Baseball fans have something to celebrate today as Baseball Digest has named Ronald Acuña the Player of the Year for 2019. The Atlanta Braves outfielder had a stellar season, leading the National League in home runs (41), runs scored (127), and total bases (326). He also hit .280 with 37 stolen bases and a .907 OPS.
Acuña was a unanimous choice for the award, with all 30 voters selecting him as the Player of the Year. He is the first Braves player to win the award since Chipper Jones in 1999.
The magazine also honored two other players, Gerrit Cole and Jose Bautista. Cole, a pitcher for the Houston Astros, had a spectacular season, leading the American League in strikeouts (326) and ERA (2.50). He was also second in wins (20) and WHIP (0.89).
Bautista, an outfielder for the Toronto Blue Jays, was honored for his career achievements. He was an All-Star six times and won two Silver Slugger awards. He also hit 317 home runs and had a .856 OPS over his 15-year career.
Acuña’s award is well-deserved, and it’s great to see Cole and Bautista get recognition for their accomplishments. It’s a reminder of how exciting baseball can be and why it’s one of America’s favorite pastimes. Congratulations to all three players!
