Why Athletics' Rookie of Year Race Closer Than You Think
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The Athletics have three players who could be in the running for the team's Rookie of the Year award.
Last season, the Athletics were lucky enough to have two players receive the most votes from MLB for the Rookie of the Year Award: Nick Kurtz (winner) and runner-up Jacob Wilson. This year, the team has three rookies who have already made a massive impact. And while they might not get recognition league-wide, they are still a blindingly bright spot for the Athletics.
Tommy White | 1B
The sample size for Tommy White is extremely small, but he has already made a huge impact since getting called up during the All-Star break. In his first three games, White is batting .455 with a very impressive 1.045 OPS. In the win on Monday, he would notch four singles in five at-bats.
Right now, White has been playing first base, something that will change once Kurtz is healthy. Considering how much talent is already in the Athletics infield, it will be interesting to see how many games he will actually start. Considering he is listed as a third baseman, things could get messy with another player on this list. But either way, if White can hold on to this production, he could be the Athletics' best rookie of the season.
Joshua Kuroda-Grauer | UTL
Joshua Kuroda-Grauer has been on another level since making his debut on June 29. In that span, Kuroda-Grauer is batting .417 with a great 1.018 OPS; he has also hit one home run, recorded six doubles, driven in four runs, and scored eight himself. This start to a career has been historic, as he now holds the most hits in Athletics' history in his first 50 at-bats with 22.
Unfortunately, the injury bug spares no one. In Monday's win, JKG left the game early after hitting a foul ball into his groin area, which resulted in a testicular contusion. Mind you, in the same at-bat, he would hit a single, an absolute beast. His production in a very small span could be the start of something special. For this reason, it would not be surprising to see him finish the season as the Athletics' best rookie overall.
Gage Jump | SP
If the season were to end today, the obvious choice would be Gage Jump. The Athletics' starting rotation has been awful all season long, which ultimately created the perfect storm for lefty Gage Jump to make his MLB debut. While he would have a rocky debut, he would stabilize quickly and has emerged as arguably the best starting pitcher on the roster.
With many starts ahead for the rookie, we do not know how he will end the season. On the road, there are not many pitchers in baseball who compare to Jump. In away games, Jump has pitched four games with a 2-1 record, an amazing 0.75 ERA, and a 0.88 WHIP. But what hurts him in this race is his home ERA. Which, as of July 21, stands at 6.35. Not so pretty.
Even though Jump would start the second half of the season slowly, in which he allowed three runs in 3.2 innings pitched vs. the Nationals, there is little doubt that he will continue to dominate. When Jump is on the mound, there is a sense of hope, which is not present for anyone else besides him and J.T. Ginn. For this reason, Jump is the frontrunner.
The bottom line is that this race has just started. And while Jump and Kuroda-Grauer have a sizeable lead on White, there is little doubt that he will catch up soon if given the opportunity. But looking at the bigger picture, it is clear that the Athletics have a young core with immense potential and could be the key to turning the season around.
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Andrew Ferguson is the beat writer at Athletics On SI. He is currently pursuing his sports journalism degree from UNLV, striving to turn his lifelong passion for sports into his career.
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