How Chase DeLauter, Parker Messick, and Travis Bazzana Could All End Up Competing for AL ROTY

The Cleveland Guardians currently sit atop the AL Central about one quarter of the way through the season. The Guardians not only have the best record in the division, but they may also have the three best rookies. These rookies are so good that all three of them could realistically compete to win the American League Rookie of the Year Award.

There will be stiff competition, especially from within the division, to win this award. Let’s break down the chances for all three Guardians players.

Travis Bazzana

Travis Bazzana is finding his groove in a big way. He is not only hitting the ball, but he is also seeing it well at the plate, showing discipline, and he is causing chaos on the base paths. 

Bazzana is among the top players in the league when it comes to chasing pitches outside of the zone. He is swinging at just 16% of those pitches, drawing 12 walks so far in his 12 games. He becomes the third Cleveland player to have a .400 OBP through their first 12 games, joining Steven Kwan in 2022 and Michael Brantley in 2009. He is also the 4th player in the Wild Card Era in all of MLB to draw 12 or more walks in their first 12 games, joining Seiya Suzuki (2022), Akinori Iwamura (2007), and Andy LaRoche (2007).

On top of drawing walks, Bazzana smashed his first home run and doubles of his career over the past few games, driving his OPS up to .739. His average may not be where he wants it right now, but he has a hit in four of his last five games and in seven games so far in May.

Add in the fact that Bazzana has seven stolen bases, six RBI, and seven runs scored, and you have yourself someone who projects as a leadoff hitter in this league.

Parker Messick

Parker Messick has been one of the more dominant pitchers in baseball and has given the Guardians' rotation a sense of stability early in the season. Sitting at 4-1 with a 2.30 ERA, Messick has shown the Guardians why they were smart in placing him in the rotation to begin the season.

Not only are his front-facing numbers great, but the backend metrics support his successes. His ERA+ is 180 (100 is average), his FIP is 2.82, and his WHIP is 0.98.

With a lot of big arms injured in the American League, Messick can make some noise in the Cy Young market. He is unlikely to win based on the fact that he is a rookie who will experience bumps in the road, but that does not mean he cannot use that momentum to win the AL Rookie of the Year. If Messick continues to be a top-three pitcher in the AL, the award will all but be his at the end of the day.

Chase DeLauter

The early-season AL ROTY favorite is now sitting among the top three with Munetaka Murakami and Kevin McGonigle. DeLauter got off to a lightning-fast start and has since slowed down a little bit with the flashy numbers. His average, though, has only gone up. Entering May, DeLauter had a .257 batting average. That now sits at .292. His OPS was .830. It is now .887. DeLauter has struck out only three times this month and has drawn five walks. 

DeLauter may not be jacking home runs like he was early on, but he has knocked 14 hits in 36 at-bats this month, good for a .389 average and 1.047 OPS. DeLauter has not slowed down even a little bit, and if he continues on his nearly .300 trajectory and approaches close to 20 home runs, he will be among the top three in rookie voting this year without a doubt.
The real question is whether Murakami or McGonigle slows down at all the rest of the way. If they do and DeLauter doesn’t, his chances of winning are going to be much higher.

The Guardians are in rare air, having three rookies on their team that can all realistically bring home the Rookie of the Year award at the end of the season. Unfortunately, only one can win. The Guardians would love to see a friendly competition among these three, with each having legitimate cases to win. If that is the case, the Guardians probably found a good deal of wins throughout the season and made the playoffs, and that is what really matters. 

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