2021 MLB Awards Recap
After a much needed 162 game season, the MLB awards for the league’s best players in their respective category were voted on. Did the voters get it right?? Did the voter get it wrong?? Dive into my 2021 MLB Awards Recap with me & let’s find out!!!
(Cincinnati’s Jonathan India Photo by Dylan Buell/Getty Images)
Rookie of the year
American League Winner: Rays OF Randy Arozarena
2021 Stats - 141 Games, 145 H, 20 HR, 69 RBI
.274/.356/.459/.815 | .350 wOBA, 131 OPS+
3.3 WAR, 128 wRC+
National League Winner: Reds INF Jonathan India
2021 Stats - 150 Games, 143 H, 21 HR, 69 RBI
.269/.376/.459/.835 | .363 wOBA, 113 OPS+
3.9 WAR, 122 wRC+
Did The Voters Get it Right??
The league voters 100% got the Rookie of The Year Awards correct!! Randy Arozarena followed up his amazing 2020 postseason run with an even better 2021 regular season & was one of the main cogs in Tampa Bay’s potent offense that ultimately helped them win the AL East Division Crown. In Cincinnati, Jonathan India was slotted into a very underrated Reds lineup and did not disappoint dropping 21 bombs on the season & having a great 3.9 WAR total.
Cy Young
American League Winner: Blue Jays LHP Robbie Ray
2021 Stats - 32 Games/13-7/2.84 ERA/193.1 IP
248 K/52 BB/154 ERA+/3.69 FIP/1.045 WHIP/3.9 WAR
National League Winner: Brewers RHP Corbin Burnes
2021 Stats - 28 Games/11-5/2.43 ERA, 167.0 IP
234 K/34 BB/176 ERA+/1.63 FIP/0.940 WHIP/7.5 WAR
Did The Voters Get it Right??
Yes….and No. The Cy Young Award in 2021 was a weird one to vote on compared to years past. There was no doubt that the names on ballot were all worthy in their respect right of winning the coveted award, but for me the voting breakdown is flawed in many different and it once again poses the question of; Which stats matter & Which stats don’t???
In the American League, Robbie Ray was 1 vote short of a unanimous win….let’s repeat that. Robbie Ray was 1 vote shy of a UNANIMOUS decision. Not to discredit Robbie Ray’s stellar 2021 season after numerous struggles earlier in his career but the infamous question posed above.