MLB Awards Watch: Top 5 AL ROY candidates through July

Jul 5, 2015; Detroit, MI, USA; Toronto Blue Jays second baseman Devon Travis (29) makes a play on a ball hit by Detroit Tigers center fielder Anthony Gose (not pictured) in the second inning at Comerica Park. Mandatory Credit: Rick Osentoski-USA TODAY Sports

July is a short month in the world of baseball, as the All-Star break eats up almost an entire week. However, a wide variety of rookies still found ample time to strengthen their cases for Rookie of the Year honors.

With only two months left to go in the 2015 campaign, each league’s rookie class has taken shape for the most part. August and September call-ups can certainly make a big impact on their clubs’ playoff pushes, but it’s hard to build a ROY-worthy resume in such a short time.

In the American League, we have a clear front-runner as well as several other strong candidates who could have their say by the end of the season. Many of the names in this top five are familiar, though some noticeable shuffling has taken place.

One player who was well on his way to surging back onto this list was Blue Jays rookie Devon Travis. The 24-year-old second baseman took the top spot back in April, but injuries and some slumping caused him to fade from the forefront. He returned with a vengeance in late June, however, slashing .357/.402/.488 over his last 26 games. Unfortunately for Travis, he just landed back on the DL with the same shoulder injury, further frustrating his rise.

Rookies now have fewer than 60 games to stake their claims. Here are the current five to watch in the AL.

Honorable mentions: Devon Travis (TOR), Steven Souza, Jr. (TB)

Next: Rookie #5