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MLB Awards Watch: All-Star break edition

By Brad Rowland

Washington Nationals starting pitcher Max Scherzer (31) high fives right fielder Bryce Harper (34) after defeating Baltimore Orioles 3-2 at Oriole Park at Camden Yards. Mandatory Credit: Tommy Gilligan-USA TODAY Sports
Washington Nationals starting pitcher Max Scherzer (31) high fives right fielder Bryce Harper (34) after defeating Baltimore Orioles 3-2 at Oriole Park at Camden Yards. Mandatory Credit: Tommy Gilligan-USA TODAY Sports /
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Tampa Bay Rays right fielder Steven Souza Jr. (20) catches a foul fly ball during the fifth inning against the Boston Red Sox at Tropicana Field. Mandatory Credit: Kim Klement-USA TODAY Sports
Tampa Bay Rays right fielder Steven Souza Jr. (20) catches a foul fly ball during the fifth inning against the Boston Red Sox at Tropicana Field. Mandatory Credit: Kim Klement-USA TODAY Sports /

AL Rookie of the Year

  1. Steven Souza, OF Tampa Bay Rays – Souza is currently on the disabled list, but he has more plate appearances (307) than any other legitimate AL ROY contender, and he shouldn’t be punished for his current absence. In short, Souza’s candidacy is based on counting stats, where he stands with 15 home runs and 10 steals in 79 games. Projecting him for a 30/20 season, especially with the injury, would be aggressive, but if he can go 25-15, there is almost no way he wouldn’t finish in the top spot.
  2. Devon Travis, 2B Toronto Blue Jays – Like Souza, Travis has faced injury scorn, but the second baseman leads all AL rookies with 1.9 fWAR. He has been quite good when on the field, posting a .304/.353/.492 slash line with 7 home runs in 52 games, and provided he can stay on the field, he is the biggest challenger to Souza.
  3. Nate Karns, SP Tampa Bay Rays – Karns has been the best of the AL rookie hurlers, and that lands him here. His best attribute at this point is his strikeout stuff, with 8.57 K’s per 9 innings, and even if the advanced metrics don’t love Karns right now, a 3.63 ERA in the American League is more than passable. In addition, he is on pace for nearly 200 innings of work for a playoff contender, and voters love that type of importance.

Next: NL Cy Young

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