The 2013 season provided fans with a plethora of storylines: Miguel Cabrera’s Triple Crown chase, Mike Trout’s emergence as a star and Chris Davis’ pursuit of 61 home runs. Fans were simply spoiled by the excellence of the AL in the 2013 season and many expected the same in 2014.

Here we are in 2014, with Cabrera leading none of the Triple Crown categories, Trout is batting .293 despite a 3.4 Wins Above Replacement and Chris Davis hasn’t reached 10 home runs yet. The storylines entering the 2014 season have taken a backseat to others, including some of the best players in the league right now.

So, the question needs to be asked: who is the best player in the league right now? It’s a tough question, but if you weigh each of the potential candidates, the answer becomes clear.

Let’s start in the AL, where Cabrera has the chance to retain his MVP award, but isn’t where he needs to be at the moment. His batting average (.321) is down .027 from last year and his WAR (2.0) is down 5.2 point from last season.

The names that emerged this season that have overshadowed Cabrera are his teammate Victor Martinez, Nelson Cruz and Jose Bautista.

Cruz leads the league in home runs (21) and the AL in OPS (1.062) and ranks fifth in runs created per 27 outs (8.53). These numbers put him in contention, but his lack of walks and strikeout total take him out of the race. He holds a 0.49 BB/K ratio, which ranks 73rd in the league, and has struck out 49 times this season.

Bautista is an intriguing case for the top player in all of baseball, as he owns the third highest WAR (3.1), fifth most home runs and sixth most RBI in the AL. What makes him a surefire candidate is the fact that he leads the league with 47 walks. That’s what happens when you hit .310 with 14 home runs.

Martinez is quietly leading the AL in batting average (.338) and has hit 13 home runs, already one less than he did last year. What is striking about Martinez is that he’s only struck out 14 times, the least among batters with 200 or more plate appearances. In turn, he has a stellar 1.43 BB/K ratio.

Another interesting player is Josh Donaldson, who leads the AL in WAR (4.5) and has hit 15 home runs on the season. He is leading the major-league best Oakland Athletics, but his .278 puts him a tier below the other three.

The AL has produced a few worthy candidates for the league’s best player, but it’s simply not 2013. There are no Triple Crown candidates or home run hitters on pace to shatter records. The best player in the league plays in the NL this season.

Many would look at Giancarlo Stanton and Yasiel Puig as the league’s most exciting youngsters, and rightfully so. Add in pitcher Johnny Cueto, and the NL race becomes even more intriguing.

Stanton has had a breakout season, belting an NL-leading 16 home runs and 51 RBI while batting .308. These numbers stand out on the surprising Miami Marlins’ roster, leading to a 4.2 WAR, the third highest in the entire league. However, his 59 strikeouts and 0.59 BB/K ratio takes him out of the race.

Cueto has been stellar on the mound this year, leading all pitchers in ERA (1.68), WHIP (0.76) and WAR (3.2). He has struck 92 batters and is the top candidate for the NL Cy Young.

Despite ESPN trying to make Puig seem like the best in the game, he falls second on my list. He bats .343, which ranks second in the league and a 1.042 OPS, which is third in the league. His 1.000 field percentage makes him a definite candidate. There simply isn’t anything wrong with his game.

Then who is better than Puig? Who takes crown as the MLB’s best player so far?

That would be Troy Tulowitzki of the Colorado Rockies. Let’s run through the list of categories in which he leads the league: batting average (.353), OPS (1.125), WAR (4.6), Runs created per 27 outs (11.69). He also ranks second in defensive WAR, just 0.1 behind Jason Heyward.

Tulowitzki has been the strongest player in a Rockies lineup that has scored the third most runs in baseball. He leads the team in all categories that don’t require him to pitch.

What separates him from all the others is how much higher his stats are than his competitors. His batting average is .010 higher than Puig. His OPS is .057 higher than Cruz. He scored 2.07 more runs per 27 outs than anyone else in the league.

He simply is on his own level offensively this season, and with his usual strong fielding, he has the resume for the best player in the league.