MLB Midseason Awards

By Cody O’Brien, Senior Baseball Analyst

MLB Midseason Awards

The All-Star break is almost here, which means it’s time to decide who’s deserving of some nonexistent midseason awards. Let’s look at who is deserving of these prestigious accolades:

AL Manager of the Year – Scott Servais (SEA)

• Who expected the Mariners to be giving the defending World Champion, Astros, a run for their money in the AL West? I certainly didn’t. Manager Scott Servais doesn’t care what I think though. He currently has his team within one game of first place of the division after they finished under .500 and 23 games back of the Astros last season. He’s done a great job of balancing the speed and power in his lineup and as long as he keeps his team in contention, he will be a favorite to win this award.

AL Rookie of the Year – Gleyber Torres (NYY)

• Gleyber Torres is the latest young stud to come out of the Yankees’ farm system. As a Red Sox fan, it pains me to say that. Even my bias won’t deny this kid’s talent though. At the moment, he leads all eligible AL rookies in batting average, home runs, RBIs, and slugging percentage. He has become a vital part of the Yankees’ titanic lineup and he is well deserving of this award.

AL Cy Young Winner – Justin Verlander (HOU)

• Justin Verlander seems to love it in Houston. Since joining the team in August of last season, he is 14-4 with a 1.89 ERA and has struck out 187 batters in just 152.2 innings. This season, he is 9-4 with a 2.12 ERA and 144 strikeouts in 118.2 innings. He also leads the AL in WHIP with a commanding .86. He is the ace of a dominant Astros’ rotation and he will be a big reason people pick them to be back in the Fall Classic this season.

AL MVP – J.D. Martinez (BOS)

• J.D. is showing everyone what they missed out on when they chose not to sign him last offseason. He was the spark of power that the Red Sox needed as he has fit perfectly into the lineup and has led them to in their battle for first in the AL East. He currently leads the AL in home runs, RBIs, and total bases with 25, 67, and 196 respectively. His .327 batting average isn’t bad either. J.D. has been undervalued his whole career and this season he should finally get the recognition he deserves when he wins his first MVP award.

NL Manager of the Year – Gabe Kapler (PHI)

• If the season ended today, the Phillies would be in the playoffs after finishing with the third worst record in the league last year. They have no big names in their lineup (other than Odubel Herrera) and their stats don’t jump out at you. This certainly makes me wonder how they are winning. I look to their manager and find my answer. Kapler manages games like his life depends on it. His strange moves were questioned at the beginning of the year but if he can lead the Phillies to the playoffs, managers around the league will be studying and imitating those same moves.

NL Rookie of the Year – Juan Soto (WSH)

• This kid is incredible. At just 19 years old, he is the youngest player in the majors, but he’s hitting like he’s in the middle of his prime. He’s got eight home runs and 21 RBIs in just 36 games so far this season. He also leads all NL eligible rookies in batting average, on-base percentage, and slugging percentage. Soto has emerged as the best hitter in the Nationals’ lineup this season. This means that he will make Bryce Harper’s contract decision a little easier for them this offseason.

NL Cy Young Winner – Max Scherzer (WSH)

• Scherzer might be the most dominant pitcher of this era. After winning his third Cy Young last season, he is well on his way to a fourth. He leads the NL in wins, strikeouts, opponent batting average, and WHIP. He’s also second in ERA at 2.04. Those numbers speak for themselves. The only thing that could hold him back from the award is where the Nationals end up in the standings. They should end up at least competing for the playoffs at the end of the year, which would make Scherzer a lock for this award.

NL MVP – Freddie Freeman (ATL)

• Freddie Freeman has been one of the league’s best players since his rookie season in 2011. Now he seems to be on his way to his first NL MVP award. As of now, he’s got a .316 batting average, 15 home runs, 54 RBIs, and a .948 OPS. He’s the leader of the surprisingly good Braves and if they end up in the playoffs, it will be due in large part to Freeman’s greatness.