Who Will Win the American League Rookie of the Year Award?
By Phil Akre
In recent years, baseball has been gifted with an abundance of young, elite talent. 2018 has continued the trend. The frontrunners for this years American League Rookie of the Year have stood out from the rest.
Take a moment to think about where baseball is right now.
Don’t let the downers fool you, the game is definitely fun right now. We have a few teams that will top 100+ wins this year. Even though it’s just August, the playoffs are essentially guaranteed to be nuts.
There are stars in every market, too. Mike Trout is Mike Trout, and he rules the West. But, so do Shohei Ohtani, Clayton Kershaw and for now, Manny Machado. The Cubs and Astros boast too many premier names to list here. In the East, Bryce Harper and Aaron Judge are what advertising agencies drool over.
Baseball is fun. Baseball is loaded with stars. And, it’s getting better everyday with the contributions of rookies who have quickly ascended to star status.
Once thought to have a clear shoe-in for the winner, the American League Rookie of the Year award is pretty much up for grabs. While the frontrunners are clear, the eventual winner is far from a sure thing.
Let’s break it down.