MLB Awards Watch: Top 5 NL ROY candidates through July
By Tim Haberin
1. Kris Bryant
Jul 8, 2015; Chicago, IL, USA; Chicago Cubs third baseman Kris Bryant against the St. Louis Cardinals at Wrigley Field. Mandatory Credit: Mark J. Rebilas-USA TODAY Sports
Kris Bryant has trailed Joc Pederson in previous installments of our NL ROY rankings, and his rival’s poor July helped the Cubs youngster edge past him on the list. However, that’s not to say that Bryant did a whole lot to boost his own case over the last month either. He hit only .168 in July but did manage to smack four more homers and drive in 17 runs.
The 23-year-old’s slash line currently stands at .246/.354/.436 on the season, along with 14 home runs (third among all rookies) and 61 RBI (leads all rookies). Bryant has even shown his skills on the base paths, racking up 10 steals in 13 attempts.
July’s performances were a bit concerning from Bryant and Pederson, but these rankings take the entire season to date into account, and right now they remain the favorites for NL ROY honors. Bryant’s somewhat more well-rounded showing puts him ahead for the moment, but things can change dramatically over the final two months of the season.