MLB Awards at All Star Break
The MLB All-Star Game is on Tuesday, so with the season just past its midway point here is who I would select for the three major awards in each league.
American League
MVP: Mike Trout, Los Angeles Angels. He won’t win it, but like LeBron every year, Trout is the best player in baseball by a mile. It is a shame that Angels management cannot surround him with a competent supporting cast because they are wasting away the prime of one of the most exceptional talents baseball has ever seen.
Cy Young: Luis Severino, New York Yankees. The ace of the Yankees staff is 13-2 with a 2.13 ERA. He has been dynamite all season and on top of his dominance, he has a bit a flash to his game as well. Severino leads baseball in pitches thrown over 100 miles per hour by a starter and not by a small margin.
Rookie of the Year: Gleyber Torres, New York Yankees. Despite a hip injury that landed Torres on the DL, he has been head and shoulders the most dominant rookie in baseball this season. At just 21 years old, the second baseman is hitting .294 with 15 home runs and 42 runs batted in while playing gold-glove caliber defense.
National League
MVP: Jesus Aguilar, Milwaukee Brewers. The Brewers first baseman has absolutely torn the cover off of the ball this season. He is batting .307 with 23 home runs and 67 RBI’s for the NL Central leading Brewers.
Cy Young: Max Scherzer, Washington Nationals. He leads baseball in strikeouts with 177. That is patently absurd! Every time that the deceptive righty takes the mound, he has the potential to throw a no-hitter.
Rookie of the Year: Ozzie Albies, Atlanta Braves. The Braves found a special one in Albies. Like Gleyber Torres, the rookie second baseman hits for average, slugs for power, and plays impermeable defense.
