Another sign Yankees' Miguel Andujar, not Gleyber Torres, is A.L. Rookie of the Year front-runner

by Felix Pantaleón

The Yankees have a 3.5-game lead over the Oakland A’s in the American League wild card race, thanks in part to rookie third baseman Miguel Andujar and rookie second baseman Gleyber Torres. Torres was an American League All-Star, but Andujar could be American League Rookie of the Year.

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If you’re looking for more proof that Yankees third baseman Miguel Andujar has surpassed second baseman Gleyber Torres as the leading candidate for American League Rookie of the Year, look no further.

Andujar is your AL Rookie of the Month for August.

Yanks’ AL wild card lineup vs. A’s?

Here is the press release from MLB announcing the award:

Andujar batted .320 (39-for-122) with 21 runs scored, seven doubles, 10 home runs, 29 RBI and a stolen base across 30 games to claim his second career AL Rookie of the Month Award, previously winning earlier this season in June. Among AL rookie hitters with at least 20 at bats, Miguel finished the month first in runs scored, hits, home runs, RBI and extra-base hits (17); tied for first in doubles; fifth in slugging percentage (.623); and sixth in on-base percentage (.344). This is the Yankees’ third AL Rookie of the Month Award this season, following Miguel’s previous honor and his All-Star teammate Gleyber Torres (May).

Over a torrid nine-game stretch from August 7th-15th, Andujar slashed .378/.410/.892 with nine runs scored, 14 hits, four doubles, five home runs and 11 RBI to lead the Yankees to a 6-3 record. From August 9th-13th, the Dominican Republic native logged a streak of five games in which he tallied at least one RBI and one run scored, his second streak this season of at least five games (also April 16th-23rd). Andujar became the second rookie in franchise history to bat at least .320 with 10-or-more home runs in a calendar month, joining All-Star Aaron Judge, who accomplished the feat during his Rookie of the Month-winning June 2017. Entering play today, the right-handed-hitting third baseman is on pace to become just the seventh rookie in AL history to bat .299-or-better with at least 38 doubles and 23 home runs, and would join Hall of Famers Ted Williams (1939) and Joe DiMaggio (1936), as well as Nomar Garciaparra (1997), Tony Oliva (1964), Hal Trosky (1934) and Dale Alexander (1929). Garciaparra and Oliva each earned AL Rookie of the Year honors during their historic seasons. In addition, joined by Torres (22 HR, 66 RBI), the 2018 Yankees are the sixth team in Major League history to have multiple rookies with at least 20 homers and 60 RBI in the same season, and the first since Mike Jacobs, Dan Uggla and Josh Willingham accomplished the feat for the 2006 Florida Marlins. The 1982 Minnesota Twins (Gary Gaetti and Kent Hrbek) were the last AL Club to do so.