(Sports Spectrum) Seattle Mariners outfielder Kyle Lewis was named American League Rookie of the Year on Monday, and he won in a landslide. The 25-year-old earned all 30 first-place votes from the Baseball Writers’ Association of America.
Lewis becomes the 12th unanimous AL winner since the award began in 1947, joining the likes of Carlton Fisk, Mark McGwire, Derek Jeter, Mike Trout and Aaron Judge.
After appearing in just 18 games in 2019, Lewis played 58 of the Mariners’ 60 games in the pandemic-shortened 2020 season. He led his team in batting average (.262), home runs (11), runs (37) and walks (34), and among AL rookies he led in runs scored, walks, total bases (90), games played (tied, 58), and tied with White Sox outfielder Luis Robert for the home run lead (11). Of all rookies with more than 140 plate appearances, Lewis finished tops in on-base percentage (.364), slugging percentage (.437) and OPS (.801), and second in batting average.