Angels’ Ohtani, Braves’ Acuna named rookies of the year
Two-way star Shohei Ohtani was a singular sensation in voting for American League rookie of the year.
A standout on the mound and at the plate for the Los Angeles Angels, Ohtani was an overwhelming pick for AL rookie after becoming the first player since Babe Ruth a century ago with 10 homers and four pitching wins in the same season.
Atlanta Braves outfielder Ronald Acuna Jr. was a runaway pick for the National League honor over Washington outfielder Juan Soto in a contest between 20-year-olds.
A right-hander who joined the Angels last winter after five seasons with Japan’s Nippon Ham Fighters, Ohtani, 24, received 25 firstplace votes and four seconds for 137 points from the Baseball Writers’ Association of America in balloting announced Monday.
Two New York Yankees infielders followed. Miguel Andujar was second with five firsts and 89 points, and Gleyber Torres was next with 25 points.
Ohtani was 4-2 with a 3.31 ERA and 63 strikeouts over 51⅔ innings in 10 starts, limited by a torn elbow ligament that required surgery Oct. 1 and likely will prevent him from pitching next year. As a designated hitter, he batted .285 with 22 homers and 61 RBIs and a .925 OPS in 367 plate appearances. He became the first player with 15 homers as a batter and 50 strikeouts as a pitcher in the same season.
Ohtani is the first Japanese player to win the honor since Seattle’s Ichiro Suzuki in 2001 and the fourth overall.
Acuna received 27 firstplace votes and three seconds for 144 points. Soto got two firsts and 89 points, and Los Angeles Dodgers pitcher Walker Buehler was next with one first and 28 points. Acuna started the season Class AAA and made his debut April 25, the youngest player in the majors then at 20 years, 128 days.
Elsewhere
Los Angeles Dodgers lefthanded pitcher Hyun-Jin Ryu was the only player to accept among the seven given $17.9 million qualifying offers Nov. 2 by their former teams. Ryu accepted the offer before the deadline Monday and is considered a signed player. He is just the sixth to accept among the 80 qualifying offers made since the process began in 2012. Ryu, 31, was 7-3 with a 1.97 ERA in 15 starts, forced out from May 2 to Aug. 15 by a groin injury.
Among those who didn’t accept were outfielder Bryce Harper (Washington), closer Craig Kimbrel (Boston), lefthanders Patrick Corbin (Arizona) and Dallas Keuchel (Houston), outfielder A.J. Pollock (Arizona) and catcher Yasmani Grandal (Dodgers)
If a player who turned down a qualifying offer signs a major league contract with another club before the June amateur draft, his former club will receive a draft pick as compensation at the end of the first round.