the first MLB player in modern history to hit three home runs and two doubles in the same game; he was 5-for-5 overall.[55]
After leading the National League with 25 home runs in the first half of the season, he was selected to his second consecutiveAll-Star Game, and first as the starting third baseman. He hit a first-inning home run offChris Sale, his first career home run in an All-Star Game.[56]In the opening game of a late August series against theNational League West-division leadingLos Angeles Dodgers, Bryant hit an eighth-inning home run to tie the game and the winning two-run homer in the 10th for 6−4 victory.[57]
From the All-Star Break to the start of September, Bryant had a batting average of .346. He became increasingly mentioned as a top MVP candidate. On August 18, he became second player in major league history to record two games games each with five hits and five RBI in one season, joining1945MVPPhil Cavarrettaof the Cubs.[58]In August, as the Cubs went 22−6, Bryant batted .383, 1.220 OPS, 10 home runs, 22 RBI, and 29 runs scored. He was named the National LeaguePlayer of the Monthfor August, his first Player of the Month award.[59]Overall, he led the league with 121 runs scored and 7.7Wins Above Replacement(WAR) perBaseball-Reference.com, and was third with 39 home runs and 334 total bases and fourth with a .554 slugging percentage and .939 OPS. He also batted .292 and drove in 102 runs. Each of those categories represented improvements over his rookie season totals.[58]
Bryant recorded hits in all four games against theSan Francisco Giantsin the2016 National League Division Series. In Game 4 with the Cubs down 5-2, Bryant singled to start a four-run rally in the top of the 9th, scoring on a double byBen Zobrist, as the Cubs advanced to theNational League Championship Series(NLCS).[60]The Cubs eventually made it to theWorld Series, and came back from a 3-games-to-1 deficit by defeating theCleveland Indiansto secure their first championship after a 108-year long drought.[61]During the 2016 postseason, Bryant hit for a .308 average with three home runs and eight RBIs.
Bryant concluded the season by winning the 2016 National LeagueMost Valuable Player Award(MVP) in his second year in the major leagues.[58]He became the first player to win one Golden Spikes Award,Baseball AmericaMinor League Player of the Year, a BBWAA Rookie of the Year and a BBWAA Most Valuable Player Award each in successive seasons.[62]In addition, he became just the fourth player in MLB history to win Rookie of the Year and MVP within his first two seasons, joiningFred Lynn(both in 1975),Cal Ripken Jr.(1982−83),Ichiro Suzuki(both in 2001),Ryan Howard(2005−06) andDustin Pedroia(2007−08).[58]Bryant also won theHank Aaron Awardas the National Leagues outstanding hitter
