Braves outfielder Ronald Acuna Jr. and Angels pitcher/outfielder Shohei Ohtani were named rookies of the year Monday night.
Baseball Writers’ Association of America voters gave Acuna the National League Jackie Robinson Rookie of the Year Award. He was the only player named on all 30 ballots, picking up 27 first-place votes. The 20-year-old left fielder hit 26 home runs and slashed .293/.366/.552. His 4.1 WAR was second on the Braves to Freddie Freeman (6.1).
Nationals outfielder Juan Soto finished second with two first-place votes, and 26 second-place votes, while Dodgers pitcher Walker Buehler was third, picking up the remaining first-place vote. Others receiving votes (in order) were Brian Anderson of the Marlins, Cardinals teammates Jack Flaherty and Harrison Bader, Yoshihisa Hirano of the Diamondbacks and Mets second baseman Jeff McNeil.
Ohtani, the former Japanese star who became the best two-way player since Babe Ruth, picked up 25 of the 30 first-place votes for the AL Jackie Robinson Rookie of the Year honors.
Ohtani posted a 4-2 record with a 3.31 ERA, 1.16 WHIP and 11 Ks per nine innings, but injured the ulnar collateral ligament in his right elbow and did not pitch after June 6. At the plate, the designated hitter hit 22 home runs and slashed .285/.361/.564 in 326 at-bats
Yankees third baseman Miguel Andujar was second in the balloting, earning the five remaining first-place votes. Andujar hit 27 home runs, posted a .866 OPS and had 47 doubles, tied for third-most in baseball.
Andujar's New York teammate, Gleyber Torres, finished third in the balloting, followed by Rays second baseman Joey Wendle, Daniel Palka of the White Sox and Ryan Yarbrough of the Rays. No player was listed on every ballot.
Ohtani is the third Angels player to win ROY honors, joining Tim Salmon (1993) and Mike Trout (2012). Eight Braves have won the honor, most recently Craig Kimbrel in 2011.