The Cincinnati Reds enter the All-Star break at 50-41 and in first place in the NL Central. They have had some incredible performances carry them to this point. From rookies to veterans, it has been a true team effort through 91 games.
Typically, awards are given out at the end of the season and no team has ever swept every single award. Today, the Reds will be taking home every award and we will select each of the major awards the MLB hands out each season.
Who has been the Reds’ Cy Young? MVP? Reliever of the Year? This article will dig in to those and more.
Cy Young
This may be controversial, but there are really only two candidates. The Reds’ Cy Young has to be either Alexis Diaz or Andrew Abbott. This award is traditionally given to the best starting pitcher in each league, but relievers have won it in the past. Only Dennis Eckersley (1992) and Eric Gagne (2003) have won it as relief pitchers since 1990.
Our 2023 Reds Cy Young winner is Andrew Abbott. It was a tight race, but Abbott edges out Diaz ever so slightly. They each have thrown roughly 40 innings and have ERA’s in the low 2.00 range. However, Abbott’s performance in the starting rotation at a time when the Reds desperately needed someone to step up in the absence of Hunter Greene and Nick Lodolo pushes him over the top.
Abbott’s record-setting first three starts also played a role in his selection for the 2023 Midseason Reds Cy Young award winner.
Reliever of the Year
Fear not Alexis Diaz fans, his All-Star first half has not gone unnoticed. Diaz has unquestionably been the top dog in what has been a surprisingly stout Cincinnati bullpen. No closer has more saves than Diaz this season, and he has only blown one save in his 27 attempts.
Diaz has pitched to a 2.03 ERA in 40 innings of work and has worked his way out of countless jams to convert potential losses into wins. It is not a coincidence that the Reds have a top three closer in the game of baseball and they also lead the MLB in comeback victories. Diaz is always there to nail it down when called upon.
Alexis Diaz is your 2023 Midseason Reds Reliever of the Year award winner.
Rookie of the Year
The Reds have several quality candidates for this award. One of the stories of their season has been the play of rookies like Matt McLain, Andrew Abbott, Spencer Steer and Elly de la Cruz.
While he has spent the least amount of time on the major league roster, Elly de la Cruz is the easy choice for Reds Rookie of the Year.
Part of this selection is a bit of projection for what will come in the second half of the season. Matt McLain’s counting numbers are better at this point, although the rate stats are similar. Yet, it is difficult to ignore the most important stat of all, which is in Elly de la Cruz’s favor — winning. Since his debut, the Reds are 23-8 and have taken first place from the Milwaukee Brewers. De la Cruz affects the game in so many different ways and he will only improve as the season wears on.
Elly de la Cruz is the 2023 Midseason Reds Rookie of the Year.
Gold Glove
This is yet another award where Matt McLain falls just short. McLain’s defense up the middle has been nothing short of spectacular. It becomes especially apparent when he plays second base in place of Jonathan India. His range is impressive, as is his arm strength.
But TJ Friedl has been flawless in center field. Friedl has yet to commit an error this season in over 500 innings in center field. On seemingly a nightly basis, Friedl runs down a ball over his head that seemed impossible to catch off the bat.
Plus, check out this amazing deke in center field for a double play against the Chicago Cubs.
TJ Friedl is the 2023 Midseason Reds Gold Glove award winner.
Silver Slugger
The Silver Slugger is given to the best pure hitters at each position in both leagues. For this exercise, we chose who the Reds best pure hitter has been throughout the first half of the 2023 season.
That player is Jake Fraley.
Fraley leads the team in runs batted in even after playing 14 less games than second-place Spencer Steer and 17 games less than third-place Jonathan India. He is also third on the team in home runs and fourth in walks so far. When Fraley is in the lineup, you can guarantee a grind-it-out kind of at-bat that will likely end in a hard-hit ball or a walk.
Those characteristics add up to an award-winning hitter who not only puts up numbers for himself, but contributes to winning as well.
Jake Fraley is the 2023 Reds Midseason Silver Slugger award winner.
MVP
The Reds’ MVP was the most difficult award to choose for several reasons. Number one was that there has not been just one star on the steam for any stretch of time. The Reds have built a sustainable style of play through selflessness and it seems like every night it is someone new.
The player we landed on: Spencer Steer. How can Steer win MVP but not Rookie of the Year? It comes down to the definition of MVP.
The player who has added the most cumulative value throughout the entire season has been Steer, without a doubt. He is incredibly versatile defensively and has played every position at an average or better level. He has hit anywhere from third to seventh in the batting order for 88 of the 91 games this season, and done so without complaint.
Steer currently holds the team lead in home runs, hits, walks and doubles. He has also stolen nine bases in eleven tries as well. There is not a hole in his game, and he is just a rookie! The Reds could not have asked for more from Steer and his offensive profile appears to be sustainable with his approach.
Spencer Steer is the 2023 Midseason Reds Most Valuable Player award winner.
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Featured image courtesy of Reds.com
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