Astros' Alvarez runs away with unanimous AL Rookie of the Year
Yordan Alvarez's destruction of opposing pitching this season didn't go unnoticed by the Baseball Writers' Association of America, as he was named the American League Rookie of the Year in unanimous fashion Monday night.
The Houston Astros slugger made his major-league debut June 9 and immediately started mashing. His first hit was a two-run home run against Baltimore Orioles right-hander Dylan Bundy. He crushed his second big fly the very next day.
Alvarez hit seven homers with 21 RBIs in 16 June games, and he was just getting started. The 22-year-old slashed .313/.412/.655 with 27 home runs and 26 doubles in 87 games to earn the hardware.
Those 87 games are the fewest for any position player who has won the AL trophy. Willie McCovey owns the MLB record, as he won the National League award in 1959 after appearing in only 52 contests.
| Player | Team | 1st | 2nd | 3rd | Points |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Yordan Alvarez | Astros | 30 | 150 | ||
| John Means | Orioles | 16 | 5 | 53 | |
| Brandon Lowe | Rays | 6 | 9 | 27 | |
| Eloy Jimenez | White Sox | 4 | 8 | 20 | |
| Cavan Biggio | Blue Jays | 2 | 1 | 7 |
The only other full-time designated hitters to win the award are Eddie Murray in 1977 and Bob Hamelin in 1994. Shohei Ohtani was primarily a DH in 2018, but he also pitched in 10 games.
Alvarez is the second Astros player to win the award since the team moved to the AL in 2013, joining shortstop Carlos Correa, who earned the honor in 2015. Jeff Bagwell is the only other player in franchise history to be named Rookie of the Year.
Orioles lefty John Means was his club's lone All-Star representative and put together a consistent campaign overall. Means went 12-11 with a 3.60 ERA and 1.14 WHIP over 155 innings.
Tampa Bay Rays second baseman Brandon Lowe was also an All-Star, though he was prevented from playing in the Midsummer Classic due to a deep bone bruise that sidelined him for an extended period of time. Lowe hit .270/.336/.514 with 17 home runs in 82 games.