Early Candidates for MLB Comeback Player of the Year
We’ve seen the revival of several players whose careers we thought were over. Here are your early candidates for MLB Comeback Player of the Year.
*Spoiler alert* for some of the upcoming slides, I wanted to write about two different players who have not only revived their careers but are playing their best ball right now; MLB Comeback Player of the Year candidates: Pablo Sandoval and Josh Bell.
Though it would be just as simple to write about the two in their own separate articles about how they are playing so well and helping their teams (maybe not so much the Giants), it seemed repetitive and unfair to focus on only these two.
Think back to my For your WAY too early consideration series, but now we have played nearly a quarter of the season. So it is more of just an early consideration.
Regardless, I’m once again going to look at a few candidates – not necessarily three and an honorable mention – who have caused a conversation in the sense of a revival of their careers which have either not yet peaked, or are returning to a level of once greatness.
You already know two of my picks, so let’s just get those out of the way first shall we? The rest will still remain a surprise.
MLB Comeback Player of the Year Candidate: Josh Bell
Pittsburgh Pirates – First Baseman
This also may be the only candidate that you argue as more of a breakout candidate than a comeback player of the year. Considering his previous seasons, he never really made it known to the league just who he is.
A career .268 hitter doesn’t jump off the page. He had one season of nearly 30 homers and 90 RBI but one of those in now his fourth season doesn’t seem consistent and almost feels like a fluke.
So far, Bell is certainly not hitting like it was a fluke.
He has now matched the number of home runs he had last season with 12. He is scorching the ball right now; currently on a 15-game hitting streak.
After April, it would have been almost impossible to believe that Bell was going to be the power hitter he was scouted as and that the Pirates needed. Well, the old saying is April showers bring May flowers, and Bell is now in full bloom.
The hitting streak, which goes back to April 28, has increased his batting average from .270 to .333, his on-base percentage from .350 to .404 and his slugging percentage from .584 to .693.
He has doubled his home run total from six to 12 and driven in 21 runs.
At this pace, Bell may not only be the comeback player, but start the all-star game, and swoop in to grab the National League MVP.
MLB Comeback Player of the Year Candidate: Pablo Sandoval
San Francisco Giants – Third Baseman
This one will be the most unique on the list. Really because Sandoval doesn’t even qualify statistically with the others in this slider.
Sandoval wasn’t a starter, he only got opportunities because of the DH in Toronto and the injuries to Brandon Belt and Buster Posey.
But as time has gone on, Sandoval may be the only offensive player trying to keep the team together right now.
With all the rumblings and shakeups going on in the clubhouse, and the light that has been shed on what is a clear disconnect between the new front office and a mostly the same roster, Sandoval has been his upbeat self.
He has increased the upbeat attitude just by how well he has been performing.
In just 78 at-bats, he has five home runs, 14 RBI, 22 hits, and a .282/.300/.603 slash line.
Given the career path of the Panda, this is more than just a revival for the Giants, but for Sandoval himself.
After departing for Boston in 2015, Sandoval almost played himself, correction, poorly played himself out of baseball. Just two years into his five-year contract with the Red Sox, he was released. After a poor performance and injury complications, Sandoval may have been a footnote in the game of baseball, with nothing more than a couple of all-star appearances and a three-homerun game in game one of the 2012 World Series.
This is more the Pablo of old, and it couldn’t have been better timing for both parties.
MLB Comeback Player of the Year Candidate: Hyun-Jin Ryu
Los Angeles Dodgers – Pitcher
He had shown his ability to throw in years past, but having been hampered by injuries year after year had downplayed his ability.
Add to it the fact he is not the face of the rotation by no one’s fault but that of the best pitcher of this generation; Clayton Kershaw.
Every time Ryu returned to the rotation, he would continue to be buried under Kershaw, Rich Hill, Alex Wood, Yu Darvish, Ross Stripling and now Walker Buehler. But since Ryu’s Opening Day start, it could not be brighter for the South Korean lefty.
The way he has thrown this season, he would have easily made the ‘For your WAY too early consideration’ list if not for a rocky April.
Due to a shortened start against the Cardinals because of a strained left groin, his ERA inflated despite having allowed no more than two runs in each of his starts this year.
It is because of this consistency that allowed Ryu’s ERA to settle back to below two; currently at 1.72.
He can thank a solid start to his May for how it lowered so quickly. This month, in just three starts, Ryu has racked up 25 innings pitched and allowed just one run. In those innings, he has compiled 21 strikeouts, a 0.40 WHIP and held the opposition to just a .113 batting average.
So despite a minor injury setback, Ryu has been an integral part of a consistently strong Los Angeles roster.
MLB Comeback Player of the Year Candidate: George Springer
Houston Astros – Outfielder
Springer has certainly had his fair share of breakouts, and that includes right now.
Consider Springer as the Josh Bell of the American League right now because Springer is also blooming in the month of May.
After what started as what appeared to be Springer on pace for seasons more like last year, as opposed to 2017 and his postseason performance, Springer’s May has skyrocketed him up the statistical leaderboards.
Right now he has 16 home runs, 40 RBI, 39 runs and is slashing .320/.400/.651.
In May, he has been scorching slashing .418/.477/.836 with seven home runs and 16 RBI.
Even more eye-catching, in a league that could care less about strikeouts (I still care), Springer, in May, has seven walks and only six strikeouts. Compare that to 14 walks and 30 strikeouts last month.
Springer has certainly changed his approach for the better, and one that could revive his career at just 29-years-old.
MLB Comeback Player of the Year Candidate: Ken Giles
Toronto Blue Jays – Pitcher
The final player that I want to highlight making a true comeback had to be another pitcher.
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It was likely going to come from the Blue Jays. If Shoemaker had not gotten injured, it may be him. Marcus Stroman was also considered given how well he turned around since his dominance in the 2017 World Baseball Classic. Eventually, I landed on Giles.
Giles had been highly sought after once the Phillies brought him to the big leagues in 2014.
It was so much so that while the Phillies were looking the rebuild, the Astros were in need of his services. And he did them a solid.
He was lights out in his second season in Houston on route to a World Series ring.
But then he fell apart, he lost his job in the rotation, and as quickly sought after as he was, the Astros changed directions with closer and shipped him to Toronto for Roberto Osuna.
His ERA continued to balloon despite not having blown any saves last season. This season is the Giles much of the MLB hoped to see.
He is 9 of 10 in save opportunities and in 19 games holds an ERA of 1.47. His WHIP is below one and his opponents have only amassed a .194 batting average while striking out 28 of them.
It’s hard for a closer to gather the necessary attention because of how specialized they are, but it is hard to overlook Giles’ impact in Toronto’s bullpen. He has been trustworthy and true to form so far in the early part of the season.
Next. MLB: Slow and Steady Wins the Game for These Arms. dark
Unfortunately at the rate the Blue Jays are going, he may find himself traded again, but somewhere where his services will be just as valuable then as they are now.