Picking New York Yankees Award Winners After Season's 1st Month
They don't hand out MLB awards at the end of April—but we do.
Oh, they're transitory awards to be sure, bestowed based on a one-month sample. Still, your interest is piqued, right?
Here, then, are the April winners for the New York Yankees, including the month's breakout player, top reliever, Cy Young, Rookie of the Month and MVP. Spoiler alert: The latter two went to the same guy.
These won't be binding come October, but with the Yanks looking like a legitimate playoff contender in the noisy American League East, they offer a fun, instructive diversion.
Breakout Player of the Month: Aaron Hicks LF/CF/RF
1 of 4
Despite losing the starting right field job to Aaron Judge out of spring, Aaron Hicks has left an indelible impression in the early going.
In 19 games, Hill owns a .300 average and 1.059 OPS with five home runs. The 27-year-old, who has never posted better than a .721 OPS in four previous MLB seasons, has logged time at all three outfield positions, showcasing his defensive versatility.
"I saw the disappointment in his face. It wasn't easy," manager Joe Girardi said of the decision to relegate Hicks to a non-starting role, per MLB.com's Bryan Hoch. "I thought he had a pretty good spring training, too. I just said, 'Your opportunities are going to come. You've just got to make sure that you're ready.'"
So far, so excellent.
Reliever of the Month: Aroldis Chapman, LHP
2 of 4
The Yankees dealt Aroldis Chapman to the Chicago Cubs last season at the July 31 trade deadline and netted top prospect Gleyber Torres in the process.
Then, in typical New York fashion, the club brought Chapman and his ring back on a five-year, $86 million deal, a whopping sum for a reliever.
The Yanks may regret the contract before it's over, but for now Chapman is making it look like money well spent.
In 9.1 innings, the fireballing Cuban owns a 0.96 ERA with 15 strikeouts and has held opposing hitters to a .182 average.
He hasn't been perfect, but he's been every bit the radar-gun-singeing, bat-missing stud Yankees fans expect.
Cy Young: Michael Pineda, RHP
3 of 4
Ace Masahiro Tanaka has rebounded after a wobbly start, but so far the best starting pitcher on the Yankees has been Michael Pineda.
Through five starts, Pineda has fanned 37 in 28.2 innings while issuing just four walks.
It's a contract year for the 28-year-old right-hander, who has flashed impressive strikeout stuff throughout his big league tenure but failed to put it all together, particularly in the control department.
As The Ringer's Michael Baumann put it, "We keep believing in prospects like Pineda for so long because it's hard to accept that what made them great in the first place might not still be there. Maybe, after five years of injury and inconsistency, something's finally clicked."
"Big Mike's got a good thing going," said catcher Austin Romine, per Newsday's Laura Albanese. "He's figured out what he needs to do to win games. He's going out there every time and giving us the same look and he's being consistent and he's getting outs."
Not to toot my own horn, but I predicted an All-Star appearance for Pineda back in early April. A couple more months like this, and he could make me look smart. Get to it, Big Mike.
.png?w=256)
Rookie of the Month/MVP: Aaron Judge, RF
4 of 4
While stud catcher Gary Sanchez missed most of April with a biceps strain, Judge stepped up valiantly and capably into the Baby Bomber void.
Through the season's first month, Judge leads the Yankees in home runs (12), RBI (25) and OPS (1.219).
On Tuesday, he cracked a pair of homers and made a diving catch in right field against the Toronto Blue Jays, eliciting chants of "MVP" from the appreciative Yankee Stadium crowd, per John Healy of the New York Daily News.
Judge was susceptible to the strikeout in his minor league career and whiffed 42 times in 95 plate appearances last season with New York. Opposing pitchers are surely studying tape.
It's impossible not be excited about his early output, though, and to think Ruthian thoughts about the strapping, slugging 25-year-old specimen.
All statistics current as of Tuesday and courtesy of MLB.com and Baseball Reference.
.png?w=480)
