Blue Jays' Josh Donaldson beats Bryce Harper for Sporting News MLB Player of the Year

Jesse Spector

Blue Jays' Josh Donaldson beats Bryce Harper for Sporting News MLB Player of the Year image

Blue Jays 3B Josh Donaldson has been elected Sporting News' 2015 Major League Baseball Player of the Year by a panel of 387 MLB players. SN has selected a Player of the Year each season since 1936.

The end of the American League Championship Series was one of those thrilling moments that baseball provides every now and then, a showdown of dominance against dominance. Wade Davis was on the mound for the Royals, the go-ahead runs in scoring position, facing the best performer in baseball all year.

SN AWARDS: AL Rookie of Year | NL Rookie of Year | AL All-Star Team | NL All-Star team

Josh Donaldson grounded out, and the Royals won the pennant, because that is the way the game works sometimes – great pitching can beat great hitting, and there is no doubt of Donaldson as a great hitter, not to mention his exploits at a tough defensive position at third base.

Donaldson’s peers have recognized that, overwhelmingly voting the Toronto third baseman as the 2015 Sporting News Player of the Year. Nationals star Bryce Harper finished second (full results below).

He is the third Blue Jays player to win the award, joining George Bell in 1987 and Carlos Delgado in 2000.

Acquired by the Blue Jays from the A’s for four players last November, Donaldson was even better in Toronto than he was in Oakland, where he had put together back-to-back 7 WAR seasons. Donaldson was worth 8.8 wins above replacement for the Blue Jays, hitting .297/.371/.568 for a career-best .939 OPS, with 41 homers and 41 doubles, while leading the American League in runs scored, runs batted in and total bases. He also was good for 10 defensive runs saved at the hot corner.

MORE: See all the SN Players of the Year from 1936 to 2015

“Without him, you know, we may not be in this spot,” Blue Jays manager John Gibbons said during the ALCS. “That’s probably an accurate statement, I would think. Yeah, he just had a tremendous year, really. … I think he brought some toughness to us. And then the most important thing he brought was the huge year offensively, and he played great defense, too. It made us much better because of that. It’s a comforting feeling knowing that he’s there. Doesn’t mean that he’s going to get a hit every time – nobody does – or get a big home run. The game is not that easy, but he can strike at any time.”

Of Donaldson’s 41 home runs, more than half — 24, to be exact — gave the Blue Jays the lead, including three walk-off shots. He had another four homers to tie games.

Donaldson was particularly excellent when it mattered most. In the second half of the season, leading the Blue Jays’ surge to the American League East title, he had a 1.011 OPS, with 20 homers in 69 games. For the season, with runners in scoring position, Donaldson hit .353/.440/.618. In 41 plate appearances with a runner on third and less than two out, Donaldson knocked in 29 runs and had an 1.142 OPS.

Any aspect of the game you pick out, Donaldson was great in 2015. His fellow players recognized that, and now Donaldson is the Sporting News Player of the Year.

VOTING RESULTS

Voting by MLB players

1. Josh Donaldson, Blue Jays — 150

2. Bryce Harper, Nationals — 97

3. Jake Arrieta, Cubs — 43

4. Zack Greinke, Dodgers — 40

5. Paul Goldschmidt, Diamondbacks — 17

6. Mike Trout, Angels — 12

7. Sonny Gray, Athletics — 4

8. Nelson Cruz, Mariners — 3

9. Clayton Kershaw, Dodgers — 2
Dallas Keuchel, Astros — 2
Andrew McCutchen, Pirates — 2

Others — 15

THIS WEEK’S SN AWARD SCHEDULE

Monday: Rookies of the Year (AL and NL) and Comeback Players of the Year (AL and NL)

Tuesday: AL and NL Managers of the Year

Wednesday: AL All-Star Team | NL All-Star Team

Thursday: MLB Player of the Year

Jesse Spector