Soroka finishes second in NL Rookie of the Year voting
PBF Redbirds and Junior National Team alum Mike Soroka (Calgary, Alta.) finished as the runner-up in the National League Rookie of the Year Award voting. New York Mets slugger Pete Alonso won the award. Photo: Amanda Fewer
November 12, 2019
By Kevin Glew
Canadian Baseball Network
PBF Redbirds and Junior National Team alum Mike Soroka (Calgary, Alta.) finished second in the National League Rookie of the Year Award voting.
New York Mets slugger Pete Alonso, who set a major league rookie record with 53 home runs in 2019, won the award.
The results were announced on Monday evening.
The ballots were cast by two writers in each league city and were submitted prior to post-season play.
In one of the greatest rookie seasons ever by a Canadian pitcher, the 22-year-old Soroka went 13-4 and posted a 2.68 ERA, while striking out 142 in 174-2/3 innings in 29 starts, for the Atlanta Braves. His ERA ranked third in the National League, while his road ERA (1.35) was the best in the circuit.
Among National League rookie hurlers, he had the best ERA, was third in wins and fourth in games started, innings pitched and strikeouts.
The fact that the votes were cast prior to the post-season likely hurt Soroka. The Canuck right-hander was masterful in earning a win in Game 3 of the Braves’ National League Division Series against the St. Louis Cardinals when he limited the Cards to one run on two hits, while striking out seven, in seven innings.
Soroka was vying to become just the second Canadian to win the National League Rookie of the Year Award. Pittsburgh Pirates slugger and 2019 Canadian Baseball Hall of Fame inductee Jason Bay was the first in 2004. In that season, Bay batted .282 and belted 26 homer runs in 120 games.
Below are the final vote tallies for this year’s National League Rookie of the Year Award.