Shohei Ohtani Awarded AL Rookie Of The Year
6 years agoLos Angeles Angels starting pitcher/designated hitter Shohei Ohtani was named the 2018 American League Rookie Of the Year on Monday. He beat out Yankees infielders Miguel Andujar and Gleyber Torres for the award and tallied 25 of 30 first-place votes. Ohtani was the first player in history to be a starting pitcher and full-time hitter since Babe Ruth did it in 1919, and he didn't disappoint. A torn ligament in his right elbow shut him down from pitching in June, but he still managed to impress with his hitting skills. He's the first player in MLB history with at least 20 home runs as a hitter and 50 strikeouts as a pitcher in the same season. He finished with 22 home runs, 21 doubles and a .925 OPS in 104 games at the plate. On the mound he went 4-2 with a 3.31 ERA, 1.16 WHIP and 11.0 K/9 in 10 starts (51 2/3 innings). While he'll miss all of the 2019 season on the mound due to Tommy John surgery, the plan is for him to continue serving as the DH, barring any setbacks. He'll mostly face right-handed pitching, but Ohtani should remain very valuable as a hitter in 2019.
Source: MLB.com
Source: MLB.com