2019 MLB Award Predictions

posted March 26, 2019 in CommRadio, Sports by Jake Starr

The 2019 baseball season is quickly approaching with the 162-game slate set to get underway this Thursday. There are plenty of looming storylines and exciting teams and players to keep an eye on as the season gets underway.

Who will win MVP, CY Young, and Rookie of the year awards? Continue on for our complete 2019 MLB season award predictions!

NL MVP: Bryce Harper

There are plenty of options to consider when it comes to the National League MVP. Nolan Arenado, Paul Goldschmidt and new San Diego Padre Manny Machado all should be in the running for the award.

Bryce Harper had a down year last season, that is at least compared to his previous production. Harper hit .249 last season with 34 home runs. What people tend to forget is that Harper hit .300 throughout the second-half last season as he continued to get healthier and that trend should continue into 2019.

Harper will also benefit from playing in the very hitter-friendly Citizens Bank Park. If all goes right and Harper stays healthy, he should be able to reach or exceed the 40-home run plateau and reach base at a high clip with a stacked lineup around him en route to an MVP season.

AL MVP: Mike Trout

If the richest player in the National League is primed to win that league’s MVP, then how about the richest player in the American League also capturing that league’s award. Fresh off an extension worth well over $400 million, Trout will reclaim his status as the AL MVP.

Last season, Trout slugged 39 home runs while hitting .312 and finishing second in the MVP voting. Trout has been one of the most consistent players across baseball throughout his career and every expectation is that he will continue to produce at a high clip in 2019.

NL Cy Young: Clayton Kershaw

Last year was considered a down year for Clayton Kershaw. But, if a 2.73 ERA is considered a down year, then that speaks volumes about the caliber of pitcher that Kershaw is. The Dodgers ace is expected to miss some time with shoulder sourness but should be back by mid-April.

If Kershaw remains healthy, then expect him to return to top form in 2019. The NL Cy Young race should be an interesting one with Aaron Nola, Jacob deGrom and Max Scherzer up there, but Kershaw will look like his old dominant self and claim his first Cy Young since 2014.

AL Cy Young: Chris Sale

Chris Sale has yet to win a Cy Young but has put up elite numbers throughout his career. Sale only won 12 games last season but put up an extremely impressive 2.11 ERA. If Sale can continue to put up impressive ERA numbers and add a few more wins, then he should be well on his way to his first career Cy Young award.

In his third season in Boston, Sale should benefit from one of the best offenses in baseball giving him plenty of support. There will be plenty of competition from Corey Kluber, Luis Severino, and even Justin Verlander, but 2019 will finally be the year that Sale captures that elusive Cy Young Award.

NL Rookie of the Year: Victor Robles

The names in the American League rookie of the year race should be familiar to some, but that is not the case with the National League. Victor Robles of the Washington Nationals will assume a large role in the outfield following the departure of Harper.

In just 59 at-bats in 2018, Robles hit .288 with three home runs, some pretty impressive numbers. If Robles can build off of that, then he should be in pretty good shape to claim the award. Other names to watch are Fernando Tatis Jr. of the Padres and Peter Alonso of the Mets.

AL Rookie of the Year: Vladimir Guerrero Jr.

This is a name that should sound very familiar to baseball fans. Vladimir Guerrero Jr. has very big shoes to fill but is expected to be a phenom right away for the Toronto Blue Jays. There have been plenty of viral videos of the young third baseman launching batting practice home runs of over 500 feet.

At just 20-years old, Guerrero Jr. has yet to make his big-league debut but is expected to early in the 2019 season. If he is able to meet or exceed expectations, he should be the runaway Rookie of the Year. Other names to watch are Eloy Jimenez of the White Sox and Forrest Whitley of the Astros.

 

 

Jake Starr is a freshman majoring in broadcast journalism. To contact him, email jas7954@psu.edu.