Mo Vaughn was the Boston Red Sox player named American League MVP in 1995. The first baseman won the award after a powerful season in which he hit .300 with 39 home runs and 126 runs batted in.
Vaughn’s MVP victory came in one of the closest American League votes of the era. He received 12 first-place votes and 308 total points, edging Cleveland Indians slugger Albert Belle, who received 11 first-place votes and 300 points. The narrow margin remains part of the award’s history because Belle produced eye-catching numbers, including 50 home runs.
Vaughn was a major presence in Boston’s lineup from the early 1990s through 1998. He also made the All-Star team in 1995 and won a Silver Slugger Award. A common mix-up is confusing the American League MVP with the National League winner; the question specifically refers to the AL award, which Vaughn won while playing for Boston.