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MLB Awards Watch: Jordan Zimmermann shines in Detroit

By Brad Rowland

Apr 30, 2016; Minneapolis, MN, USA; Detroit Tigers starting pitcher Jordan Zimmermann (27) pitches to the Minnesota Twins in the third inning at Target Field. Mandatory Credit: Bruce Kluckhohn-USA TODAY Sports
Apr 30, 2016; Minneapolis, MN, USA; Detroit Tigers starting pitcher Jordan Zimmermann (27) pitches to the Minnesota Twins in the third inning at Target Field. Mandatory Credit: Bruce Kluckhohn-USA TODAY Sports /
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Apr 28, 2016; Phoenix, AZ, USA; St. Louis Cardinals shortstop Aledmys Diaz (36) bats against the Arizona Diamondbacks at Chase Field. The Diamondbacks won 3-0. Mandatory Credit: Joe Camporeale-USA TODAY Sports
Apr 28, 2016; Phoenix, AZ, USA; St. Louis Cardinals shortstop Aledmys Diaz (36) bats against the Arizona Diamondbacks at Chase Field. The Diamondbacks won 3-0. Mandatory Credit: Joe Camporeale-USA TODAY Sports /

The 2016 MLB season is four (!) weeks old, and that means we are one step closer to being able to draw real conclusions on what is taking place on the field. To be fair, everything that has transpired to this point should still be met with the caveat of small sample size, but the good teams and the bad teams are already beginning to separate (sorry, Atlanta Braves) and the same can be said for many players in the league.

In this space, we regularly bring you an update on how MLB’s individual award races are looking, and the inaugural edition from two weeks ago can be found here. Now, let’s get it going with the current version, beginning with NL Rookie of the Year.

NL Rookie of the Year

  1. Aledmys Diaz, SS St. Louis Cardinals – There are many skeptics with regard to Diaz’s early-season dominance, but the numbers are just remarkable. The 25-year-old shortstop wasn’t even considered to be a likely starter for St. Louis just a few weeks ago, but after he was given the opportunity, Diaz seized it to the tune of a .403/.439/.727 slash line in 82 plate appearances. If his minor league track record is any indication, the power isn’t going to last at nearly this level, but Aledmys Diaz is yet another example of the seemingly never-ending cycle of undervalued Cardinals prospects.
  2. Kenta Maeda, SP Los Angeles Dodgers – Clayton Kershaw should be very glad that the Dodgers picked up Kenta Maeda to help him out in the rotation. The 28-year-old right-hander has adjusted quickly to MLB life, posting a stellar 1.41 ERA in his first five starts and 32 innings on the hill. Maeda’s FIP (2.79) and xFIP (3.46) paint him as something of a regression candidate, but those are still impressive peripherals and the Dodgers are getting bang for their buck in the early going.
  3. Trevor Story, SS Colorado Rockies – Story is plummeting back to earth at an alarming rate, highlighted by his ugly 36% strikeout rate over 111 plate appearances. However, the young shortstop is still slugging .650 with 10 home runs and 19 runs scored in only 24 games. In a vacuum, those numbers stand out in a nice way and Story should be credited for that.

Next: AL Rookie of the Year

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