Matt Quatraro is up for Manager of the Year
Improving by 30 wins and making a surprise playoff appearance is earning the Royals some accolades. Bobby Witt Jr. has just enjoyed one of the best seasons in Royals history, and to no surprise, he has been named a finalist for the American League MVP award. Pitcher Seth Lugo has been named a Cy Young Award finalist in his first year with the team. And Matt Quatraro has been named a finalist for Manager of the Year in just his second year at the helm.
Witt was one of the best overall players in the league this year, and will go up against Yankees sluggers Aaron Judge and Juan Soto in his attempt to become just the second Royals player ever to win the award after George Brett won in 1980. Witt led the league in hits (211) and batting (.332), was second in runs scored (125), doubles (45), triples (11), and total bases (374), ninth in home runs (32), tied for fourth in RBI (109), and eighth in stolen bases (31). He was the first shortstop ever to put up consecutive 30 home run/30 stolen base seasons.
His 10.4 fWAR was second-best in the league behind only Judge, and the fifth-best ever by a shortstop. If he does not take home the award, it will be one of the best seasons ever by an MVP runner-up. He has already won a Gold Glove Award at shortstop this year, and is a finalist for the Silver Slugger Award. Witt’s top-three finish in MVP voting means the Royals will net an extra draft pick after the first round as part of the new Prospect Promotion Incentive program.
Seth Lugo was one of the best pitchers in baseball this year in just his second year as a starter. He was second in the league in wins (16) and innings pitched (206.2), tied for third in FIP (3.25), sixth in ERA (3.00), tenth in strikeouts (181), and seventh in lowest walk rate (5.7 percent). He was second in the league in WAR according to Baseball Reference (5.3) and third according to Fangraphs (4.7) and tied for the most Quality Starts (22). He earned his first All-Star appearance this summer and won his first Gold Glove. Lugo is up against Detroit’s Tarik Skubal and Cleveland’s Emmanuel Clase. If he wins, it would be the fifth time in Royals history a pitcher has won the Cy Young Award, with Bret Saberhagen winning in 1985 and 1989. David Cone in 1994 and Zack Greinke in 2009.
Matt Quatraro improved the Royals by 30 wins, making them just the third team ever to reach the playoffs after losing 100 games the previous season. His 86 wins this year were the third-most ever by a team the season after losing 100. The Royals finished with the fifth-best record in the American League and the third-best run differential. His Royals won their first playoff series since 2015, knocking off the Orioles in the Wild Card series, before losing to the Yankees in the Divisional Series. Quatraro is up against Detroit’s A.J. Hinch and Cleveland’s Stephen Vogt for the award, and would be just the second Royals manager ever to win, after Tony Peña in 2003.
AL Rookie of the Year finalists include Baltimore outfielder Colton Cowser, Yankees pitcher Luis Gil, and catcher Austin Wells.
In the National League, Shohei Ohtani of the Dodgers could take home his third MVP award, but first in the Senior Circuit. He is up against Mets shortstop Ketel Marte and Diamondbacks second baseman Ketel Marte. Cy Young finalists include Atlanta’s Chris Sale, Philadelphia’s Zach Wheeler, and Pittsburgh’s Paul Skenes
Skenes is also up for Rookie of the Year against San Diego outfielder Jackson Merrill and Milwaukee Brewers outfielder Jackson Chourio. Skenes is trying to become the first to win both awards since Fernando Valenzuela in 1981. National League Manager of the Year finalists include Milwaukee’s Pat Murphy, New York’s Carlos Mendoza, and San Diego’s Mike Shildt.
Awards will be announced at 5 p.m. CT on MLB Network:
November 18 – Rookie of the Year
November 19 – Manager of the Year
November 20 – Cy Young Award
November 21 – Most Valuable Player Award