With the 2018 MLB regular season almost over, The Game Haus will spotlight MLB names whose contributions have helped bring victory to their teams this season. We will do so by crowning our MVP’s and Rookies of the Year for each baseball club. Today, we continue with the American League West Division.
Image courtesy of fivethirtyeight
The Houston Astros have several things going for them this season, including another American League West pennant in their sights. Though Jose Altuve would be an easy pick for Astros’ MVP, he’s currently fighting a leg injury. Plus, Alex Bregman is stepping up in a huge way. In the midst of a breakout year, Bregman has tallied 22 home runs and 73 RBI’s. Not to mentions he leads the team in both categories. His .280 batting average is respectable in itself. With numbers like these, it’s no wonder he was an All-Star this season.
Max Stassi may not have the most dominant presence from the batter’s box, but his defensive prowess has become vital for Houston. Stassi has cashed in 594 putouts out of 625 total chances, along with committing only one error this season. He also boasts a range factor of over 9.00 and a fielding percentage of .998. Houston stands among the most efficient defenses in the big leagues, no small part due to number 12. We could see Stassi with quite a few Golden Gloves moving forward.
Image courtesy of Bleacher Report
Khris Davis has no doubt become a prominent power-hitter and a vital one for Oakland. Since becoming an A in 2016, Davis has belted over 40 home runs and over 100 RBI’s in each season. He’s on pace for a third straight season with that level of production. In addition, he has cashed in three home runs and seven RBI’s in his last seven games, all on a .320 batting average in that span. His below .260 batting average may have hurt his chances in becoming an All-Star. But pitchers of the American League West better be ready for when he steps into the batter’s box.
It is safe to say that Lou Trivino has found his footing early. In his inaugural year, Trivino has posted an 8-2 record from the mound with an ERA of 1.56. Plus, his ERA leads all AL rookies this season. It wouldn’t be crazy to say that he is a leading contender for AL Rookie of the Year. But Trivino will need to keep hitting these high notes to help keep the Athletics running hot. Be on the lookout for #62 in the next coming seasons. You could see him with a Cy Young Award or two in no time.
Image courtesy of Grantland
The 38-year old Nelson Cruz has shown to have plenty of firepower left. In his four seasons (prior to the 2018 outing) as a Seattle Mariner, he has cashed over 35 home runs and over 90 RBI’s. He is on pace to make it a fifth straight year this season. Plus, Cruz leads the team in home runs by a significant amount this season. Pitchers facing the Mariners will now have more to deal with than just Cruz. But Nelson is the one guy you don’t want to take chances with.
Rookie of the Year: N/A
Mike Trout (USA Today)
Who else could it have been? The seven-time All-Star’s name is among the first to pop up when discussing the Los Angeles Angels, for good reason. This season, Trout has tallied 30 home runs and 60 RBI’s. Plus, he has cleared a .300 batting average in five of his first eight seasons in the league. Along with his two AL MVP awards, Trout could have easily been the biggest terror on the diamond, if not for those obnoxious injuries that he tends to deal with. But injuries aside, there is no way to calculate how much number 27 means to the Angels. But now, LA needs to return the favor to the Trout by getting back in the playoffs.
Another no-doubter from the Halos, Shohei Ohtani can do it all. From the mound, Ohtani boasts a 4-1 record, along with a 3.10 ERA. From the batter’s box, he has cashed in 12 home runs and 34 RBI’s, along with a .271 batting average. The Angels did well in going after Ohtani. Give him a couple more years to mature, and Othani could be THE biggest star of the American League West, if not the entire AL.
Image courtesy of The Franchise
No doubt that the Texas Rangers have a steep mountain to climb. But players like Joey Gallo can help lift the team back up to dominance. Gallo currently leads the team in both home runs and RBI’s. Plus, he has cashed in 11 of those home runs and 25 of those RBI’s in his last 30 games. Unfortunately, his batting average narrowly breaks .200 this season. But he still remains on track for a career high in RBIs this season. Plus, there are still plenty of power for Texas to work with. As for Gallo, he will still need to make adjustments with his swing to get batting average up.
Speaking of power for Texas, Ronald Guzman is another name to watch out for the American League West. This season, Guzman has recorded 13 home runs and 47 RBI’s. His .243 batting average is not exactly a great one. But it provides plenty for Guzman to improve upon. Plus, his batting average is steadily improving from recent outings.
Featured image courtesy of The Houston Chronicle
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