The All-Star Game isn’t exactly the halfway point in the season (most teams have played close to 90 games at this point) but it’s a logical stopping point to access which players are dominating. I did this exercise at the quarter-point in the season, it’s interesting to see how things have changed (or not) since then. As the season goes on, we’ll do this again at the three quarters through the year and then at the end of the season. A Rookie of the Year category has been added for this checkpoint and will be included in the two editions later in the season.
MVP, National League
Fernando Tatis, Jr. (.294 batting average/.374 on-base percentage/.675 slugging percentage/1.049 on-base plus slugging percentage). Can it really be anybody else? He has had a couple of injury scares but both only sidelined him for a short time. Tatis is electric and his team is feeding off his energy. He is a highlight reel virtually every day and he’s only 22 years old. The San Diego Padres’ shortstop leads the NL in runs created plus and WAR. He’s the easy MVP choice at the midway point of the season. (Quarter Season MVP, National League: Ronald Acuna Jr.)
In the Running for MVP National League: Acuna, Trea Turner, Max Muncy, and Nick Castellanos.
MVP, American League
Shohei Ohtani (.279/.362/.704/1.066 and pitching stats are quite impressive as well). Even if he weren’t a stud pitcher, he would probably be the AL MVP at this point. He’s the talk of baseball and all eyes will be on him at the Home Run Derby on Monday night and the All-Star game on Tuesday. He’s been on a crazy run where it seems he hits a home run every night. Ohtani had an incredible amount of hype when he came over to the Los Angeles Angels. He’s teased us with his talent in the past few years but everything has come together this season. He has also kept the Angels competitive despite Mike Trout being out via injury since mid-May. (Quarter Season MVP, American League: Ohtani)
In the Running for MVP American League: Vladimir Guerrero Jr., Xander Bogaerts, Cedric Mullins, and Jose Ramirez.
Cy Young, National League
Jacob deGrom (7-2, 1.08 ERA, 0.54 WHIP, 146 strikeouts/92 innings). Nothing deGrom does surprises us anymore (other than losing a game). Giving up an absurdly low 39 hits in those 92 innings may be the stat that jumps out the most. The only question, of course, is his health. Like Tatis, he has had a couple of injury scares but they have turned out to be minor. He’s on a four-year run that rivals any pitcher in the history of baseball. (Quarter Season Cy Young, National League: deGrom)
In the Running for NL Cy Young: Kevin Gausman, Brandon Woodruff, and Walker Buehler
Cy Young, American League
Lance Lynn (9-3, 1.99/1.04/105 Ks in 90.2 IP). Lynn has been exactly what the Chicago White Sox were looking for when they dealt for him in the off-season. Every five days he takes the ball, goes right at hitters with a fastball-heavy repertoire, and generally throws deep into games. The White Sox rotation has been solid all year but they really needed Lynn to set up as their presumed ace, Lucas Giolito, has been a bit shaky. The Cy Young race in the American League, however, is very close. Those in the running listed below definitely make an argument for the top spot. (Quarter Season Cy Young, American League: Carlos Rodon)
In the Running for AL Cy Young: Gerrit Cole, Rodon, Chris Bassitt
Rookie of the Year, National League
Trevor Rogers (7-6, 2.31 ERA, 1.07 WHIP, 122 Ks in 101.1 IP). He’s been ultra-consistent throughout the season, not giving up more than three runs in any start all year. Rogers had some buzz heading into the season as he was excellent in Spring Training. But nobody could have predicted how effective he’d be after posting a 6.11 ERA in seven starts in 2020. The Miami Marlins will probably start to limit his innings as the season wears on so he may give ground to other ROY possibilities.
In the Running for NL Rookie of the Year: Ian Anderson, Dylan Carlson, Pavin Smith, Jazz Chisholm, and Ke’Bryan Hayes
Rookie of the Year, American League
Adolis Garcia (.273/.313/.532/.845). Garcia’s counting stats (22 home runs, 62 RBI, 8 stolen bases) are even more impressive considering he didn’t get called up until two weeks into the season. Garcia is an old rookie at 28 years old. He played five years in Cuba, one in Japan, and then signed with the St. Louis Cardinals in 2016. The Texas Rangers acquired from the Cardinals without having to give up anything of value in 2019 even though he had just hit 32 home runs in Triple-A. He appears to be the real deal and should hit in the middle of the Rangers’ order for years to come.
In the Running for AL Rookie of the Year: Casey Mize, Randy Arozarena, Andrew Vaughn, Ryan Mountcastle, and Luis Garcia
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