It’s crazy to think that we are already half way through the 2018 season. It feels like just yesterday Giancarlo Stanton was introduced to the team, and Yankee fans everywhere were still recuperating from the crushing defeat in Game 7 of the ALCS. Nevertheless, here we are.
At Bronx Pinstripes we tend to discuss all things Yankees, but the writers gathered around today and took a glance at the League as a whole. Each of us voted on the three major awards given at the end of each season. We voted as if the season were to end today, who would win the award based on their performance so far. So without further ado, I present the Bronx Pinstripes’ Midseason Awards…
AL MVP: Mike Trout .310/.454/.606 25 HR 50 RBI (2nd place: Mookie Betts)
In all but one season, Mike Trout has finished in the top two in AL MVP voting. It appears as though he’ll do just that this year and claim his third MVP trophy in his seventh full season.
If Trout was on a competitive team it would be annoying how good he is, but luckily he plays on the west coast Mets, and most baseball fans couldn’t even pick him out of a lineup. He’s so out of sight and out of mind, that he can have one of the most sensational statistical seasons before our very eyes, and only nerds like us even realize.
Through July 11th, Trout ranks first in the entire MLB in WAR by a healthy margin, 1.2 points above second place Mookie Betts. In addition, Trout ranks second in the AL in home runs and OPS, 3rd in slugging percentage, and first in walks and on base percentage.
NL MVP: Nolan Arenado .312/.395/.586 23 HR 68 RBIs (2nd place: Freddie Freeman)
Arenado might not have the best mustache in the National league, but at least he has been the best player. The 27-year-old third baseman has steadily improved each year since joining the League in 2013 and is continuing to do so in 2018. He is tied for first in the NL with 23 home runs and also leads the league in offensive WAR. He ranks second in Slugging %, OPS, and runs created, as well as ranking fourth in RBI and extra base hits. Arenado has been a major run producing catalyst for the Rockies this year, who look to compete down to the wire in a wide open division.
AL CY Young: Luis Severino 14-2, 2.31 ERA, 1.005 WHIP (2nd place: Justin Verlander)
There was definitely no bias whatsoever in our choosing of Luis Severino to win the midseason BP CY Young Award. None.
While the rest of the Yankees rotation has been either plagued with injury or being Sonny Gray, Severino has been an absolute anchor for the Yanks. His 14 wins are the most in all of baseball. He is at the top of the AL in most pitching categories, ranking second in WAR, third in ERA, and fourth in WHIP.
Two really impressive stats that jump off the page when looking at Severino is that, despite pitching half his games in Yankee stadium, he gives up the second fewest homers in the League. And even more impressive, the Yankees have an 18-2 record in the games he has started, compared to the 12-8 record the Astros have when Verlander starts.
NL CY Young: Max Scherzer 12-5, 2.41 ERA, 0.899 WHIP (2nd place: Jacob deGrom)
Scherzer seems to be consistently trying to prove that he is the best pitcher of his generation. He has won the past two NL CY Young awards, and is on pace to win his third straight. Mad Max is leading the NL in innings pitched, strikeouts, and WHIP. He also ranks second in WAR and ERA. This race could come down to the wire between him and deGrom.
AL ROY: Gleyber Torres .294/.350/.555 15 HR 42 RBIs (2nd place: Miguel Andujar)
Gleyber Torres has been the absolute phenom the Yanks have hoped for when they generously loaned Aroldis Chapman to the Cubs for a quick four months. He leads AL rookies in home runs, RBI, OPS and WAR, and ranks third in average, OBP, and hits. What’s most impressive about all this? Torres only has 218 at bats compared to the 305 that runner up, and fellow teammate Miguel Andujar has.
Torres currently finds himself on the 10-day DL, but it seems to be rather precautionary and the Yankees expect to have him back in the lineup shortly after the all star break.
NL ROY: Juan Soto .301/.411/.517 9 Hr 28 RBIs (2nd place: Ronald Acuna)
Thank the baseball heavens this kid is in the NL. In just 151 at bats, he has 9 home runs and 28 RBI. Even more impressive, he leads qualified NL rookies in average, OBP, slugging, and OPS. And oh yeah, the kid is only 19 and absolutely crushed the Yankees. I, unfortunately had the pleasure of witnessing one of his dongs, and I’m not sure the ball has even hit the ground yet.
