MLB: Bellinger, Judge first unanimous top rookie selections in 20 years
They combined for an astonishing 91 home runs, shattering rookie records in each league. They helped lead two of baseball’s most storied franchises to post-season berths and deep playoff runs. And on Monday, New York Yankees right fielder Aaron Judge and Los Angeles Dodgers first baseman Cody Bellinger were named unanimous winners of the American League and National League rookie of the year awards.
It was only the fourth time in history both leagues’ rookies of the year were awarded unanimously, and the first time since Scott Rolen and Nomar Garciaparra in 1997.
Judge, 25, became the Yankees’ ninth rookie of the year honoree, but their first since Derek Jeter in 1996. By July — after winning the home run derby and starting in the all-star game — he was being discussed as the new face of baseball, thanks to his marketable mixture of prodigious power, extreme size (six-foot-seven, 280 pounds) and humble personality.
Though his season went in peaks and valleys, Judge had 52 homers, breaking a big league rookie record — 49 by Mark McGwire — that had stood for 30 years. He also led the AL in walks (127) and runs scored (128).
Bellinger, 22, began the season in the minors and was called up on April 25. He smashed 39 homers in only 132 games, exceeding the NL mark of 38 by Wally Berger (1930) and Frank Robinson (1956), while leading a 104-win Dodgers team in homers, RBIs (97) and slugging percentage (.581). Monday’s honour made him the Dodgers’ 18th rookie of the year winner, by far the most of any franchise, and their second in a row, after Corey Seager in 2016.
“Now that the season is over, I’m trying to reflect on how crazy this season was,” Bellinger said on MLB Network. “To have this award to top it off . . . is really special for me.”
Boston’s Andrew Benintendi was runner-up in the American League, with Baltimore’s Trey Mancini finishing third, while St. Louis’ Paul DeJong and Pittsburgh’s Josh Bell were second and third, respectively, in the NL. Voting was done by members of the Baseball Writers’ Association of America and was completed before the start of the post-season.
Judge is considered a leading contender, along with Houston’s Jose Altuve, for AL most valuable player. That award will be presented on Thursday.