Oct 16, 2017; Bronx, NY, USA; New York Yankees right fielder Aaron Judge (99) hits a three run home run during the fourth inning against the Houston Astros during game three of the 2017 ALCS playoff baseball series at Yankee Stadium. Photo Credit: Adam Hunger-USA TODAY Sports
The verdict was a unanimous one as New York Yankees slugger Aaron Judge was named the 2017 American League Rookie of the Year on Monday.
Judge received all 30 first-place votes in the voting conducted by the Baseball Writers’ Association of America. Boston Red Sox outfielder Andrew Benintendi and Baltimore Orioles outfielder Trey Mancini finished second and third, respectively.
The 25-year-old Judge took Major League Baseball by storm in 2017, launching a rookie-record 52 homers to bash Mark McGwire’s previous mark set three decades ago.
After winning a spring training competition with Aaron Hicks to earn the starting spot in right field, Judge found himself at the top of the AL in homers, runs (128), walks (127) and, unfortunately for him, strikeouts (208). His 114 RBIs were second best in the AL.
–Los Angeles Dodgers outfielder Cody Bellinger began the season in the minors and ended it as a unanimous choice for the 2017 National League Rookie of the Year.
Bellinger received all 30 first-place votes in the voting conducted by the Baseball Writers’ Association of America, giving the Dodgers the top NL rookie honor for a major league-best 18th time.
Shortstop Paul DeJong of the St. Louis Cardinals finished second in the voting and was followed by Pittsburgh Pirates first baseman Josh Bell.
–Outfielder Carlos Beltran announced his retirement after a 20-year major league career, going out on top by winning his first World Series championship with the Houston Astros.
The 40-year-old Beltran, a nine-time All-Star with 435 career home runs, made the announcement with a first-person essay on The Players’ Tribune.
Beltran played for seven different teams, starting with the Kansas City Royals in 1998. He also played for the New York Mets, St. Louis Cardinals, New York Yankees, Texas Rangers and San Francisco Giants, before making a second stop in Houston for the 2017 season.
–The Atlanta Braves hired former Los Angeles Dodgers and Toronto Blue Jays executive Alex Anthopoulos as their executive vice president and general manager, the team announced.
Anthopoulos agreed to terms on a four-year contract that will run through the 2021 seasons. The 40-year-old Montreal native will report to Braves chairman and CEO Terry McGuirk, who also announced that John Hart is moving into a new role as a senior advisor.
Anthopoulos, who takes over baseball operations from Hart, becomes the 12th general manager with the Braves since the franchise moved to Atlanta in 1966. He succeeds John Coppolella, who was forced to resign on Oct. 2 after an ongoing investigation by Major League Baseball disclosed rule violations committed by the Braves in the international player market.
