Six weeks ago there was no competition for Rookie of the Year in either league of Major League Baseball. An outfielder in New York was being compared to Babe Ruth and the Los Angele Dodgers were being led by a youngster to new heights.
American League
That strong wind blowing through the Bronx isn’t a Nor’easter brewing, it’s just the preordained Rookie of the Year Aaron Judge striking out again. A funny thing happened to “the biggest power-hitter ever” as one sports broadcaster coined him a month ago. Major leaguers figured out how to pitch to the rookie.
Although Judge has struggled since the all-star game, the Yankees publicity machine keeps Judge a solid choice for American ROY.
Why hate on Judge now? Is it hating to point out that since his pre all-star game numbers—30 home runs, .317 batting average and spectacular 1.143 on-base +slugging percentage—pitchers have been torching him for the past month? Court must be in recess because he is only hitting .179 with seven dingers since the all-star game.
Seattle’s Ben Gamel was in the ROY conversation at the break, but he’s been shameless in the second half with a .618 OBS. Andrew Benintendi and Yuli Gurriel are having fine seasons, but second half declines have taken them out of the competition.
If his September is as strong as the rest of his campaign, Baltimore’s Trey Mancini deserves to win the ROY. Mancini is the only American League rookie to play breathtakingly consistent. His OBS in 56 before the all-star game was .865. Since then Mancini has shellacked, pitching to a tune of .866 OBS. One thing against Mancini is his Win above Replacement stat.
Baseball Reference has the Oriole at 2.5, but the Yankee at 5.5.
National League
Cody Bellinger kept himself head-and-shoulders above the competition in the senior circuit. He hit 25 homers in 70 games before the break and has nine in 31 games since. Bellinger’s batting average has improved more than 40 points since. The Dodgers' first baseman/outfielder’s OPS improved from .962 before the all-star game to .984 in games afterward as a result.
The only competition comes from Colorado southpaw Kyle Freeland. The hurler was 9-7 before the break posting a 3.77 ERA and 1.59 strike outs-to-walks. Freeland is 2-1 since the all-star game with a 3.94 ERA and 2.64 k: bb. Those numbers may not look like much, but keep in mind that Freeland pitches in the thin-aired Rocky Mountains where baseballs soar. Baseball Reference certainly considered it when they calculated Freeland’s 3.9 WAR compared to Bellinger’s 4.
