What a difference a year makes. No race for the American League home run record. The reigning MVP Aaron Judge missed significant time due to injury — and this year’s likely runaway winner Shohei Ohtani’s season ended with him on the IL. The Cy Young and Rookie of the Year races were pretty much decided with time to spare.
This year, two major awards are likely going to players on losing teams. Here’s what we think.
Despite being on a near-last-place team, despite the injuries, and despite the speculation of where he ends up next once he hits free agency, Shohei Ohtani is your 2023 MVP.
In 135 games, the two-way sensation hit .304, with 44 HRs, and 95 RBI. And though he was shut down in early September, his .412. OBP, .654 slugging percentage, 1.066 OPS, 184 OPS+, and 325 total bases led the AL.
Oh, and he also pitched pretty well, too.
I could have singled out a few individuals here for Least Valuable Player, but when your team batting average is almost as bad as the Oakland Athletics — who aren’t even trying — you’re all getting lumped in together.
Collectively, the Bronx Bombers batted .227 (only ahead of Oakland), and finished 25th in runs scored, 29th in hits, 29th in doubles, 25th in RBI, 27th in OBP, 22nd in slugging, and 24th in OPS.
Some of the worst offenders include Giancarlo Stanton (.191/.275/.420), Anthony Volpe (.209/.283./383), Josh Donaldson (.142/.225/.434), and Aaron Hicks (.188/.263/.261) — though the latter two were cut. Stanton’s massive contract remains an albatross.
As a Yankee fan, it’s great to see Cole really live up to his ace status — and massive contract. However, it pains me to see it happen in a year when the Bronx Bombers miss the playoffs.
Cole was the only consistent in the New York rotation, as injuries — and some other things — ravaged the starting five.
As if he wasn’t already the Cy favorite, he went out and threw a complete game shutout against the Toronto Blue Jays in his final start.
He logged 209 IP, 222 strikeouts (to only 48 walks) won 15 games — while wins are overrated, some voters may still value that — a league-leading 24 quality starts, and pitched to a 2.63 ERA (159 ERA+), while taking the ball every fifth day. He also reduced the number of home runs allowed from 30 last year to 20 this season.
I could have gone with Luis Severino, who, after a loss to the Houston Astros that raised his ERA to 7.74, said he was “the worst pitcher in the world,” but he only threw 89.1 innings this year. The other option was Alek Manoah, who sucked his way back to the rookie league. But he only threw 87.1 innings. Instead, I’ll go with two players who were awful all year — Jordan Lyles and Brady Singer. Lyles — dubbed the Chad Innings Eater by Foolish Baseball — was good for -1.2 WAR. He allowed 176 hits in 177.2 IP — including a near league-high 39 HRs — while only punching out 120 batters. The 32-year-old righty produced a disastrous 6.28 ERA (119 earned runs), and 1.24 WHIP with just four quality starts to his name. His 17 losses were the most in MLB.
Singer’s 1.45 WHIP was the worst in the AL entering the final weekend. The 27-year-old righty allowed 182 hits in 159.2 IP while pitching to a bloated 5.22 ERA.
The Baltimore Orioles farm system is loaded, so it shouldn’t be a shock to see one of the team’s top prospects be a favorite for this award.
The 22-year-old Henderson compiled a .255/.325/.489 slash line with 28 long balls, 29 doubles, 9 triples, 100 runs scored, and 82 RBI — good for 6.3 WAR — for the O’s, who clinched a playoff berth for the first time since 2016. He also stole 10 bases.
According to Stathead, Henderson became the 15th rookie aged 22 or younger to record 65+ extra-base hits, along with Mike Trout, Cal Ripken Jr., Orlando Cepeda, Cody Bellinger, Corey Seager, Frank Robinson, Hanley Ramirez, Dick Allen, and Albert Pujols, who all won Rookie of the Year. Also on that list? Joe D and Teddy Ballgame.
The Alabama native also had this insane stretch earlier this year.
He’d be the first Baltimore player to win this award since Gregg Olsen in 1989. Two previous Oriole RoY winners had Hall of Fame careers: Ripken and Eddie Murray.