Big week for player awards
Baseball’s most prestigious individual player awards will be announced this week in voting by the Baseball Writers’ Association of American, with most of the awards being presented by former award winners.
The awards, which will be announced at 6 p.m. ET beginning Monday and continuing through Thursday on the MLB Network, start with the Rookie of the Year honors.
Alvin Davis, who won the American League rookie of the year award in 1984 playing for Seattle, will present this year’s award to heavy favorite center fielder Julio Rodriguez of the Mariners. Rodriguez, who hit .284 with 28 homers and 25 stolen bases, became only the third rookie in history with at least 25 homers and 25 RBI in a season.
David Justice, who won the National League rookie of the year award with Atlanta in 1990, will be presenting this year’s Jackie Robinson rookie of the year award winner to one of two Atlanta players: center fielder Michael Harris or starting pitcher Spencer Strider. Harris, who hit .297 with 19 homers, had 20 stolen bases and played sensational defense, is the slight favorite.
The managers of the year announcements are Tuesday with Buck Showalter of the New York Mets as the heavy favorite in the NL, leading the Mets to the postseason for the first time since 2016. The AL manager of the year award, which likely will be the closest vote among all of the awards winners, is between Terry Francona of Cleveland, Scott Servais of Seattle and Brandon Hyde of Baltimore. Francona, who led the Guardians to the AL Central title as the youngest team in postseason history, is the slight favorite.
Dallas Keuchel, who won the 2015 AL Cy Young award, will be presenting this year’s award to former Houston Astros teammate Justin Verlander, the overwhelming favorite with his league-leading 18 victories and 1.75 ERA. The NL Cy Young award will also be announced with Miami Marlins ace Sandy Alcantara the heavy favorite. Alcantara, 14-9, 2.28 ERA, led the major leagues with six complete games, more than the combined total of any team in baseball.
Giancarlo Stanton, who won the NL MVP award in 2017 with the Miami Marlins, will present the AL MVP award on Thursday, most likely to current New York Yankees teammate Aaron Judge. Judge set the American League record with 62 homers and barely missed winning the Triple Crown.
The NL MVP award will also be announced, perhaps by St. Louis Cardinals great Albert Pujols. Cardinals first baseman Paul Goldschmidt, who hit .317 with 35 homers and 115 RBI, while leading the NL in slugging (.578) and OPS (.981) is the favorite to win his first MVP award after two runner-up finishes.