As the regular season draws to a close, the fervor for major awards has reached a fever pitch, with ballots needing to be cast before the playoffs. Winners, however, will only be revealed after the excitement of the World Series concludes. The 2023 season has been a remarkable journey, filled with extraordinary individual performances and unexpected team successes.
Aaron Judge’s Dominance
Aaron Judge has been a colossus this season, leading the majors in home runs, RBI, on-base percentage, slugging percentage, and WAR. His monstrous stats—.324/.460/.703 with an OPS+ of 224—are accompanied by 57 home runs, 142 RBI, 120 runs, and an astounding 10.6 WAR. Judge has also displayed versatility, handling center field duties with aplomb and stealing 10 bases in as many attempts.
| Category | Aaron Judge | Shohei Ohtani |
|---|---|---|
| Batting Avg | .324 | .303 |
| OBP | .460 | .386 |
| SLG | .703 | .642 |
| HR | 57 | 53 |
| RBI | 142 | 125 |
| RUNS | 120 | 130 |
Shohei Ohtani's Historic Feat
Shohei Ohtani, the modern-day Babe Ruth, has etched his name in the annals of baseball history by becoming the first player to ever record 50 home runs and 50 stolen bases in a single season. His remarkable statistics—.303/.386/.642 with an OPS+ of 187, 53 home runs, 56 stolen bases, 125 RBI, 130 runs, and 8.6 WAR—have made him a cornerstone of the Angels' lineup and a surefire MVP candidate.
Pitching Excellence: Skubal, Sale, and Wheeler
Over on the mound, Tarik Skubal has been virtually unhittable, boasting an 18-4 record, a 2.39 ERA, a 0.92 WHIP, and 228 strikeouts over 192 innings. His dominance is evidenced by leading the league in wins, ERA, and strikeouts. It's little wonder that some, like Emmanuel Clase, feel that "if Skubal didn't exist this season in the AL, I would have been ready to make the argument for a reliever."
Chris Sale has also had a standout year. Despite not having sniffed a Cy Young vote since 2018, Sale has tallied an 18-3 record, a 2.38 ERA, a 1.01 WHIP, and 225 strikeouts in just 177 2/3 innings. Sale's historical struggles in Cy Young voting—with finishes as high as second and as low as sixth—make his current form all the more noteworthy.
Zack Wheeler has rounded out this trio of extraordinary pitchers with a 16-7 record, a 2.56 ERA, a 0.96 WHIP, and 213 strikeouts in 193 2/3 innings. While not the statistical leader, Wheeler’s consistency has been invaluable for his team.
Cleveland Guardians Defy Expectations
The Cleveland Guardians were projected to be a middling team, with a gambling win total set at 79 and a third-place finish in the AL Central seemingly inevitable. Yet, here they are, only half a game out of the best record in the entire American League, an outcome nobody anticipated. This improbable success comes despite significant setbacks, including the loss of ace Shane Bieber to a season-ending injury and underwhelming performances from Triston McKenzie and Logan Allen.
As one observer noted, "And yet, the Guardians are only half a game out of the best record in the entire American League." This encapsulates the surprising resilience of a team that continues to defy the odds.
Milwaukee Brewers' Unwavering Command
Similarly, the Milwaukee Brewers have been a model of consistency in the NL Central. Not having trailed in the division since April 29, the Brewers are on pace to finish with the largest division lead of any first-place team, a remarkable feat given the obstacles they faced. Despite losing key players like Brandon Woodruff, Corbin Burnes, Devin Williams, and Christian Yelich to injuries or trades, the Brewers have maintained their dominance.
Craig Counsell's departure to the Chicago Cubs last winter could have spelled trouble, but the internal promotion of Murphy to the head coach position has been seamless. "Murphy was promoted from within to take over a team that had already lost Brandon Woodruff for the 2024 season," further highlighting the internal resilience of this formidable squad.
The Uncertainty of Awards Season
The upcoming awards season is ripe with speculation. One voter cautioned, "Remember, these aren't necessarily my picks. They are predictions as to who will win," underscoring the subjective nature of the awards. Another voter added, "I'm an actual voter and any prediction might be perceived as a hint as to which way I'm leaning. I will say, though, it's close enough that I do not yet know for sure how I'm voting," capturing the ambivalence and intense deliberation that often accompanies the voting process.
As we approach the playoffs, the narratives of this season—whether it be Judge's historic runway, Ohtani's unprecedented dual achievements, or the improbable success stories of the Guardians and Brewers—promise to make this awards season one of the most captivating in recent memory.