Fansided

Let’s hand out some midseason MLB Awards

By Joshua Sadlock

TORONTO, ON - JUNE 17: Mike Trout #27 of the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim bats in the fourth inning during MLB game action against the Toronto Blue Jays at Rogers Centre on June 17, 2019 in Toronto, Canada. (Photo by Tom Szczerbowski/Getty Images)
TORONTO, ON - JUNE 17: Mike Trout #27 of the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim bats in the fourth inning during MLB game action against the Toronto Blue Jays at Rogers Centre on June 17, 2019 in Toronto, Canada. (Photo by Tom Szczerbowski/Getty Images) /
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DETROIT, MI – JUNE 26: Starting pitcher Mike Minor #23 of the Texas Rangers pitches against the Detroit Tigers during the ninth inning at Comerica Park on June 26, 2019 in Detroit, Michigan. Minor pitched his second complete game of the season, allowing one run on five hits with two walks and seven strikeouts, in a 4-1 win. (Photo by Duane Burleson/Getty Images)
DETROIT, MI – JUNE 26: Starting pitcher Mike Minor #23 of the Texas Rangers pitches against the Detroit Tigers during the ninth inning at Comerica Park on June 26, 2019 in Detroit, Michigan. Minor pitched his second complete game of the season, allowing one run on five hits with two walks and seven strikeouts, in a 4-1 win. (Photo by Duane Burleson/Getty Images) /

American League Cy Young: Mike Minor

Aside from the Minnesota Twins, the Texas Rangers have been the biggest surprise in the league. Coming off two consecutive losing seasons and having made no major offseason moves, the Rangers should have been ticketed for another 90-loss season, but instead they find themselves holding one of the AL’s Wild Cards. Leading the way for Texas are MVP candidate Joey Gallo and the first-half choice for Cy Young, left-hander Mike Minor.

Finally healthy and completing his second season as a starting pitcher since missing all of 2015 and 2016, Minor is 8-4 and leads the American League with a 2.40 ERA. He has also thrown two complete games and a shutout. The 31-year-old is accomplishing all of this while pitching in one of the most hitter-friendly parks in baseball. Minor is 4-2 at home with a 2.03 ERA in eight starts. He also leads the league in WAR among pitchers.

If Minor is able to sustain this level of dominance in the second half, he will emerge as one of the most unlikely Cy Young winners in recent history. He was the seventh pick in the 2009 draft by the Atlanta Braves and rocketed up through their farm system. Minor looked like a budding ace after winning 13 games with a 3.21 ERA in 2013, but struggled in 2014 with a sore shoulder and made only 25 starts. The shoulder soreness turned into a torn labrum, and he missed two full seasons recovering from surgery.

Honorable Mention: Charlie Morton, Justin Verlander, Marcus Stroman, Lucas Giolito

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