Inside The Pinstripes

Four Yankees Selected as Finalists for Prestigious Awards

Of the six finalists for AL MVP and AL Rookie of the Year, four of them are Yankees.

Joe Najarian

Jul 12, 2020; Bronx, New York, United States; A view of the New York Yankees logo and seat number of an empty seat during a simulated game during summer camp workouts at Yankee Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Vincent Carchietta-Imagn Images
Jul 12, 2020; Bronx, New York, United States; A view of the New York Yankees logo and seat number of an empty seat during a simulated game during summer camp workouts at Yankee Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Vincent Carchietta-Imagn Images / Vincent Carchietta-Imagn Images
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Despite a disappointing end to the 2024 season, the New York Yankees are up for some hefty hardware.

On Monday, the Baseball Writers' Association of America (BBWAA) revealed the finalists for MLB's major awards in the American and National Leagues; these consist of Manager of the Year, Rookie of the Year, Cy Young (best pitcher), and Most Valuable Player.

The Yankees had four finalists, the most of any team, with two each for AL MVP and AL Rookie of the Year. Outfielders Aaron Judge and Juan Soto are two of the three MVP finalists (Kansas City Royals shortstop Bobby Witt Jr. is the other), while catcher Austin Wells and starting pitcher Luis Gil are finalists for Rookie of the Year (Baltimore Orioles outfielder Colton Cowser rounds out the finalists).

Judge, 32, is the overwhelming favorite to capture his second AL MVP award in a three-season span; this is additionally the third time in his career that he is a finalist for the award, after finishing runner-up in 2017 and winning in 2022. After a sluggish April, the Yankees' captain went on to enjoy one of the greatest offensive seasons in baseball history and finished just one leg shy of a Triple Crown. His 58 home runs, 144 RBI, .458 on-base percentage, .701 slugging percentage, 1.159 OPS, 218 wRC+, and 11.2 fWAR were all the highest in the majors, while his .322 batting average ranked third in the American League; Judge's wRC+ and fWAR totals, in particular, are the highest by any player since Barry Bonds in 2004.

Meanwhile, the 26-year-old Soto is an MVP finalist for the second time in his career; he previously finished second in NL MVP voting in 2021, back when he played for the Washington Nationals. Soto's first season in pinstripes was possibly the best of his already-brilliant career, as he hit .288/.419/.569 with a personal-best 41 home runs, 128 runs scored, 109 RBI, a 180 wRC+, and 8.1 fWAR (another personal-best). Regardless if he wins the award or not, Soto's spectacular 2024 will figure heavily into a record-setting contract, as he enters the offseason as the most prestigious free agent available.

As for AL Rookie of the Year, the 26-year-old Gil may be the slight favorite in a tight race between three deserving candidates. The righty unexpectedly entered the starting rotation due to a spring training elbow injury to ace Gerrit Cole; he promptly tossed 151.2 innings and logged a 3.50 ERA and 1.19 WHIP. Gil struggled with command, leading the majors with 77 walks, but was otherwise nearly impossible to square up with 171 strikeouts and a robust .188 opposing batting average.

Finally, the 25-year-old Wells solidified himself as the Yankees' backstop of the future thanks to a brilliant July and August. For the season, he hit .229/.322/.395 with 13 home runs, 55 RBI, a 105 wRC+, and 3.4 fWAR, but was especially potent after the All-Star break by slashing .322/.404/.548 from July 19 to August 31. Wells additionally showed tremendous strides in his defense; initially advertised as an "offense-based" catcher, he developed into one of baseball's best defensive catchers throughout his rookie season, especially as a pitch framer.

The Yankees have extra incentive to have Gil or Wells win AL Rookie of the Year, as they would get a compensatory draft pick after the first round in 2025; this would further help out the team's strong farm system.

The winners of AL Rookie of the Year and AL MVP will be announced on November 18 and November 21, respectively, during a live MLB Network broadcast.

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Joe Najarian
JOE NAJARIAN

Joe Najarian is a Rutgers University graduate from the Class of 2022. After an eight-month stint with Jersey Sporting News (JSN), covering Rutgers Football, Rutgers Basketball, and Rutgers Baseball, Najarian became a contributing writer on Inside the Pinstripes and Inside the Mets. He additionally writes on Giants Country, FanNation’s site for the New York Giants. Follow Joe on Twitter @JoeNajarian

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